Finish Friends and Birthday Pumpkin Pie

Yesterday and today have been interesting days. Yesterday, I got to meet a family from Finland at a friend's house. One interesting fact I learned from them, is that Finish women leave their babies out in the cold to take naps during the day. Apparently, if you go to just about any store in Finland, you'll see baby strollers parked out front with the babies inside sleeping soundly . . . even in winter! They're covered with down comforters, but still . . . would you leave your baby outside to nap in the dead of winter??? Interesting . . .

Last night I went to the mall with my 16-year-old teammate, Brooke. While walking around, we ran into one of my teen girls, named Ruth. She asked if she could hang out with us for a while, so we all went and had dinner at the food court. While we were eating, I saw the Finish family walk in! They came over and said hi and I introduced Brooke and Ruth, explaining who they were and where they were both from. Right then it occured to me . . . Ruth is from Finland! Small world. Right then and there they all began talking in Finish while I sat there smiling and thinking how cool it was. A few minutes later, Ruth told me she was going to bake a pumpkin pie today using real pumpkin. I've always wanted to try this . . . so I asked her if she wanted to bake at my house. She agreed and today we baked two "real" pumpkin pies. It was a lot of fun and I got to hang out with a teen that I don't usually get to spend any real time with.

I took "my" pie to Bible study tonight. After the study, we were all milling around enjoying the pie and other refreshments and a girl named Johanna, new to our church and the Bible study, told me with emotion in her voice that yesterday was her birthday and that pumpkin pie was her absolute favorite. She just arrived in Berlin, either to work or attend university (I forget), and I'm sure she's missing home and family just like me. Apparently she has pumpkin pie on her birthday every year . . . except this one. :-) Better late than never, huh? God knew. Ordinarily I do not bake pumpkin pies until Thanksgiving.

I like to think that God put Ruth and the Finish family together and then orchestrated a baking day for me and Ruth so that Johanna could have her birthday pumpkin pie. :-) I also like to think that right now . . . at this very moment . . . God may be orchestrating some things on my behalf! In the words of John Piper, "God is always doing more than we know."