I took this photo from the summit of our camo-green-painted, securely-fastened-to-a-tree extension ladder in our backyard. I love biking, but sometimes I throw in a step-climbing workout to mix things up. A funny thing happened one day this summer when my daughter, Cassie, was in town. Unbeknownst to me—she happened to be within earshot on the patio (awning-covered, upper right side of photo) while I was at the far end of the yard, on our ladder. After I’d begun my climb, I noticed that just below, Kai the cool pool guy had arrived and began his weekly pool maintenance. Evidently, he hadn’t noticed me above him. While at the top, I heard him sneeze and so I, of course, said “God bless you.” I didn’t look down, I just kept ascending and descending and sweating toward my 50X up and 50X down goal. Later, after Kai had departed and I’d returned from my workout, Cassie reported that when I’d said “God bless you” to Kai, she noticed him stop, look up and around, unaware of my presence, apparently mystified by this moment rich in metaphor, this blessing from heaven—this love from above.
“Surely the lord was in this place and I was not aware of it.” (Jacob’s ladder) Gen 28:16