A Man on a Tractor

We live in a area where there is A LOT of new construction. There are houses going up everywhere around us. They are selling and selling quickly. It must be because they know they are getting great neighbors. :) Now, if only our house in OC would sell - that is a different story. (Sigh)

There are always various construction crews in our neighborhood everyday. Many of them speak a different language. They don't look like me or act like me. I like that. They work hard, really hard. My kids and I enjoy watching them. What I didn't know is that they are watching us, too.

Yesterday, I had a brief conversation with a man on a tractor. His job is to grade the dirt before the sod goes down. He goes over and and over the dirt until it is just right. He does a great job. They tell me he is the best in the business. I have him to thank for no water in our basement this summer. He is an older man. He looks like he has had a rough life. He works alone and seldom talks to anyone. And if he does, it is usually because he is mad.

Yesterday as I was taking out the garbage he got off his tractor and starting walking toward me. Someone else from the construction company was across the street and saw the man from the tractor approaching me. The man on the tractor started talking to me. He said he enjoyed watching my kids play as they waited for the bus to arrive. He then asked me about "that girl" in the wheelchair. I smiled and told him her name was Josie. He wanted to know what was wrong with her. I told him a little of her story and told him that we adopted her. He told me that I must have a heart of gold to do such a thing. I simply responded by saying that God loves me and this is a way to show God's love. I think he was thrown a little and he responded by saying that there must be a God for something like this to happen. And just like that, he was back on his tractor moving the dirt around. The other constuction worker who was watching came over and said he has never seen the man on the tractor talk to anyone else.

Our conversation was probably three minutes long. I may have been the only person he talked to yesterday. I have no idea of this man's faith journey. I do know that he experienced some of God's love yesterday. The man on the tractor is back today, perhaps another conversation will take place. Let's hope so.