It could have been a day when I crawled into bed feeling discouraged and feeble. Silly little things — like forgetting to put on eye make-up before leaving the house, then coming home to find a personally-addressed offer for a hearing aide appointment in my mail box. Really?
But in between, I had a few “God spots”. They salvaged my day.
There was that little cluster of elderly gentlemen at the corner table at my local McDonald’s this morning. I sat nearby with my unmade-up eyes, drinking coffee and using the Wi-Fi while eavesdropping on their conversation. Witty fellows, they were. Engaged in a sort of “soft shoe” dialogue, the gents danced around one another, tossing out comments about the weather, the state of the economy, the rather loud diner who had vacated the table next to theirs. Old friends, by the sound of their easy banter, with a shared history. They chided and teased one another, directing questions to draw out the quieter fellow, putting another in his place with a gentle correction. A lot of unspoken care and acceptance emanated from their little gathering.
It made me smile.
Then there were the ladies in my afternoon Bible study who blessed me beyond measure as they opened their hearts. A range of ages, we gather each week to dig into the Word and today’s buried treasure was particularly sweet. Planted in the story of Gideon — those three little chapters in Judges — we learned how to do battle in our world. But more, we learned how much we value the people God has put into our lives. Two dear ladies in the group, lifelong friends, traded heart-felt compliments and encouragement. They share equally in one another’s trials and triumphs, and this day was no exception. And together, we reflected on this question:
“What does the Word of God declare to be true about us?”
“Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family.” Proverbs 18:24
And at the end of our time together, their kindness brought me to tears.
Finally, sad news became a celebration of a life well-lived. As the word spread that a dear spiritual mentor landed in the arms of her Savior this day, I rejoiced to know she is free of the pain and confusion that plagued her final years in this life. At the same time, I grieved for the loss of the saint who taught me so much in the sincere way she loved and honored God. This pastor’s wife did not have an easy road, but she traveled it with grace and integrity and today she heard her Father say “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Memories of years spent in her tutelage warmed my heart today.
Most of the time, our days are made up of small things — things that can lay us low or lift us up. I’m guessing that in each day, we get a mixture of both. Today, when I could have let a couple of little annoyances define me, God shifted the focus. Today, He caused me to see and appreciate blessings shared in the lives of others.
A good reading before bed, and another story to make me think..Thank you Ingrid..