I've had several small experiences that I recognize as "special." If I weren't looking for them I probably would have chalked them up to coincidence. First I met a dear friend for coffee at her favorite place. When I walked in to the shop I ran into a girl who went to school with my kids and I haven't seen in years! Good thing she recognized me, because I only remembered her sweet, four-year-old face. We caught up and I learned that her father is back in business for himself, and likely can complete some work that we need to have done on our home. I spent the rest of that day revisiting sweet memories of days gone by.
The next experience was a little less happy. On the way to work I decided to go through the drive thru and treat myself to Starbucks on a morning with an air temperature of 0, wind chill somewhere between -10 and -20. (When it gets that cold does precision really matter?) I put the window down, placed my order and pulled forward. I tried to put the window up but it made a sickening, grinding, gear-stripping sound and then fell silent. With the window still inside the door. I went home and tried to tape a plastic tarp over it so I could at least go to work, but it was too cold for the duck tape to stick to anything! So I drove it to the shop that had fixed the same window 3 years earlier. Of course it was out of warranty, but they could fix it that day. Despite a generous discount the bill would still be close to $300.
For whatever reason a little light bulb went off in my head. Kind of like the check engine light indicating that we needed a new catalytic converter. Since the minivan has 218,000 miles on it we had already decided that we would trade it in when the tags were up in June rather than put another $2,000 into it. But if the indicator light had gone off, maybe... I asked them if they could go ahead and also do a state inspection while the beast was there. The immediate response was, "We can do it, but we won't be able to fix anything today." Even they recognized the hopelessness of it. I assured them that I just wanted to know what I was up against, so they agreed to complete the inspection and gave me a ride to work.
Unfortunately they couldn't get me a shuttle ride when I finished work, and I couldn't find another ride so I started the six mile trek to the shop. The whole way I repeated a mantra and even though the sun had only warmed the day to a balmy 15 degrees, it didn't seem too cold. There just are not words to express how absolutely shocked I was that I was able to walk that far and not be in pain! The shock was ten times greater when they told me the van had passed both inspections! What the what?! You better believe that new tags were purchased and on the van that same day!
And finally, this past Sunday we had some light ice overnight so I didn't get out the door in time for the first service at my new church. I thought I knew when the second service started, but I didn't. I got there right at the end of the first service. I decided to take the opportunity to ask a couple of questions and waited out of the way for the crowd to clear. While I was waiting a woman approached, greeted me, and offered to answer my questions about volunteering. I have felt a need for some time to do some kind of work with immigrant populations. Turns out she is an associate director at an agency that does just that. I am meeting with them tomorrow to see if I can find a place to offer some help.
There have been other things I noticed too, but I don't want this to get too long. Some people call these experiences random, coincidence. Some people would say it is evidence of synergy, the interconnectedness of all life. I was looking for what others would call the action of God. How do you know what it is? Does it have to be one or the other? Can it be all three at once? Is there another possibility that I'm not considering?
And what does it all mean? Is it enough to simply recognize the events and be grateful? Or do I have to respond and act on them? See? I am left with more questions than I had before I started looking. I'm still processing things and trying to figure out what they are saying to me, but would really like some help with some of these questions... For now I am good with living with the questions.
