I really just wanted to get to the office. I’d been up since 5, and at 6:45 was excited to be pulling onto State Park Rd. I’d beat the traffic and surely be able to get a lot of things done. My to do list for work was pretty big.
At the end of State Park Rd, however, I found I couldn’t make myself turn right.
I sat there for literally two minutes debating which way to turn. Right would take me to work.
Left would take me to Walmart.
I did not have time for Walmart . . . but something just wouldn’t let me turn right. I ended up turning left and then turning around in a gas station parking lot because I really NEEDED to go to the office. But something really did keep saying, “Just go to Walmart.”
I’ve tried all week to see things on my computer screen and it is becoming close to impossible. Edits of images for SOUL and upcoming worship series, reading our financial reports, the cheater glasses are proving not to be enough.
The gnawing need for a monitor grew bigger and bigger yesterday and since this was not in any budget – West’s or mine, I decided I’d go as cheap as I could and it would be my contribution to the West office.
So . . . “Walmart, here I come!”
Surely Walmart on a Thursday am around 7:20 wouldn’t be a big deal or a time determent, right?
On my way to the electronics section, I had to walk past the tennis shoes.
Low and behold there was the clearance tag. Name brand tennis shoes were marked $15 – $20 off.
Self 1: “Should I text one of the board members for Inspire Our Children and see if they can go shopping for Bash?”
Self 2: “No. They are all still in school or have family from out of the country visiting them this week.”
Self 1: “Andrea, just buy the shoes. It will take you ten extra minutes and think of the money Bash will save.”
I started choosing the shoes.
And older gentleman was beside me painstakingly trying to choose a pair of “Croc-like” sandals.
“Ma’am, are these women’s shoes?”
“Yes, I’m pretty sure they are!”
“Why are they so big?”
“Well, women can have big feet too, right?” and we laughed.
“My wife wears a six and I need to get her a pair of shoes. These just look so, so big.”
I agreed with him, explained I wore a six, and yes, they did indeed look too big.
“Would you mind trying them on for me?”
So there at 7:30 am I stood with 100 pair of tennis shoes in my shopping cart, trying on sandals for a gentleman.
Here’s where my mind was so you don’t think I’m like this noble human being . . .
“Why am I trying on shoes for this gentleman? I do not know him. I don’t have time for this . . . I need to get to the office . . I need to do a. b. c. etc. I didn’t even want to come to Walmart. But something in my gut made me and now here I am. No monitor in sight. 100 pair of shoes in my cart and instead of checking out, I’m trying on shoes.”
“My wife just had triple by-pass surgery and she gets to come home today. I want her to have what she needs for her recovery. I do not want to get her the wrong thing.”
Those words shut up that nagging voice in my head that I didn’t have time for him.
I tried on several pair of sandals, asked him where his wife’s surgery had occurred, shared that I am a pastor and I’d be praying for him and her recovery.
After that, I found the monitor and checked out the 100 pair of tennis shoes. Pushing my cart to my car I noticed the man was loading his.
Two brand new pillows, a cozy blanket, and the shoes were on the top of his cart.
He so gently placed them in his car, surely in anticipation of offering his love to his wife during her recovery.
Dawn Lynch, our Connections and SOUL Catalyst, twin daughters are graduating this weekend from high school. Yesterday Dawn shared with me that as they leave for school she tells them, “Shine your light.”
Father Richard Rohr writes,
“Have you ever noticed that the expression ‘the light of the world’ is used to describe the Christ (John 8:12), but that Jesus also applies the same to us?”
We need to start trusting our own aliveness so that we can be the light in the world for one another.
What does that mean?
It means listening to our gut when we don’t want to do something or act in a certain manner. The Spirit nudges us far more than we accept, much less realize.
This is what we are going to look at this summer . . . . Finding God in all things. Learning to be and share our Light.
I look forward to sharing with you in worship on Sunday.
Until then . . . .
Grace and Peace,
Andrea