Saturday, a little before noon,  I posted this picture on social media with the statement “For the record?  Yelling “Why are you driving 15 mph!!” doesn’t make the car in front of you go any faster.  LOL.  Every month I say  that I will be prepared the night before for the women’s event at my house. Every month I lie. Am doing flight of bumble bee last-minute. Always.  #Jesustakethewheel

After this post and after I had purchased fresh flowers, balloons, iced coffee and a few more snacks for the ladies,  I head home.  It’s almost 1:00 at this point.  Everyone will be there at 2pm.  I’m doing the math in  my head … takes 15 minutes to get home with this traffic, I have to do this, this and that.  Yep! I should be ready right as they start arriving at 2.  I got this!!  I no sooner have that thought until I look to my right and I see her.  I drive past her.  A young woman holding a sign that simply said “Hungry”.  The argument with God started.  “I knoooow, but Come On!  God you know I’m running late.  Can’t you just send someone else to feed her?!?  Surely someone with time will have the heart to stop and give her food?”  Oh really Kris?  You have women coming to your nice, comfy house who have likely already had two meals today and that’s more important than what I say? “Whatever you did not do for the least of these you did not do for me.  And whatever you do for the least of these, you do unto me.”  SNAP!!  He ALWAYS wins those arguments!!   So I whip it in to CVS, run in and buy beef jerky, a protein bar and a bottle of water.  As I’m buying it I remember the posts from other friends who keep those kind of goodie bags made in their car for just this occasion.  Mental note:  Do that!  Be prepared!  I almost didn’t laugh when I thought that. Me prepared?!?  It’s a dream.  A goal.  I speed back, pull into a parking lot behind where she’s standing, get out, go up to her and hand her the bag.  She starts to cry.  She says “Thank you!  It’s so hard.  Most people drive by and assume I’m on drugs or something like that.  I’m not.  I’m just hungry.  I just need food.  I’m bi-polar and sometimes can’t get my meds and I just really struggle and I’m trying..”  I asked “Can I pray for you?”  She said “Yes, please.  I pray every day.  I know God won’t put on me more than I can handle.”  I took her by the hand and we prayed right there by the highway.  When we were done she said “Can I hug you??”  I said “Of course you can!”  And as I went to wrap my arms around her I remembered my prayer “God, let my hugs heal like Peter’s shadow.  Let it set people free.”  Wow.  Revelation.  If I’m praying for my hugs to heal like Peter’s shadow?  I have to open my eyes to see who needs them.  I hugged her tight.

She may have gotten the food and the prayer?  I got the blessing!  Yeah, I’m not normal.  I don’t want to be normal.  I want to be on-fire, intense, living with purpose and changing the world!  (Or at least my little corner).  But I realize more and more that requires obedience to that still small voice.  Humbling myself to say “Not my will, but yours.”

As for the women’s event?  I made it home and was “almost” ready when my guests started to arrive.  Guess who else showed up?  Glad I didn’t make him mad by not stopping and giving him food earlier.

God is good my friends, all the time.

Be blessed –

Kris