“Serendipity”: Where ADD Train of Thought Meets Divine Planning

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Direct my footsteps according to your word. – Psalm 119:133a

A recent post from another blogger addressed the contrast between the world of the persecuted church and that of the Western culture. In the first, there is only one ongoing daily decision: Do what’s right or do what’s wrong. In our world, on the other hand, we make dozens, if not hundreds, of minor, mundane choices every day. The details of our daily lives can clutter up our minds and make it hard to focus on spiritual issues.

(Sometimes.)

My morning began with some mundane choices, starting with what to wear. Here’s a summary of the train of thought in my ADD/OCD mind:

Jeans? … No, yoga pants would be better for the chiropractor – no waistband and stitching getting in the way. … Sweatshirt? … Too warm. … T-shirt? Not warm enough. … Long-sleeved t-shirt? Perfect. … Which one? … Gray? … Not with black yoga pants. Too dull! ”’ Navy blue? Too dark! Stripes? Too “yacht club” to wear with yoga pants...

It did cross my mind, Why do I care what I’m wearing to the chiropractor?

I grabbed a bright red, long-sleeved t-shirt I had received from the Red Cross as a “thank you” for giving blood. Bingo!

As I drove to my appointment, I passed the shopping center where I had been with my granddaughter the day before. A woman had been at the entrance then, holding up a sign saying, “Homeless. Hungry. Anything you can contribute would be appreciated.” I had stopped at the red light and given her one of the protein bars I always carry in the car for such occasions. It was “chocolate chip cookie dough,” but the way the lady squealed “CHOCOLATE!!!” you would have thought it was pure gold. After such a delighted response, I later wished I had given her the chocolate chip brownie protein bar instead – double the chocolate.

This morning I looked at the entrance as I drove to my appointment but didn’t see the woman there this time.

But driving home, I did spot her and decided to pick up a few groceries there, so I could treat her on the way out.

I was minding my own business in the grocery store, when I heard a cheery voice call out, “I love your shirt!” I turned to see two women, one in a motorized wheelchair, smiling at me. The one seated unzipped her Red Cross windbreaker to show me she was wearing a donor shirt, too. I got into a conversation with these delightful ladies about blood donations, our names and their meanings (Their names were a lot more interesting than mine.), and Jesus and how wonderful He is. As it’s been with other encounters with fellow believers, I felt as though I’d known these sisters for years.

I told them about the piece I’d written for this blog, with the dream where I went to heaven and met a lot of seemingly random people and heard their stories. In the dream I had realized what they all had in common – they had all received a blood donation that saved their lives, after which they met Jesus, who saved their souls. Then I realized the reason Jesus had wanted me to meet all of them; they had been recipients of my blood!

https://seekingdivineperspective.com/2018/07/13/the-friends-i-didnt-know-i-had/

The ladies loved the story, and after “fellowshipping” some more, we parted ways, knowing we’d see one another again – “here, there, or in the air.”

As I said goodbye to my two new friends, I quipped, “I knew there was a reason I put on this shirt today!” They laughed with me.

As I was pulling up to the exit, the light turned red, giving me about 60 seconds to speak to the homeless lady. Before I could give her the chocolate-chocolate protein bar or say a word, she called to me as if she’d known me forever and exclaimed, “I just got great news!”

“What?!” I asked, genuinely interested.

She went on to say how good God is – all the time! She had hit a little “glitch,” but God was still blessing her. She told me about the poisonous spider bite that had put her in the hospital. She had somehow lost her social security money, but she had just learned that she was going to start getting it again. We cheered together.

“You should celebrate with chocolate!” I suggested, handing her the bar.

She grinned and replied, “Is there any other way?”

I told her I loved her positive attitude and asked her if she had checked out any of the places with the “Now Hiring” signs. I said anyone would be delighted to have someone like her as an employee. She told me she had a medical condition that kept her from working.

“I really miss working,” she confessed, but added, “God has blessed me, though. I needed to be here. It’s humbled me.”

(Talk about divine perspective … !)

I know plenty of people who have homes and jobs and food, whose attitudes aren’t nearly as positive as hers. (Sometimes I’m one of them.) I was so touched by her words, all I could say was, “God bless you!” I asked her name, and when she told me, I promised I’d pray for her healing so she could go back to doing what she loved to do and continue to brighten people’s day.

Looking back, I don’t know how all that conversation fit into the time span of one change of a traffic light, but the Lord is not only sufficient, He’s efficient.

On the way home I reflected on the two “chance meetings” I had just been blessed with, and I couldn’t stop smiling. Sometimes my thoughts, actions, and words seem scattered and random, but the joy I experience after a couple of encounters like these makes me believe nothing catches God off guard. He knows exactly what He’s doing, even when I don’t have a clue.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You that I don’t have to be a genius with all my ducks in a row to live in Your will. I am amazed at the detailed way You orchestrate my life, moment by moment, delighting me in so many little seemingly random gifts, “just because.” (I love You!) Amen

Published by seekingdivineperspective

I am a forgiven sinner and adopted child of God, seeking to see life from His perspective - as opposed to the world's flawed perspective - and living my life accordingly.

Published

33 thoughts on ““Serendipity”: Where ADD Train of Thought Meets Divine Planning”

  2. Ahhh, sweet post! I just love those Divine appointments. I love to see God’s hand in everything. He’s always there, but sometimes we get lost in our own randomness and don’t always notice Him at work.

    I worked in a wound clinic once and they used to say, “where the blood goes, healing flows.” The moment I heard it I thought, wow that is so spiritual! It’s a true about our physical bodies, you need good circulation to heal, but it’s true about Jesus too! Where His blood goes, healing flows.

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  5. This is an excellent reminder to do more of those little nudges that God often gives us, to reach out to others. Thank you for sharing Annie, I’m thinking your attitude is something that I could use more of. Blessings!

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  6. Thank you for sharing this Annie. I am always encouraged by how open and willing you are to strike up conversation. You remind me to let it be ok to be interrupted as I go about my day as these interruptions can turn out to be something God uses.

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  7. Ann, my wife does exactly what you do, carrying protein bars in her purse for such encounters. I don’t have a purse–haha–but there are other, various ways I have handled them. I will eventually be writing a post about it.

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    1. Thanks for the comment, Keith. (I also help myself to the protein bars when I’m out and about and don’t have time to eat.😏)
      I have also given away gift cards to fast food places. I’ve only had one person scowl and say “What am I supposed to do with this?” 🙄

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  9. What a joyous day it became as you were just being your ADD/OCD self and allowing God to minister through you the way he created you to be. I love it! It reminds me to not get so down on myself God uses us the way he wired us each with our own unique quirks.

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  11. What a great story! In my experience, if we live expecting to encounter God in our day-to-day lives, we probably will. If, on the other hand, we live without that expectation, we probably won’t. You are a shining example of someone who lives in that expectation every moment of every day. Thank you for this instructive reminder.

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      1. Amen; sometimes in being evangelistic we can meet believers who we are encouraged by and vice versa! Not that we are trying to evangelize Christians as our goal…but I think God allow those moments for encouragement of believers

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