Wilbur and I were checking out at a Wawa store. I handed the clerk one of my small cards that I had made. On the front I had written "'I have loved you with an everlasting love' - God (Jeremiah 31:3)" On the back I have written “You're Someone Special! Jesus Loves You.” (see picture) It's an awesome truth that everyone needs to know. She took the time to read the card and when she read the front she said, “You mean I'm loved?” She turn the card over and said, “You mean I'm special? Wow I'm loved and I'm special! I really needed to know that.” She was so happy! I left the store rejoicing!
As I thought about that incident, I thought about all the choices Wilbur and I had made so that we were in that Wawa at the same time when she was in the store. There were more choices than I can count. There were even choices that my daughter Melissa made, the career path that she had chosen, taking photos of scenery she saw in countries when she was on business trips, enlarging those photos into posters, and having those photos on display in her home. When I saw those beautiful posters, I decided that I would give photography a try. After all I love the outdoors and live in a beautiful part of the state of Pennsylvania. There were even choices that my father had made one of which was to tell most everyone he met that they were someone special that Jesus loved them. I decided that I needed to tell people the same awesome truth.
Several years ago, I had decided to make small business size cards with Christmas greeting messages on them to hand out two people I came in contact with at Christmas. Later I had decided that I should make similar cards to give out whenever I encountered someone and not just at Christmas. I have made lots of cards with lots of different sayings on the front and with “You’re Someone Special! Jesus Loves You!” on the back of most of them. I did that because I encounter some of the same people more than once in a month. I wanted to be able to give them a different card each time I see them. It was so neat when I handed a bank teller a card and she said, “I still have this one that you gave me.” She showed me the one I had given her before. Now she had two, each one different. Lots and lots of people have responded in a positive way to the cards they have received. Many have thanked me, have smiled, and seemed delighted. Everyone who has ever gotten a card from me is prayed for!
Anyway back to the incident at Wawa. A few weeks prior Wilbur and I had been at another Wawa. I had ordered hoagies for us using their touch screen. I recall telling Wilbur I didn't know what hoagie I had ordered for myself. We were headed for a picnic and I was driving so I knew I wouldn't find out until we were ready to eat. Much to my surprise my hoagie turned out to be a pepperoni hoagie. I do not like pepperoni and was at a loss as to how I ended up ordering a pepperoni hoagie. I wondered if there had been a glitch with the touch screen at the Wawa that I ended up with the pepperoni hoagie. Wilbur decided to trade hoagies with me. He declared the pepperoni hoagie was very, very good. A few weeks later Wilbur and I decided to go for another picnic and Wilbur said he wanted to go back to Wawa and get another pepperoni hoagie. We went to a different Wawa. This time I knew I had ordered a pepperoni hoagie on the touch screen. The checkout clerk at that Wawa was the one who had responded in such a positive manner. So many choices that we had made led us to that moment, the choice to go on a picnic, the choice to go to Wawa, to buy a hoagie etc. My choices to get a camera, to take photos, to make cards, to write about God's love and that they are someone special, that Jesus loves them and then to hand them out. The choices we make can make all the difference in the world for someone else.
Here’s an example of another choice I had made. On Monday Wilbur had major surgery. It had been a long day. I was on my way home from the hospital around 8:30 pm. I needed to buy a few things from the store and was debating about stopping at Walmart. I just wanted to go home and crash; but I felt compelled to go to our local Walmart. I did my shopping, checked out at a self-checkout and headed toward the exit. One of the items I had bought was too big to fit in a shopping bag. An employee who is a member of my church stopped me and said he had to check to see if I had paid for the item that was not bagged. I told him it was the first item on the slip. As he carried out his duties, he shared about a young man for whom we had been praying who has been battling cancer for some time. I tried to encourage him and then I suggested that we pray for this young man and his mother. So right there in Walmart I offered a prayer. The employee thanked me for praying with him. I left the store thankful that I had stopped at Walmart. Although I was very tired, I was so glad I had gone out of my way.
When I had left the hospital, I thought about all the people who had been praying for Wilbur and me. I know we are truly blessed. I wondered how many patients didn't have anyone praying for them. I took a moment and offered a prayer for them. It had truly been a good day. I was able to lay my head down and sleep in peace because I knew I had heeded the leading of the Holy Spirit.
I am reminded of the song, “People Need the Lord.” Who do we pass by who needs to know that God loves them or that needs someone to pray for/with them?
