SUNDAY MEMORIES
Judy Wills
We’ve had so many “serendipity” times happen in our lives. I’m convinced that they are God’s way of giving us some unexpected joy in our lives. So while I call them serendipity, I really know better.
This one happened some time ago, while we were living in Virginia. There was a Taco Bell where Fred and I liked to eat, about five minutes from our house. We stopped there often. One time, during the summer, we stopped, and noticed that the doors were standing open. Uh-oh – that’s not a good sign! Sure enough, the AC was off. There were no other customers in the store, so we had the place to ourselves.
The manager actually waited on us himself. He had on a long-sleeved white shirt, tie, and his sleeves were rolled up – but rolled under, rather than up. I commented on the AC and on how his sleeves were rolled the way our son-in-law rolled his. Then I asked why he was wearing a long-sleeved shirt in that heat. He said that he wanted to look professional, and that was his work “uniform.” The conversation went on a while, then he asked us for our order. He then “fiddled” with the register a bit, and when he gave me the total – it was at least $1.00 less than usual. When I questioned him about it, he just grinned at me, so I said, “should I just take it and run with it?” and he nodded yes.
Every other time we were in that Taco Bell, if he was at the register, the total would be less. We never asked for nor demanded that we get a discount, but only when he was working, did we get the discount. We always waved, smiled, or spoke to him.
Neat story, however, that’s not the end of it. Some years later – after we had moved to Florida – we were back in Virginia visiting. We had flown into the airport in Norfolk that time, and we were driving back to Norfolk for our return trip. We took a wrong exit and were fussing at each other about how to get back to the right place. We saw a Taco Bell up ahead, and decided to stop for lunch.
I ordered, then took the drink cups over to fill at the machine. When I was done, Fred said, “look who’s here.” I looked up and saw this same man bringing our food on the tray to the counter, with a confused look on his face, as if to say “where have I seen this order before?” (My order was rather unique) Then he looked up and saw us and grinned from ear to ear. Seems he had gotten a lateral transfer and was now working in Norfolk. It was actually a promotion for him, as it was much closer to where he lived, so he saved in time and gas money. We spoke for a short time and renewed acquaintances.
Just think……….if we hadn’t taken the wrong exit, we would never have known that he had transferred and where he was then working.
Just a little thing, but it filled us with joy. It’s been a fun remembrance for us.
We are all hurting, all struggling in some way. Some of us hide our pain better than others and it is easy to get wrapped up in our struggles, causing us to stop seeing the world beyond our own circumstances. A few months ago I was drowning in my own pain both physical and emotional. I lost two people that I loved dearly and nearly lost a third who, only by the grace of God, made it through a very serious illness. By the end of the month I was exhausted so when a friend asked if I wanted to go to a 
but every song seemed to have been written just for me. Three songs in particular stuck with me, the words jolting me out of the spiritual sleep I’d fallen into during the month of trials: Thrive, Dreamer, and All You Ever Wanted. I went home that night and slept better than I had in weeks.
man performed a song that really touched me. He used those words, but he inserted a couple of words that touched me deeply. He sang “Be still – my child – and know that I am God.” It certainly made that verse very personal to me. It reminded me, again, that I am, indeed, a child of God’s, and that He loves me greatly. I had known all that, ever since I had given Him my heart, but sometimes I just needed to be reminded of it. God certainly got my attention with my diagnosis!
Old Things R New 