ARK

Well I was pretty low when I wrote my last post.  I've had a lot of ups and downs with dealing with my appearance and limitations.  Sundays are especially hard, as I try to get ready for church and find an outfit and headwear that doesn't feel like I'm an old lady, gypsy, or both.  But yesterday, something happened that lifted my spirits.  After church, my family and I went to a local restaurant for lunch.  When we were finished, the waiter brought us our bill and said "You might want to look inside before you take out your credit card."  So we did.  Handwritten on the back of the receipt was a handwritten note that said "Your bill was paid by the table who sat behind you."  We were the recipients of an act of random kindness!  How awesome is that?  All I remember about them was that it was a family with a young son, and, judging by their clothing, they were Houston Texans fans!  We relished the moment, all the way home.

Interestingly, our discussion during lunch was how God's answers to our prayers is sometimes "Yes," sometimes "No," and sometimes "Not now."  My 16-year-old daughter was turned down for a summer camp position because there were too many applicants who had applied ahead of her.  She really has a heart for the Lord, and has been looking forward to junior staffing for a long time.  She just didn't understand why, with such a strong desire to serve and many years of experience attending the camp, she didn't get the position.  She was tearful about it.  What it came down to was that we don't always know why God gives us the answers he does.  His answers and His plan for us isn't always what our plans are! 

After finding out about our bill being paid, the kids wanted to know why a stranger would do that.  We just said we didn't know, that it seemed just a random act of kindness, and that whatever the reason, it did lift us up.  We wondered, "Was part of our conversation overheard by the kind strangers?"  Perhaps God knew we needed some lifting right then and there.  Perhaps He used these strangers for just that purpose.  God at work, for sure!  It was agreed that we should pay it forward one day SOON by doing something similar to a person or family in need.  Because you never know what someone else is going through.