the toenail An Important Part Of The Whole

Yep, he did it again!  Evidence of Christ in my life is so thick, but sometimes, He just smacks me in the face with a big ole’ smile, and like a little kid, I’m giddy over seeing Him at work.

First day of June.
Thinking about a delicious cup of coffee from Krispy Kreme.
As I wait at an intersection, about 20 minutes away from my destination, I get the command:

“Buy the coffee of the person behind you in line.”

This is not an unusual directive.
I’ve done this before.
I don’t do it for recognition, and as soon as I pay and get my order, I scoot away from the store quickly.
But this time, I question:

“Lord, you have me do this sometimes, but I don’t have a card or note or anything that I leave.  Is this ministry really working without a note of some sort?”

Look at that!  I doubted him!
Immediately, I was reminded of prayer cards I keep in my wallet.
A couple of years ago, when I was going through a little trial, I composed a prayer and printed it on cards, smaller than a business card.
I put these cards in my wallet, in case there were ever times I could share some uplifting words of comfort with someone else.
I’ve never used them that way, though I have referenced this prayer myself many times since.

“But Lord, (note to self:  If I start a statement to God with ‘but’, I probably shouldn’t continue) that prayer is one of protection, for peace, and for Your arms to envelope with mercy.  What if that’s not what the person behind me needs to hear?”

Did I really just ask that?  Our Father KNOWS what the needs are, we don’t.  Why did I feel like I needed to remind him of what the prayer said?  Just as quick as I thought it, I decided that I would just do what I had been asked to do.  And I didn’t think about it anymore until I got to the drive-through.

A small, red  SUV pulled up behind me, stopping quickly.  A glance in my rear view mirror told me that this young woman was not in a place where she probably needed the prayer I had been asked to share.  She was playing music, happily applying some last minute touches to her make-up.  She seemed to be glowing and bubbly.

A small silver car pulled up behind her.  I only caught a quick peek at the driver, but was instantly filled with the desire to treat THAT person to coffee, not the one behind me.

“Oh, Father, I can’t pay for the car behind the car behind me.  That would be too confusing for the Krispy Kreme ladies.  But I really feel like the lady in the silver car is the one in need of your touch today.”

As I pulled up to the window, I decided that I just needed to do what was asked of me in the first place.  I handed the card and the money to the lady at the register, and proceeded to pay for the young woman behind me.  It was “National Donut Day”,  so I had ordered a box of glazed donuts to share at the office.   Because I needed to wait on “hot ones”, I was asked to pull up a little and wait for them to bring them out.

Oh no!  So much for “scooting away” like I normally do.  I pulled forward, but could still see the drive-thru window.  The woman behind me in the red SUV, upon being handed the card and told that her coffee was paid for, smiled and paid for the lady in the silver car behind her.

Did you hear that?  The woman whom I felt strongly needed the blessing, got her coffee paid for!
I could have done cartwheels of joy right there!

As the red SUV girl drove past me, she gave a thumbs up and a big, happy smile.

What an awesome morning at the drive-thru!

God’s plan is ALWAYS perfect.  I’m so thankful for His humor, His patience, and His tender ways of teaching us, all the time.  Teaching me all the time.  Through obedience this morning, I was able to see how God’s plan included the two other women.  I was able to again see how my own doubt creeps in there, and has the potential to steal one of God’s blessings from me.

Praise His name, His glorious, perfect name!  Make me and mold me, Oh Lord!