Time seems to get away from me these days, I think about things I should write about but never seem to take the time to write them down...lots of changes going on but for today I shall stick to my Thanksgiving story. I have been looking forward to a 3 day weekend for awhile, I had lots of plans...seems that God had others...
As I started my week, the only plan was to cook a turkey on Monday and have the family over, leaving me with 2 days to get some of my 'stuff' accomplished but then my girlfriends wanted to get together at the Cranberry Festival in Fort Langley...who would give up an opportunity to spend time with great friends? Mid-week my beautiful daughter called and wondered if I wanted to go to church with her and Austin on Sunday followed by a trip to get pumpkins...who would pass up a chance to spend Thanksgiving with her wonderful kids and adorable grandson? Then a call from my chosen family, they were going to be in town for the weekend, would I like to have dinner and a visit Saturday evening...of course, they have a sweet little girl who also calls me grandma and I looked forward to the hugs. After they were gone Corinne called, she was alone so she came to spend the night. My quiet weekend became full...full of family, both blood and chosen. Full of the people I love ♥ Does it get better than that, I didn't think so.....well until today.
Today is Thanksgiving, I got up and drove to Surrey for church....here is where the coincidence starts...or is it? I hope you will indulge me as I give you a play by play of my day. I picked up the kids and we headed to the church that houses Austin's daycare and just happens to be the place I took my 9 month course last year....it felt comfortable as we entered and dropped the little man off at Sunday school. We had coffee in the foyer and people stopped to say hello, then we made our way into the sanctuary. This was the cartoon on the front of the bulletin, it made all of us giggle. As the worship started I glanced to my right and did a double take...what I saw was Pastor Ross Johnson... my grandmother's favorite pastor from the Church of the Nazarene here in Abbotsford. Yes he was older and rounder than that 'new' pastor that grams and gramps loved so much years ago but it was him, now a pastor at a Baptist church in Surrey only 2 blocks from Tif's home, the same church that has taken such good care of my grandson....coincidence??
As the service started I thought of my beloved grandma while I listened to a sermon on Romans 14....the pastor spoke of being careful about judging others. He spoke of the need for Christians to 'lift one anther up by accepting, rather than tripping people up by judging'. He warned that even if it was 'well meaning' it could have an affect on a persons walk with God...exactly what Tif has struggled with when it comes to church. The message was not lost on her or I....coincidence??
As we listened, my beautiful little girl said she was hungry (took me back to the many other Sunday mornings she said the same thing to me), I looked in my purse but only had some almonds (to which she is very allergic) so I dug deeper and pulled out a Werther's candy. Now this may not seem unusual to you but these were my grandfather's favorite candies...he always had a bag beside his recliner, he NEVER went anywhere without them and handed one to each of the kids every time he saw them. I am not fond of them and NEVER buy them yet I had one single Werther's candy in my purse (and I have NO idea where it came from)...I handed it to her and with glossy eyes, she looked at me and whispered "I have not eaten one of these since the last time I got one from grandpa"...with tears forming in my eyes I had to wonder....coincidence??
We picked up a very happy Austin from sunday school where he had learned about the Pharaoh...a bad man who did something nice when God softened his heart. Was God working on some heart softening that very morning? Of course he was also hungry so we drove to Wendy's for a burger and as Austin ordered nuggets (which he never does) we realized that was where Grandma & Grandpa Barkman always took us for lunch after church...coincidence??
We finished our day at the pumpkin patch, basked in the glorious sunshine, pet the animals, held baby bunnies took a hay ride and had a wonderful day that was filled with family...past and present.
This Thanksgiving I am especially grateful.....and I choose to believe there are is no such thing as coincidence ♥
