WOW
So you know I LOVE stories. The funnier the better.
And I love telling stories about things that are just so cool. Even little things that might not matter so much in the big scheme of things but they matter to me.
And on Wednesday nights I lead a Bible Study at our church called WOW. It stands for Women on Wednesdays, but I prefer to think of it as a time we can share our concerns and celebrate God’s blessings.
As I was thinking about this year and the verse I wanted us to use as our guide, I came across this one from “The Message”. (My parents gave me a Bible a few years ago that has the NIV in one column and the Message in the other. I think it is SO cool … because sometimes you want to read it in the NIV but so often I love the interpretation from The Message).
Here is the verse that I want us to use:
Hallelujah! Thank God! Pray to Him by name!
Tell everyone you meet what He has done!
Sing Him songs, belt out hymns, translate His wonders into music!
Honor His holy name with Hallelujahs, you who seek God.
Live a happy life!
Keep your eyes open for God, watch for his works;
be alert for signs of his presence.
Because here is the deal … He is always working. He is always showing us His presence but I think often we are too busy to notice. But I want to look for Him. I want to find Him. I want to see His hand in my life … and I want to tell others about it.
Beth Moore says this … “A powerful motivation for believing God in our present is intentionally remembering how he’s worked in our past.”
So, as always, if you have times you have seen God’s hand on your life, working in your life, etc. write ’em down and forward them to me … I’ll post them, or parts of them here. I think it’s always encouraging to hear others share.
And here is something that happened last week in my life. It’s one of those little ole things that isn’t a huge deal at all, but when it happened I only had one word … WOW. And I want to intentionally remember.
Here’s what happened:
A few years ago Bill and I went to New York City in late November. It was such a fun time to be there as the Christmas decorations were being put into place, the air was crisp … it just seemed like a perfect NYC weekend.
While we were there we went into Tiffany’s. I had wanted a Tiffany bracelet with a dangle heart on it for a long time. I thought it would be fun to try one on and Bill helped me pick the one I liked the best.
Then we left and got a Starbucks. And as we were walking back to the hotel Bill said … “let’s go back and get you that bracelet. It can be an early Christmas present.” And let me tell you, he was speaking my love language because I hate waiting on surprises. And we went back and got it and I wore it almost daily for over a year. But one day it went missing. I kept thinking it would show up. I was sure of it. I mean … it’s too clunky to just fall off my wrist, right?!?
And I needed (despartely) to clean off the dressing table next to my bathroom. I finally did it last week thinking … “Lord, that bracelet has to be here. I’ll clean this off and please, please let me find it.” (I should mention here that Bill had noticed I wasn’t wearing it and I hadn’t exactly told him I couldn’t find it. I didn’t know until later that Caroline had actually ratted me out and told him herself.)
So a Saturday or two ago, I cleaned that vanity table. I hung up the clothes I had stacked up. I threw away magazines I no longer needed. And I organized my jewelery. I got rid of stuff that was outdated and tried to organize what was left the best I could.
But I never found the bracelet.
And I was sick about it.
Bill was wanting to go work out and I said … “I can’t…not until I get this entire thing cleaned off.” And once I finished I said … “let’s go” and as we went I wondered why I didn’t find my bracelet and wondered what I would do now.
And after the workout we were leaving and, out of the blue, Bill asked me again … “Did you lose your Tiffany bracelet?” And I came clean in my own kind of coming clean way and said something like “well, I don’t exactly know where it is, but I’m still looking.” And then I said … “I really thought when I cleaned the table off today I’d find it and now that I didn’t, I don’t really know what to do.”
And Bill reached into his gym bag and pulled it out. I guess, sometime last spring, I had borrowed his workout bag and changed clothes at the gym. I hate showering at the gym and changing clothes there and all that so I really can’t even remember doing it. But there in his hand he held my Tiffany bracelet and a pair of earrings that I didn’t even realize I was missing.
And he said … “see, you wouldn’t leave until that area was clean and when it was cleaned you found your bracelet.” I mean seriously, I was praying the whole time … “please let me find it!”
And I know many of you think that is coincidence.
That’s fine.
I don’t.
And I just wanted you to know.
Yes…it caused me to say “WOW”!