The following are a series of very interesting events where the timing couldn't have been more impeccable. Several hundred thousand people live in this particular area of Utah where these experiences took place, so the likelihood of this being a coincidence just doesn't stand to reason.
Abe is in Utah today for only one day. He flew in last night and leaves tomorrow morning. He didn't tell anyone that he was going there because he knew he wouldn't have time to see all the people we love there. Two of the people he did see though were pretty significant.
*I had a college roommate for 2 years who also lived with me and Abe for a short time. She was even one of my bridesmaids- we're that close. Abe happened to see her at the grocery store today and was able to give her a big hug for me.
*Today, Abe was trying to keep up with his buddy who had to check about 5 stores in an effort to find a specific item. As they were running between stores, they passed through the food court when someone called out Abe's name. He turned around and saw our nephew standing there donning a Chic-fil-A uniform. We didn't even realize he was living there because his family lives in Arizona! He's our only nephew old enough to even be living on his own! They had the wonderful opportunity to give each other big hugs and express their love. How special to see him!! Neither of us had seen him since before his mission!! Coincidence? Nope! God knew that Uncle Abe and Daniel needed to hug.
*Several years ago, when I was a college student, I was sitting on a blanket with thousands of people around me outside of the BYU football stadium watching fireworks. I had been living in Idaho for the Summer as a camp counselor, but I wanted to come to Utah for the 4th of July because it was such a fantastic celebration. I had been sitting there for at least an hour when a little girl walked up to me. I looked at her twice and then screamed with excitement. It was my niece!!!! I turned around, and my sister from Arizona had been sitting literally 2 blankets away from me the entire time!!! There were thousands of people everywhere, so we hadn't even noticed each other. I had no idea she was coming to Utah for a visit, and she thought that I was still in Idaho. I was living out west with no family around, and I definitely needed a big hug from my sister!!
*This past Summer, I drove our 6 children and my teenage niece and nephew to Utah. I was just leaving BYU campus with the some of the kids, when someone yelled my name in the parking lot. I looked around wondering who in the world would know my name here in Provo? My cousin was walking right behind me!! I hadn't seen her since my wedding 11 years ago, and there she was with her husband and all her kids. We hugged over and over again and took lots of pictures. We had tried to meet up the previous year at my mom's house, but it didn't work out. She was visiting in the area from Colorado for only one day, and God had orchestrated it so that our paths could cross. I'm sure God enjoyed creating that miracle for us. We were all filled with so much joy to have an instant reunion.
*On a separate occasion that very same week, I had 2 thoughts as I was driving to the store... It wasn't a formal prayer to God, but I was talking to HIM about my predicament.
Thought #1: Juliana had fallen asleep in the car, and I needed to run in really quickly to get some formula for Jayden. My older boys were at a football camp, so I didn't have anyone in the car old enough to watch the younger ones. I would need to wake her up just to run into the store for 5 minutes. I was thinking how much I wished I knew someone there so they could stand by my car while I ran in and out really fast. I was even thinking that someone should start a car-sitting business for mothers with lots of errands and lots of children.
Thought #2: I had no idea how to get a hold of 2 friends of ours. One friend had worked with Abe years ago at BYU, and we just loved her motherly nature. We never did have her phone number, but I just wanted to give her a big hug. We knew the other friend from a connection we had through our love for adoption. We had shared many dinners together in each other's homes. I didn't know how to contact them though because they had moved, and I had lost her phone number. I was sad that I would be leaving Utah without the chance to see either of them.
I pulled into the parking lot at the grocery store; and just as I was about to get out of the car, I saw a very familiar face coming toward my van. Because of the way we were parked, both driver-side windows were facing each other. She was parked right next to me, so I opened my door and called her by name. She wasn't expecting to see me there, so I took her by surprise. You know my friend with the motherly nature that I wanted to hug? Her daughter was standing right in front of me!!! They didn't even live in that city!! She of course gave me her mom's phone number... and she watched my babies while I ran into the store to get the formula... just as I had hoped for. That was no coincidence!! That was a miracle.
The miracle doesn't stop there though. Upon further discussion, I found out that she worked with our other dear friends whose number I had lost. Not only did she know them, but she had their phone number too! God would placed me in the direct path of probably the only person in the world with both of these women's phone numbers stored in her phone!!! ...and to top it off... and just to let me know HE loves me and cares about the little things, God even provided me with a 5 minute baby-sitter.
It's always fun to run into old friends and especially family. There are surprise meetings all the time. I have long lists of situations such as these. We will probably never know the full depth of the reasons we needed to see a certain person at that particular moment, but I'm touched when these experiences take place because I believe that God's hand is in these surprise reunions.
I believe that God cherishes and values our relationship with HIM, and I believe that HE wants us to cherish and value uplifting and familial relationships here on Earth. Sometimes it's for their benefit, sometimes it's for our benefit, and most of the time it's mutually benefitting. I'm grateful that God orchestrates these meetings in such miraculous ways.
MESSAGE FROM MY MOTHER: Rachel was graduating from BYU. Her parents were in MO. Her dad wanted to go to the graduation so he bought tickets to fly there. He had been traveling a lot so knew just how to make plans fast and last minute. So the day arrived and he hurried up to the Kansas City air port which was 3 ½ hrs away. Parked the car in the satellite parking. Hurried in and got in line. When he got up to the ticket booth they said he didn’t have a valid ticket. He gave them a bad time and argued with them. Then they looked at his ticket better and noticed that he was supposed to fly out of Tulsa airport instead of Kansas City. He apologized and they said he just might be able to make it. He found his car again and drove really fast to Tulsa. (which would have only been 2 ½ hrs away from home.) He got to the airport just in the nick of time and boarded. The graduation was that very evening in Provo,UT. He landed in SLC. Rented a car. Drove to Provo and the graduation ceremonies had already started. He pulled into the huge BYU parking lot at the Marriot center. He saw a man working in the parking lot and asked him if he knew where there was an empty space. It was Graduation, and super packed! There were several graduations going on at the same time for the different majors in different buildings all over campus. Rachel's dad, John, had no idea which building she was in or how to get there. The one person he asked just happened to be ABE'S BROTHER, and he not only directed John to a parking spot but told him exactly which building and room the graduation was in too. No other parking attendant would have had that information. John ran in there and found Abe just exactly at the same moment that Rachel was walking across the stage to get her diploma. She looked out in the audience and was able to hear her dad's distinguishable cheer for her... just in time. Coincidence? We don’t think so!
ReplyDeleteI don't remember how I cam across your blog, but it was recently. I have to tell you how grateful I am for your posts. I love this one about "coincidences" and how they are not. How many times have a dismissed them and not realized they were Heavenly Father's miracles just for me? Thank you for reminding me that He is mindful of all and most especially, that He is mindful of me. :) Thank you! I have so enjoyed reading about your miracles!
ReplyDeleteThank you so very much for your comment Julianne. Thank you for reading. I am overjoyed that you see that God is mindful of YOU!! That is one of my greatest hopes in writing these down. God bless you.
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