There are rare and magical moments in life where God sets us up for the easy win. Like a Father positioning the tee ball tee at the perfect level for home run success, I feel God sets us up for beautiful-swing-for-the-fence moments as well. I am convinced that at times God gives us all we need and gleefully watches us stumble on the holy ground of divine preparation. Let me tell you why.
Three Sundays ago was the anniversary of the bus accident which took my 12-year-old’s life. I felt prayed-up and ready to roll through the day, determined that it was going to be a thankful day. Just before our church service began I noticed a lady brushing her teeth in the ladies room. The collection of fauxbric Target bags indicated that she was homeless. Her name tag read Treva and as she brushed I greeted her and took note of her bright blue eyes.
Church was a sweet refreshment to my soul and as I was leaving, Charlene caught me to tell me that Treva needed ladies clothes. Maggie Lee’s Closet clothing was too small for her and I apologized for not being able to help. I ran through options as I walked to my car. When I opened my car door a large white bag in the back seat caught my eye. I had totally forgotten about my recent closet purge.
I lifted the heavy bag and realized that my donation this lady would facilitate the need to give her a ride. I handed the bag to her and asked where I could take her. The shelter? The Salvation Army? No. Instead she wanted a ride to the place where she had been living: a park. I asked if she was sure that was where she wanted to go and she insisted it was.
I dropped her off and glanced back to see her dump the contents of the sack onto the cement table. Such a basic need clothing and rediculously easy on my end because God had arranged it all.
In the six years to the day since I have lived life without Maggie Lee here with me, I have felt a million moments of divine set up – the relentless good deeds on her birthday, October 29th, the cast of Broadway’s Wicked becoming a part of Maggie Lee for Good Day and even just this past week Khaki Fest which provided new school uniforms to 147 Shreveport kids. Had I tried to conjure up this goodness on my own it would have been a sweet disaster, I am certain.
God, however, stoops to meet us where we are in our toddler tantrum: face down in the dirt with huge neon bat long-since thrown and whispers, “How bout we give this one more try?”
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