Today was my first official "Compressed Work Week Monday." In other words, it was my first official Monday off, as a part of my new work schedule. So, of course, I took advantage of having the babies in daycare (yes, I know they're not babies anymore, but you know who I mean), to do a little grocery shopping, down at the local Wallll Mark (as Jeremy's grandmother so amusingly calls it). Now, I don't know about you, but the last place I really expect to have a God encounter is at Wal Mart. I approach that place with utter dread. Maybe because I used to have to shop there so often during my daycare assistant directing days, or maybe just because it's....well....Wal Mart.
But, today was awesome! I got all my shopping done, lickity split. Every time I would get to the next item on my list (which I stuck miraculously close to this time!), I'd find myself on the exact aisle I needed! But, as if that wasn't enough, the real blessing came at check-out time. When I came to the checker, I asked her how her day has been, and she seemed utterly irritated. She replied with a curt, "Well, it was going fine, but it's sure not anymore!" There was absolutely no disguising the fact that something (or someone) had truly offended this woman, in a nasty way! Now, I'd taken note of the person who had checked out right in front of me, and I felt certain it couldn't have been her, as I'd just had the sweetest conversation with her about her precious little 4-month old baby girl, who had been born prematurely, and was currently having some heart problems. I had felt the Holy Spirit nudge me to pray for the the baby, but I just kept it to myself, so as not to hold up the Wal Mark line. At first, I just kept quiet and expressed sympathy for the checker, but I just felt nudged to continue to press in, and it appeared to be exactly what she needed. She opened up and expressed her concerns, subtly, though passionately, and yet with a wall of "strength." (Oh, and by the way, I was right...it had nothing to do with the sweet lady in front of me in line). This time, when the Lord prompted me to pray, I decided I should probably pay attention, and heed my own revelation from my previous blog post "Do You Hear What I Hear." So, I asked her if it was okay if I could pray over her, discretely, as we loaded up my groceries. She was absolutely open to the idea, and afterward, her entire demeanor had shifted. She said, "I am now smiling on the inside as much as I am on the outside!" This woman went from downright pissed off and unable to see straight, to full of joy and happy tears! She proceeded to tell me that I am "touched," and that she could feel something from me, that made her cold (in a good way), the moment I started praying for her, which led to a perfect opportunity for me to tell her that the chill she felt came from the Holy Spirit, for "if I am touched, I am touched by God." The Lord also gave me words of encouragement to speak into her life, and He blessed me with another person to keep in my prayers!! Funny how these unlikely opportunities keep coming up, the more I press into what He has for me!
What a remarkable encounter, and reminder that God is everywhere, and works through even the most unlikely of circumstances, even such as choosing your check-out line at the Wal Mark!
