Coincidence Is God's Way of Remaining Anonymous -- Albert Einstein
I'm not sure I agree. I think it's more like we choose to see God in our lives or we don't.
Recently Suzi and I were discussing the things we're trying to do at our church quilt guild with our very limited budget. It's hard to stretch a few hundred dollars into the needs we find for our finished quilts. People will continue to go into hospitals and nursing homes, we will continue to have more babies in the congregation (thank God for that!), and more comfort is needed all around.
The next thing we knew, someone gave a monetary donation dedicated toward the quilt ministry! It's happened a few times, and often it's from a completely unexpected source.
Our private joke is that it's Loaves and Fishes. You know the story to which I'm referring, don't you? In the Bible, Jesus is preaching to a huge crowd, around 5000 men plus all the accompanying women and children. They don't leave, and it's time to eat. You can read it for yourself in Matthew Chapter 14 or in John Chapter 6. Five loaves of bread and two fish feed everyone and the leftovers fill many baskets.
If you read crime novels or watch CSI type shows, you know that most law enforcement types don't believe in coincidence either. It's never a coincidence when they find the victim's blood in the back seat of someone's car... or that two guys just happened to hate each other and one guy disappears.
Years ago, more than I will admit to -- I had a temporary job downtown. The kids were in elementary school, and went to a neighbor's house after school each day until my DH got home. It was easy work but it got difficult mentally and emotionally. I needed to work to make ends meet, but I couldn't stay at that place any longer. I took a week off during Easter break because the kids were home, glad of the time off, dreading having to go back.
That week I saw an ad in the local paper for a receptionist at a business less than two miles from my house. I interviewed for it and at the end of the week I had a full time job that allowed me to go home for lunch or emergencies. It eliminated two hours of commuting time. I stayed there for seven years, very happily.
Coincidence? Maybe not.
A couple of years ago, I was driving downtown to my current job. I was on the busy freeway in the middle of a morning rush hour. I was in the left lane, facing the southbound traffic across concrete dividers. I was humming Amazing Grace... I think we had sung it in church the day before.
About 45-50 feet up and maybe 500 yards ahead I saw what might have been a huge bird flying through the air. On second glance it was no bird. It was the wheel and tire from a car or small truck! And it looked like it was headed in my direction...
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| Imagine this flying at you! Queue shark music from Jaws!! |
In rush hour there is normally be no slowing down, and if you do slow down, there is no shortage of people zipping around to fill the gap, plus horn blowing and maybe finger waving. You know which finger.
That morning, everyone slowed almost as one vehicle. Nobody flew around the left or the right. The tire hit the lane I was in, about ten feet from my front bumper. By then we'd come to a complete stop. If that tire bounced again though, it looked like it would hit my windshield.
I held my breath and prayed hard and fast. And then -- da da daaahhh! Instead of bouncing up to hit anyone, the tire stopped, wobbled and very gently fell to the left, into the hazard lane and out of traffic.
The guy to the right of me and I looked at each other and grinned, relief evident in both our faces. Thank God it didn't hit anyone! Or thank God that when that tire flew off, it didn't bounce anywhere? Was I thinking about God at the moment I needed Him, or was He was thinking about me? You can decide for yourself. I know what I believe. There's no such thing as coincidence.
Keep calm and carry on...
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