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“Missed
Opportunities ~ Missed Blessings”
By Art Garland
“Geesh! So many things on my list I need to get done
today!” Tossing them all around in my mind, driving from one
appointment to another I come upon a stop sign. Stopping, I look
to the right then left, then right again and slowly begin to pull away.
I had noticed a woman in the street with many bags falling all around
her feet. My first thought was not on this woman, but of my next
appointment I would soon be late for. Then looking into my rear
view mirror, I watched her struggle as she would put some items back
onto her pull cart and watch them fall out again. I turned around…………….
Thank you Pastor Doug for the sermon on “Missed Opportunities”.
As I drove toward the woman, I wondered how she ever expected to haul
that much stuff on such a tiny little cart watching her chased a jar of
spaghetti sauce down the street.
I slowly pulled up beside her, rolled down my window and asked, “hey ~
you need some help?” At that moment her smile covered the majority of
her face and she quickly replied, YES! I noticed the poor hygiene to
her teeth but the brightness in her eyes is what I remember the
most. I asked her what she was doing, and where she was
going? The more she talked the more it became apparent to me that
she was mentally challenged. She was moving from one apartment to
another and her cart broke down.
I noted a huge wooden cross hanging around her neck. I’m not
talking 6 inches; I’m talking BIG and WOODEN! The significance of
this didn’t come to me until later.
We loaded up my trunk and the entire back seat of my car with her
items. As she got into my car, she said my name is Christy and I
told her mine. It was as if we had known each other for ever.
I could smell an aroma of strong odor about her but was not able to
place the smell. Not like anything else I had ever smelled
before. Almost like spice and onions.
During our trip to her new place she shared some information with
me. I listened openly about her world and became less concerned
about mine. Suddenly, my schedule was of unimportance.
As we pulled up to her new dwelling, she reminded me that she would get
the “heavy” bags; I agreed and proceeded to carry what I could.
“How in the world could that girl have carried any of those I bags,” I
thought to myself. They were ALL heavy! Dragging a
big black bag, I joked as I asked her if she had a body in there, and
she giddily chuckled and replied, “Well, no silly”.
After the items were placed on the porch I walked toward my car.
I turned around and told her to have a great day! She
shouted back in an angelic voice, “GOD BLESS YOU”, and I replied, “He
just did!”
Missed opportunities……….. I found
it ironic that this girl’s name is “CHRIST - y”.
This is indeed a true story. That experience reminded me that God
is alive, well, and watching. When Christ tugs at your heart, be
obedient. You might just meet Him through the eyes of a girl
named Christy.
Scribes Writer, Art Garland.
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