You Just Never Know

I was absolutely scared to death. I had read and re-read all the lesson plans and was still at a loss. I couldn't seem to pull anything together. I felt out of control, chaotic, nervous, anxious, upset and every other feeling along those lines. Room decorations were in my mind like a vision but actually pulling it off seemed a far stretch. VBS was upon me and this was the first time I had ever been asked to teach. I had attended VBS my entire life but not once had I ever taught. Honey I had not even taught a Sunday School class much less VBS. And, to add insult to injury I had the 5th and 6th grade. Not the 4 and 5 year olds who I could fake my way through it. No, these kids knew what was up. They were the real deal.

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So, Saturday was upon me and I was scheduled to decorate my room the next day. I woke up with a list of items to purchase to try and get that vision out of my head and actually into that room for decoration. Kristina and I headed to the local Dollar Store and up and down the aisles we went. As we looked at each and every item we would discuss the prospect of that item being used in the room.

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As we headed up one aisle a sweet woman asked me if I knew where she could find pink rope. Sort of in my own world I quickly told her that I had no clue and kept going. Up and down we went aisle after aisle and I kept running into this lady. Each time she had the same request and each time I answered with the same response. Then, all of a sudden, as I was walking down an aisle I found pink rope. I made a mental note of the location of this pink rope on the aisle and began looking for the woman.

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It didn't take me long and there she was. I stopped her and explained to her exactly where I had found the pink rope and at this moment we began to chit chat. She explained that she was there purchasing decorations for her soon to be great-grandbaby's shower and she went through her buggy with such delight and pride. She meticulously described each item she had carefully picked out and painted a picture of what she was going to do that I could see it in my mind. She asked what I was purchasing and I began to tell her about VBS. For some reason I just poured my heart out to this woman. I told her how nervous I was. I explained this was my first adventure as a VBS teacher, how I had not even been saved a year and here I was teaching 5th and 6th graders. We went through my buggy and I tried to paint a picture for her. She smiled and gave me the greatest words of encouragement. She gave me advice, told me a few quick VBS stories and then she stopped, unzipped the little side pocket on her capri pants and handed me a $20 bill.

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"The Lord just told me to give this to you" she said.

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I handed the money right back to her and told her no, I couldn't accept it. "Oh yes, you have to take it. The Lord just told me that you needed this money so you take it and buy a little extra because you're going to have a big group this week" she said.

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I slipped the $20 bill into my pocket and my eyes filled up with tears. I hugged her and couldn't gather my composure enough to explain to her what it meant to me for her to do such a thing. I walked off and finished shopping and I was checking out I saw the woman still going up and down each aisle carefully thinking and planning her event. I soaked up every detail of this woman so that I could remember her forever! You just never know when you are going to come in contact with an angel!

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"...angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father." Matthew 8:10 (NLT). Hmmm, I like that. You just never know do you? This sweet woman forever changed my life without even realizing what she was doing. God used her in such a mighty way that day in the Dollar Store. And, we did have a big crowd that week. Not one night did I have less than 20 kids in my room. I stumbled through that week and I learned more than those kids did.

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I've noticed that I seem to stumble, trip over myself and nearly (if not completely) fall from time to time. It use to embarrass me but now not so much. It's not that I don't have good footing...it is angels just pushing me along because without their pushes I'd just be standing still!