last week. kids dropped off, except for the babe. she and i had a three hour window. we had errands to run, lunch to eat, playtime to be had, and calls to be made. walmart, the first time…she and i set a family record with how quickly we were in and back out. spreading out the wares on the kitchen table to put stuff up before fixing lunch, i realized—with a heavy heart—that i had one thing to return and another thing i’d forgotten. y’all gotta realize. the humor in this was me avoiding walmart at all costs. and yet the last three times i’d been there, i ended up with something that, upon getting home, needed to be returned for one reason or another. this time, being the third, was different, i decided. we had JUST enough time to scarf lunch without either of us choking AND get back in & out of walmart.

miraculously, only one person stood in front of me in line. not long after, an older (sorry. seasoned) gentleman got in line behind me, and we started making polite conversation. he didn’t seem to notice a young man, disabled, trying to get through behind him, so I took a step forward as we talked, and he followed. in retrospect, the gentleman with whom i spoke, seemed as though he was emotionally walking through a dull fog. he remarked about T being shy, and i explained that oftentimes she IS that way. especially when her sisters aren’t around. “how many kids do you have?” he asked. “three here and two in Heaven, sir.” —>totally boldness of the Holy Spirit there, btw<—

he shook his head sadly and said “isn’t that awful? so many negative things happening here.” i affirmatively replied “yes, it’s sad. but it’s because the enemy realizes his time here is short. we KNOW how the story ends, and therefore we have precious JOY in our Lord and Saviour.” he said something to the effect of “well, we need SOMETHING. that’s for certain.” we chatted back and forth a bit more before he remarked “my wife and i were married 40 years. she passed away four months ago.”

BLING! the lightbulb turned on in my heart as I understood what this encounter was all about. planting HOPE in barren ground. i apologized, “i’m so sorry! i can’t imagine how much you’re missing her.”

i sure hope i paused before what tumbled out of my mouth next: “guess what she gets to do in Heaven? rock. my. unborn. BABIES!!!”  he straightened right up, even with a hint of a quirky smile…”well, i guess so! yes. I KNOW so…she was real good with kids, ya know.” 

i asked him her name. he replied “Ruth” and i about fell over. that makes sense…meaning “friendship”. if you’re not familiar with Ruth’s story in the Bible, check it out here. i squeezed his arm gently, then turned and looked him in his eyes, firmly shaking his hand with this promise “we WILL keep praying for y’all. and please KNOW the road from here will become lighter.”

there had been just one person in line before T & I…yet God stopped time so we had just enough for Him to work through us, and bless that man’s day and future. breathe, Holy Spirit…keep on moving us! i boldly pray this in Jesus’ Holy Name, AMEN. HALLELUJAH!