April 12, 2020  (Post #35)

(From Journal #3:  October 3, 2005)

Been in Atlanta for several days to attend the wedding of my dear friend’s daughter, which was held in the North Georgia Mountains on Saturday.  On Sunday morning, I left the mountains in time to get back to Atlanta to attend a church I’d been wanting to visit. I was able to make the 12:30 service and it was a great sermon and I’m glad I went, but it was after church that something really special happened. 

Since the church was close to where I used to live, I decided to go to a restaurant in Roswell we used to love.  It was already 2:00 but they served until 3:00, so I decided to have a late lunch.  I sat by the window and two ladies came in and sat in front of me.  One seemed in her 50s and the other elderly, about my mother’s age. (Later I learned she was 87.)  It touched my heart for missing my own sweet mom and I felt the Holy Spirit leading me to buy their lunch, so I told the waitress I wanted to do that.  She told them their lunch was covered. They were grateful and I moved my chair and visited with them, told them where I was from, etc. “Brenda” had adopted “Miss Martha” like a mom.  It was so sweet.  Turns out, Brenda attends the church I just visited.

As I went back to my table and began to leave, the lady sitting behind me spoke up and said, “Texas angel, you guys have made my day.”  “Pam” was from Houston and had moved to Atlanta for a job and was very unhappy because she hadn’t found people to be very friendly.  Her daughter was in grad school in Dallas and told her she needed to move to Plano, Allen, or McKinney!  I told her I was from McKinney and gave her my contact information so if she came out I would drive her around and show her the area.

She went on and on about how what she’d witnessed was the most uplifting thing she’d seen in a long time.  She’d even thought about visiting the same church service I’d just visited but she thought the restaurant would be closed afterward if she did.  Even the waitress said she felt like crying.  If this woman Pam stays in Atlanta, she now knows Brenda if she goes to church.  If she moves to the Dallas area, she’ll know me.  We’ll see how this plays out.

It was all You, Lord.  I think we had a “divine appointment.”  We never know what a “random act of kindness” can produce.  Lord, we both know I’m no angel! But I pray I produced some good fruit that only comes from You in and through me, not of myself.  I’m blessed and grateful to have had a part in it. 

Matthew 5:16:  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Hebrews 13:16:  But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

1 Corinthians 16:14: Let all that you do be done with love.