Last Saturday while I was waiting for my daughter’s ballet class to finish I caught up with a new friend, a friend who has already blessed my life in many ways …
As we finished up, she saw a friend of hers, a woman she had told me about, a woman who was also kind, gentle and gracious. She said hello to her friend and as she spoke her friend suddenly said with tears …
“Please excuse me, my dog died last night …”
As her friend said this I was filled with compassion for her and nearly started crying too … I feel like a sop when that happens, because I can tear up so easily at times, especially when I am filled with compassion or love or empathy … filled with Him … for another …
I touched her hand … aware that I was a complete stranger and not wanting to “get in her space,” and I gave my condolences …
I said goodbye to my friend, and with another hour and a half to wait, I wondered what I was to do. I asked God, and with a suddenness I knew I had to buy this woman flowers … a ballet mum too … what would she think?!
I started to walk, hoping to find a florist. I trusted she would still be in the coffee place I had met her in when I got back, thinking how she may find me a bit “odd” to do something like that, but I thought “what can it hurt to give her flowers … to do something kind …? … but still!”
I eventually ended up at one of the train stations in the city, and found my way to a flower stall. I immediately saw some miniature cyclamens … and I knew I was to buy her the deep pink ones …
“Odd,” I thought, feeling a bit shy about it. I looked at the other flowers on sale … she seemed so gracious that I thought I should perhaps buy her a potted orchid but I kept being drawn back to the deep pink cyclamens …
I selected the plant I felt God draw me to, bought them and asked for them to be wrapped.
I wandered back past the coffee shop … she wasn’t there …
“Blow, I thought” and decided on my friend’s suggestion (who I had just spoken to on the phone about another matter) to leave them with a person at the ballet school to pass them on …
Still with time to wait I went back to the same coffee shop to sit down outside and have another cup of tea, thinking I may see her again …
I got on with a bit of texting, sipped my tea, and contemplated life, looked at the passers-by, enjoyed the greenery of the trees over the road … and as I did she walked past …
I called out and said a bit awkwardly “… these are for you, I hope you don’t mind, but I felt to get them for you … I just wanted to bless you …”
She looked and cried, tears ran down her cheeks and she told me a little of the story.
I said I had felt to get her the pink cyclamens …
The tears kept running down her cheeks and she said that her little beloved dog’s collar was the same pink, and the dressing gown that belonged to her daughter that her little dog had been buried in, was purple (the cyclamens had touches of purple at their base, and the flowers were wrapped in purple).
“Only God!” I thought.
I said I had felt to get her the hot pink … and had thought they may be able to sit on her kitchen table in memory of her dog …
She said “thank you, it’s so kind” …
I backed away, not wanting to invade her space in any way … but I said “I just wanted to bless you … I hope it is ok … just a random act of kindness …”
And I wished her well.
We had spoken about more than just that, but the exchange was brief, in that I wanted to really respect her privacy, but I said I would sit for a while longer if she felt like stopping later, but if not, there would be no offence …
And so I finished my tea in the morning sunshine … she didn’t come back, and that was ok … she was too tender….
Regardless … I don’t believe the “coincidence” was lost on her …
I had mentioned praying for her family, but other than that I didn’t mention Jesus, I didn’t pray for her then and there, I didn’t get in her face about anything, including the God coincidence …. I just gave her the flowers that just happened to be the same colour as the collar on her little dog and the gown in her little dog was buried …
Did I feel awkward?
Yes!
But I know when God moves us to do something, it is worth feeling awkward for, it is worth taking the risk and obeying, for you never really know what is gong on in a person’s life … but He does and perhaps through that one act of obedience, that one act of kindness they too will know that …
God is Good!
God is Good and is touched by this woman’s grief. He used you to show that he cared. No need to say Jesus, but to be Jesus! God’s love is amazing.
Yes that’s it! For some reason I had trouble finding the words … And they were with you all along! Thank you. No need to say Jesus … Just be Jesus that is really good! Thank you!
Blessings.
God is Good!
You are blessed! 😀
Agreed!
Isn’t it so wonderful of God to let us get involved in something like this. He could have comforted her without you, but our Kind God gave you a role in it. Great story…
Thank you and yes … He could have comforted her Himself, but He gave me that privilege instead … We co labour with a good God! Thank you for reading! Blessings God is Good!
Beautiful post.
Minister Gertrude Ferguson thank you for reading and your encouragement.
Blessings, God is Good!
Wow – I lvoe your compassion and your obedience in following what your heart (God) prompts you to do. You are an atmosphere changer and that section of the city is going to be transformed in the next few years.
Let’s hope so! 😃
Blessings!
God is Good!
Yes..God is good! Great story! God bless you my friend!
So glad I’ve found your blog. This story is beautiful! It sounds like it was indeed a God Whisper which blessed her heart immensely. I think it’s the little things that draw people – sometimes slowly – to the heart of God. And I’m sure God is so pleased you obeyed his voice and showed love to this dear woman. Thanks for sharing!
Ali
Hi Ali. Thank you for reading and your comments, they are most encouraging! You are right, I think God woos people through encounters and “love letters” like this, little touches of His love that ultimately draws them into an embrace if and when they say “yes” to His ultimate proposal!
Many blessings, God is Good!
So beautiful! I am sure that you were just what that woman needed in that moment…just as the letter from your childhood friend (in the previous post) was just what you needed!! If we are still and really listen to the voice we hear in our heart…we are moved to be messengers for God…and we can “touch” others live’s. Blessitude ~ Lorrie
Hi there Lorrie
Thank you so much …
You are right … we can be just what each other needs in the moment if we will listen to His heart beat and follow His prompts!
Even so I am always amazed at when He uses me the way He does … and amazed at how He loves me … I feel a little like a kid in a candy shop! A bit too Pollyanna’ish … but I figure He likes that 🙂
Blessings Lorrie and thank you for reading!
X
I say rejoice and act the way your true soul wants to!! And yes…I share that feeling of being absolutely amazed…even though I KNOW He guides everything!