Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Surprised (09/06/07)
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TITLE: Spring Water | Previous Challenge Entry
By Ann-Marie Neal
09/11/07 -
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One August morning recently, the sun was shining beautifully and the sky a brilliant blue as I drove to pick up my friend who works with me. A kind of unspeakable joy that just overflows from within made me so aware of God’s presence that I said out loud, “Lord, make me a blessing today to someone.”
Gardening has always been a great and fun hobby, but for the last 15 years it has also become a fulfilling vocation. Meeting the needs of an establishment can be a challenge, not only complying with their requests, but with the planting and maintaining the chosen flowers and shrubs to look their best throughout the growing season.
Becky and I reached our first customer, a company built high on a hill in an industrial park. The front entrance, with a flower bed on each side of the walkway, is the focal point with an assortment of annuals – bright orange zinnias, blue salvia, purple petunias, dusty miller and cream colored marigolds. Last year’s ‘mums’ are covered with buds just waiting for their time to open. We have been pleasantly surprised by the kind comments from visitors and workers as they walk by.
The morning warmed up considerably and became quite humid, and as we were kneeling and bending, weeding and dead-heading, a huge truck drove up delivering spring water to the company. The driver was a tall, nice looking young man, very efficient and friendly as he set up the hand-truck, lifted the heavy containers onto it and wheeled it inside.
When the fellow came back out to load up again, he said, “Ladies, are you getting warm? Would you like some water?” Surprised, we said yes, and he gave us a couple of bottles each of nice cold water. We thanked him, of course, but then he reached into the truck and pulled out the rest of the broken case and asked, “Where would you like this?”
My mouth fell open, and Becky and I looked at each other with a surprised expression. I managed to say, “Well, you can put it on the tailgate of my truck. Thank you very much! You are most kind.” When he came back around, he explained that he can only deliver full cases to a customer. Becky said to him, “God will bless you today,” and he went inside the building with the second load.
I suddenly remembered the little Gideon New Testament in the bucket in which I keep odds and ends on the seat in the truck. As I came back to the entrance area, he was there getting the last of the containers. Walking up to him I said, “I have a gift for you. This is a small New Testament that you can put in your pocket and have in your truck any time you’d like to read God’s word.”
By this time we had introduced ourselves. Chad graciously received the book and thanked me. He went on to say that he and his wife have been talking about getting back to church, now that they have a baby. Becky and I began to speak with him and I felt that ‘joy’ welling up again as we were witnessing to him. He was so open to our comments, and when he was finally ready to leave, sitting in the cab, I said, “Chad, this meeting was not by chance. This was a divine appointment for us to meet and talk this morning. God is trying to get your attention. He has a wonderful purpose for your life and we will be praying for you. Remember that Jesus is the “way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Him.” (John 14:6)
He smiled and thanked us and drove away, leaving Becky and I to continue our work. However, for the rest of the day, we were in awe of how God blessed us. Becky didn’t know about my prayer earlier in the day, and was surprised when I told her. “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news...” (Is. 52:7 NKJV
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