Winks that are life changing!

Journal Entry January 18, 2004:

“What a wonderful day!  Sunday School was good as was worship.  A seminary professor who is also an Ob Gyn spoke for Sanctity of Life Sunday.  He also directs the pregnancy crisis center in Louisville.  Surprise!  His wife was a friend of mine in elementary school in Georgetown.  She remembers me!  What a blessing and how good God is!”

My focus is on one sentence:  “She remembers me!” 

Why does this thought matter so much to me?  Remember, I had been made to feel like I didn’t matter.  I felt unnoticed and unimportant.  I was surprised when people I had seen a few weeks ago knew who I was.  This was someone I hadn’t seen in over 40 years.  He mentioned that his wife was from Georgetown so I went up to her and mentioned I had lived there as a child for 3 years and told her my name.  Back then I went by Virginia not Ginny.  She looked at me and said, “Are you Virginia?  I’m Jane.”  We had a great time reminiscing and made plans to meet for supper.

I’ve mentioned in a previous posting about God winks, a concept introduced by Squire Rushnell as “an event or personal experience, often identified as coincidence, so astonishing that it is seen as a sign of divine intervention, especially when perceived as the answer to a prayer ”.   When I told my sister about this she stated that sometimes God likes to wink at us and He certainly winked at me in that moment. 

Unless you’ve been made to feel invisible and had your voice taken from you there is no way for you to comprehend the emotions this stirred up in me.  It was a sweet as that moment with Cheri when I realized I was looking her in the eyes.  It was as life-changing a moment as I’ve ever had.  And it was really such a simple thing.  This is why it’s so important that we be kind and caring to anyone with whom we come into contact.  You never know what a kind word, a hug, a smile, or a loving deed may mean to that person.  Conversely you may never know how an angry retort, a cold shoulder, a frown, or a thoughtless act may affect someone’s life.  Believe me I know.  I’ve experienced each of these and I know how uplifting or demeaning these acts can be.

“She remembers me!”   The final thought I want to express is that while others may forget me there is One who never will.

Come to know Jesus as Your Savior, Lord, and Friend and you will be unforgettable too!  He remembers me!

Father,

You know my name.

You remember me.

Wow!

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen