October 18 – “Kel’s surprise”

My son Kel had an unwelcome surprise Friday.  It was supposed to be payday, but his check didn’t come in the mail.  I suppose that’s enough to give anyone pause, but for those of us living pretty much paycheck to paycheck, it can be a near disaster.  And when you have three kids and a fourth on the way, the intensity hits an even higher level.  Add to that the fact that they had to leave for a conference on Sunday afternoon.  What if it didn’t come on Saturday?  What if it came Monday while they were gone?  Or Tuesday?  What if there wasn’t enough to cover automatic draws?  What if?  What if?

Now, I’m not making light of what I’m sure was a stressful time for them.  I certainly have been there.  And as it turned out, the check did arrive on Saturday.  That did mean making some special arrangements, though.  That’s where I came into the picture.  He asked if I could make the deposit for him on Monday morning.  Absolutely no problem.  There is even a branch of their bank right around the corner from us.  It all worked out in the end, right?

Well, yes, right.  But as it turned out there was even more to the story than meets the eye.  He found out yesterday that there was a problem with the mail being delivered to their house on Friday.  See, the mail truck that was loaded with mail bound for their street … caught on fire.  Burned to the ground, if a vehicle can do that.  Everything in it was destroyed.  All the mail that would have been delivered to their house.  If his check had been on time and on that truck it would have been among the casualties.  He might not have received it even yet.  The very day his check is sent out late for the first time just happens to be the day the mail truck burns down.  What an amazing coincidence, right? 

Or not.  That was just another example of the no-doubt hundreds of ways every day that God protects us in the little things.  The car wreck you didn’t have because the baby hid your keys and it took you an extra ten minutes to find them.  The job you still have because someone else got that promotion just weeks before all middle management positions were downsized.  The list could go on and on. 

Glad your check came in, Kel.  I’m happy to help out any time.

Psalms 34:8 says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.”

Father, thanks for giving us another taste.  Amen.