Serendipity

Serendipity is the gift of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for.  We picked up two grandsons on a Wednesday morning and returned them to their mother on a Saturday morning.  Talk about serendipity; it was in the air.  Swimming at the local wellness center, enjoying an ice cream cone at Echy's Ice Cream Shoppe, having a picnic on the river (and seeing a crane and a snake and bees and bugs and various sticks), swinging, playing in the park, pancakes with Grandpa, and feeding the horses filled our days.  There was a story to share with every experience.  Example:  two year old grandson loves the water and will stand underneath the bucket at the pool until it is full, then turns his face to the ceiling and takes the contents of the water-filled bucket full-force in the face.  However, when we arrived at the car wash, he asked for a blanket.  "Are you cold?" I asked him.  No, I'm scared.  So, this small mighty wonder of a fish in the pool, sits under a blanket in his car seat while the car is being washed.  Will we ever understand?  Or, stop smiling?

As a mother (and now a grandmother), I sometimes wonder which stories to tell, which stories to keep forever secret, and which do not matter.  Sharing or not sharing seems to depend on family circumstances in life, the people who impact your situations, and generally what's happening out there.  

I was drawn to "Letter to My Daughter" by George Bishop when at the library this week.  George has an interesting background having taught and lived in Solvakia, Turkey, Indonesia, India and Japan.  Currently he lives and teaches in New Orleans.  However, what I found most interesting is that this novel, the letters to his daughter, are written from the daughter's mother.  So, he has chosen to take the female perspective.  I was intrigued by the story as I am a baby boomer, and it is this period of time that the mother speaks of--her own teenage years.  It is immensely touching for many reasons.  Although fiction, it could be any one of our stories.

The book was in a sense a "serendipity" moment as I often don't find one that really provides a good story and makes me thing as well.

This next story takes a while to get the serendipity spin, so stick with me.  I delivered our precious grandsons to their mother early this morning:  we met for breakfast at a half-way point for her and for me.  Traveling early in the morning with two grandsons and all their gear, I was sensible about my wardrobe:  camoflaged pants, plastic sandals and a beige shirt.  I added my on-sale $1.20 earrings from a recent shopping trip.  After meeting mom, having breakfast, and giving goodbye hugs and kisses, I returned to my home-town to take in a bridal shower.  As I walked into the room, I scanned the crowd to see dress after dress after dress in bright colors--like cocktail dresses!  I couldn't leave; I'd already been spotted.  A grandmother gave me the once over from head to toe and a few others glanced my way.  I used the brightly colored wrapped gift to cover as much as me as I could and found a place to sit--choosing a seat across from a friend who sat with others I did not know.

And, this is where the serendipity moment starts.   My friend, Heidi, introduced me to Mary who sat across from me.  Mary started with, "Are you the Kathy Stauffer who writes those books that are for sale in that little shop in your town?"  Yes, I answered.  Long story short:  Mary writes, too.  After the shower, I brought her to my house and gave her a copy of each one of my books.  We plan to keep in touch via email and when she visits relatives again in our town.  Our goals seem to be the same:  witnessing to others through our written words.

Have your ever thought that God brings certain people into your life and allows certain things to happen all the time.  Now, that is serendipity!

Romans 8:28 tells us, We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him who are called according to his purpose.

Wishing you God's wonderful blessings.