Mr. Right
Filling out forms can say a lot about a person. Some of it can be general information, such as address and phone number. But it can turn personal as you reach the line that says Marital Status. There was a time when my answer evolved, going from Married to Divorced to Annulled. It wasn’t something I expected, or wanted, but sometimes the best laid plans…
So here I was, one month after the finalization of my annulment, driving through picturesque autumn in New England to a church fair to peddle my wares. I started a business selling my handmade, beaded rosary bracelets. This was my second event as a vendor, and I started questioning, well, everything.
Overshooting the sharp turns along the narrow country roads, my mind was moving faster than the posted speed limit. I held the steering wheel, hands clenched at the ten and two position, and Jesus and I had a heart to heart conversation:
Me: “What in the world is going on here? Why am I driving to Timbuktu to sell these bracelets? Why did I make them anyway? Does anybody even care about them? Will anyone want to buy them?”
Jesus: Silence
Okay, so maybe I was doing most of the talking! Not the answer I was looking for, so back at it:
Me: “No, really, I mean it. What is the big picture here? And since we’re talking big picture - what am I doing here?”
Jesus: Silence
Sometimes, the strong, silent type can be maddening. A few miles later, while appreciating the changing colors of the trees against the cloudless sky:
Me: “Oh my goodness! I get it! This is such a random thing for me to be doing. I’ll bet I’m here and doing this because I’m going to meet Mr. Right (ever the romantic!). This is so cool. It is going to make such a great how we met story! I can’t wait. I’m going to meet Mr. Right. Right?”
Jesus: Silence
This time, His silence was okay. I had figured it out on my own. With a big smile on my face I enjoyed the rest of the drive as I rode in great anticipation of how God was going to play out this scenario.
Boy, did this church know how to put on a fair! The entrance, lined with hundreds upon hundreds of glowing, orange pumpkins, wound downhill to a large, white canvas tent on the right side of the parking lot. Purple, yellow, and burgundy chrysanthemums lined the tables of the food court, and a large stage and seating area was off to the left, next to the bouncy house. The festive mood of the surroundings only heightened my excitement at meeting Mr. Right.
The sweet, buttery smell of kettle-popped popcorn and freshly-brewed coffee followed me to my table at the back row of the tent. Awesome, from here I can see everything - and everyone! I soon found out men are not interested in rosary wrap bracelets, they avoided my table at all costs. The consolation, women are attracted to the colorful glass and stone beads, and my sales were steady.
Performers gathered in the parking lot behind me, waiting to go onstage. At first I didn’t notice the four elderly gentlemen getting ready for their turn in the spotlight. But then they did something that made them stand out. Really stand out. They put on matching jackets with vertical stripes of white and red and donned coordinating straw hats. A barbershop quartet - how about that!
This visual was too much for me, and I couldn’t help myself; I asked to have my picture taken with them. They were noticeably flattered, and as they lined up I could sense their chests puffing up under the wide striped jackets. One man was extremely attentive; friendly and quite talkative, even interested in my rosary wrap bracelets! And then they were off. Or on that is - onstage.
Dusk was approaching, and the fading light created a nostalgic mood as the barbershop quartet went through their repertoire of big band hits. They left the stage to scattered applause, and as they walked by I congratulated them. They were pleased when I told them I especially liked the song, Sentimental Journey. It prompted one of the men, the attentive one, to reach into his pocket and hand me a business card. I took it half-heartedly, as I had no immediate need for a barbershop quartet, and returned to my final sales of the day.
Packing up for the night, I came across the card the crooner had given me and read it carefully. The blast of resulting laughter seemed to silence all other noise in the tent and startled nearby vendors. The sight they saw as they looked my way was a middle-aged woman, cross-legged and doubled over, holding the card high in the air as if it were a winning lottery ticket!
This small white card had the name of the barbershop quartet written in a bold, red balloon print. Next to it, in smaller print, was just one person's name. The man who gave me the card and had been so attentive was none other than . . . Mr. Wright!
Seriously. You can’t make this stuff up. Well, you could, but no one would find it believable! God knew my heart. I was sure I was meeting Mr. Right, and God made sure I did. He wanted to let me know that he is there, listening and communicating in a concrete way that I would understand. All He needs from me is an openness and a trust in his plan.
I never called the number on that card, but visitors to my home can see it prominently displayed on the front of my refrigerator, a solid reminder that God knows my heart. He hears and answers my prayers, just maybe not in the way I might expect.