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 then it can turn personal as you reach the line that says Marital Status. There was a time when the answer on this line evolved. It went from Married to Divorced to Annulled. 

That was, and still is, a hard thing for me. After thirty years, we were at a point when we were no longer celebrating our marriage, merely enduring it. I had pleaded to God, saying I didn’t want to go on this way, and could he please change things. Then, something happened that quickly prompted the demise of the marriage. That certainly was a change. God had answered my prayers, but in a way I wasn’t expecting.

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 beaded rosary bracelets that I made by hand. It was my second event as a vendor, and I started questioning everything.

Navigating 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 chatting here! Not the answer I was looking for, so back at it:

Me: “No, seriously, 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! It is such a random thing for me to be doing. I 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.

Pulling up to the church, it was clear they knew how to put on a fair! The entrance, lined with hundreds upon hundreds of pumpkins, wound downhill to a large tent on the right side of the parking lot. Purple, yellow, and cranberry 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 of 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 found out men are not interested in rosary wrap bracelets, and they avoided my table at all costs. The consolation is women are attracted to the colorful glass and stone beads, and my sales were steady.

People gathered in the parking lot behind me, waiting for their turn to go onstage and perform. 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 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. The songs were recognizable and they mostly hit their mark, missing the target only a few times. They left the stage, 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 one that was the friendliest a little while earlier, 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.

As I was 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 in a bold red balloon print. Next to it, in smaller print, was just one person's name. The man that 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 that is required 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 does know my heart. He hears and answers my prayers, just maybe not in the way I might expect.