You just never know....

This thought first crept into my mind after Daddy passed away.  I remember sitting in the pew at church.  I looked over at the person sitting next to me, whom I did not know, and thought "They have no clue that my heart has just been ripped out and that I've lost myfather AND my faith.  They have no idea that the world has just lost a jewel and I don't see how I'll ever recover from it.  They have no idea."
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You just never know.......what the people around you everyday are going through.

That guy that takes my antennae off and scrubs my windshield before I go through the carwash- what's he dealing with?

That librarian- the sweet one with cute hair and great cardigans, is she struggling?

The pastor...

Your neighbor....

The clerk at the grocery store.

The clerk.....at Publix.  Her line is empty and I'm ready to check out.  I pull out of the line I'm in and head her way 6 lines over.  As I get closer I see her eyes- lovely, sparkling, always sunshiny eyes that I recognize!  It's Terry!  My favorite checker-outer!

Terry's hair is gone.

What is there isn't the shiny, nicely-styled hair I remember Terry having.  It's stark white and sparse.  Terry's beautiful face is a little rounder, and maybe a little ashy. But she still has that lovely smile.

I see my favorite bagger is packing for her too!  A sweet boy that loves Jesus.  He's never told me that, but I can tell.  I tell him how much I appreciate his smile and I say to Terry, "Don't you think one good smile can change your whole day?  Doesn't he have the BEST smile?"  She nods and says, "Yes, he really does!"

Terry's finished ringing me up.  I pay.  Without giving it a second thought, because I know and hate the answer so passionately, I ask Terry, "Would it be too presumptuous of me to ask if you've been ill?"

Still smiling, Terry responds "Yes, it's breast cancer."  I hate it even more.

"May I pray for you?"

"Sure."

I understand that most people walk off at this point in the story.  That's obviously what Terry expected.  Between cooking the spahetti noodles and setting the table, I'll try to remember to pray for her.  Maybe in the shower when I have a few "nothing" minutes, I'll throw up a quick prayer for her.

But this is not what I feel God telling me to do.  I grab her hand.  There are people waiting in line behind me...

"Lord, your will be done.  Give her strength to fight, refreshing and renewal.  Most of all, please Lord, draw her close to you.  Amen."

She's teary and says "Thank you".

Three times.

You just never know.....