In recent years I’ve been paying closer attention to ways that God shows up to let me know I’m loved and under His constant care.
Background. Several years ago I did my Master’s Degree capstone project on Gratitude. When I gave my presentation I used a painting that was very meaningful to me and said:” I wake up each day with a smile, I have so much to be thankful for.” For years that small painting was next to my bed and was the first thing I saw when I woke up each morning.
A few years ago someone I love very much was going through a challenging time I felt moved to give them my painting. I snapped a photograph of it in hopes that I could find another on Amazon or somewhere online. Sadly, I was never able to find it again, but still glad that I was able to bless someone else with it as I had been blessed.
One day I was working as a chaplain in the nursing home and the activities director was leading a session for the residents on painting. I had the thought “I wonder if they could paint a copy of my painting from the photograph?” So I shared the photograph and asked. The activities director Megan said, “Sure, we can do that.” I was so pleased.
Well, things happened. The nursing home was sold to another company that didn’t utilize chaplains, so I was no longer serving there. Years passed and I’d long forgotten about my request for the painting.
During the last few days, I had an MRI in preparation for an upcoming major surgery to remove a cancerous mass and lymph nodes. I came into my chaplaincy office later that morning and found a bag on my desk with my name on it. I opened the bag to find a painting, the painting I had requested some 4 years ago. It had a note from Megan apologizing. The painting had been done years ago but had been tucked away in a cabinet and forgotten. She was doing some reorganizing and found the painting and brought it to the hospital. She apologized for it taking so many years to get to me. I was so overwhelmed I called her and told her that I was getting ready to have major surgery in a few days and that the timing was PERFECT.
God continues to remind me that he is with me and to trust that I always have something to be thankful for each day. God’s timing is as always, perfect.
©Jeff Fletcher