“In the beginning…”
I went to lunch at the Cracker Barrel, on Wednesday. They have the best lemon pepper grilled trout, and on Wednesdays, they serve cabbage. My favorite! Standing in line, the man and his wife in front of me were (sort of) complaining, saying, “I’ve never seen it like this.” I looked at my watch. It was 12:28 p.m. “It’s the noon hour,” I answered. And, he said, “Oh, that must be what it is. I didn’t realize it.” We all chuckled, including the ladies behind me. Even though I was having hard day, I kept it to myself.
A little conversation ensued with him, and me and one of the ladies behind me. We were all talking, I forget what it was about. Really, it was just small talk — nothing special. But, the man said something that struck me strange. I can’t even remember the context. He said, “I’m interested in learning about what’s up there, motioning with his hands, the universe, and what’s beneath the sea. That kind of stuff fascinates me.” I remember having a thought, like, I should say something. But, the moment passed. The waitress came and swept them away. He turned and said, “Well, enjoy your meal,” and then he was gone. When the waitress came to get me, I noticed they were seated at one of the front tables as we passed.
Since I was alone, my meal came and went decidedly quickly, and I was finished. But, as I was eating, I remember thinking that the Lord was trying to tell me something. Yes. That was it. I should have said, “Ask God to give you the grace to understand the universe.” And, so as I was walking out, he and his wife were still sitting there, each deeply, or not-so-deeply, engrossed in something on their iPhones. So, I leaned in and said to him what I was given in thought.
He had a look of surprise on his face. And, he thanked me as I walked away. It was a sincere look of gratitude. I turned and left, but I was struck by the moment.
Hope Undimmed (on Formed.org)…
If you have Formed, you really need to check out “Hope Undimmed,” Session 3: The Human Person — Beyond the limits of Science.
It appeared in my email box this afternoon, and I couldn’t believe it. Was God trying to tell ME something on Wednesday? I returned home from a lively lunch with my friend (Jane). Remember her, from my last blog? I watched the whole episode, but the beginning talked about the creation of the world and Genesis. You should watch it too. Very enlightening. Peace!