The End of a Busy Week or the Start of Another Busy Week?

As I detailed in my previous entry, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday made the week busy but interesting, a study in humanity but not at it’s best. Today was a little out of the norm also.

I overslept a little because we had a noisy storm last night and I didn’t sleep well. So I was a little behind in getting ready for church. Our local newspaper had two stories on kids from our church, both with pictures. One was because she won ribbons at our county fair with her two miniature horses. There was a huge photo and long article on the front page. The other was a photo and article about college plans for the son of two of my good friends. We are not only friends but I work together with his father (a Fire Chief), his mother is my Children’s Church partner and his older brother once dated my granddaughter. Anyway, I wanted to cut both articles and photos out of the paper and laminate them for the kids. So I had that to do before I went to church. All in all I managed to forget to take the curriculum for his mother, my partner to church with me.

I had planned to run back home and get it between church services and Sunday School. However, right after the offering I got the strongest feeling that I should leave then and go get it. I didn’t even take my purse or Bible. I just got up and left the building. As I neared my car I noticed that one of the parishioners was sitting on the steps of the church and looked upset. As I got closer I could see that she was crying. She is fairly new to our church, having moved here from Iowa. I hadn’t even been formally introduced to her. I approached her and asked if she was alright. She kept saying that she just couldn’t pray enough. I told her that I didn’t want to interfere in her business but I wanted to help. She welcomed an embrace and I just held her and let her sob for several minutes. When she was able, she told me that she was having trouble with her 15 year old daughter and had just found out that morning that she had been cutting herself. I worked for Kansas Children’s Service League for two years as a Case Manager and had dealt with At Risk Children and their families extensively. I listened, gave her a little advice, some professional contacts and my phone number. I will follow up with her and do everything I can to help her. She is a single Mom with a brand new job in a new state where she doesn’t know a lot of people.

On the way back home (about 7 miles) it hit me that God had orchestrated that whole thing. I was meant to forget the CC things and I was meant to leave church when I did rather than waiting. I just hope I can help her and her daughter! If you are led to pray for them, she is Anita and her daughter is Anna. Prayers appreciated!