Years ago, Gary and I became good friends with Navy Neighbors Bob and Kim while stationed in Guam. Bob and Kim were young in their faith journey and were excited to learn about Jesus through God’s Word. We had Bible Studies together, and on Sunday nights after church, we always went to Swensen’s ice cream, where we had what we dubbed a “whosit whatsit” conversation. We talked and asked questions about anything and everything, connecting our daily lives and faith together.
One of the most memorable times we had together was a trip we took to Korea on space available. Space “A” was a means of traveling to our destination on military aircraft flying a mission. We showed up for the spare seats. Though sometimes unpredictable, military flights were perfect for families with flexible plans and limited travel budgets. That was us.
Flying to Korea from Guam, we had to wait for a mission with five seats available. Gary and I had eight-month-old Maggie with us. We missed a flight that was stopping in Kadena, Okinawa. There wasn’t enough room for all of us, and we were sticking together. While waiting in the airbase for the next available flight, I noticed a group of sailors waiting for their flights and recognized a Naval Academy classmate. When Tom realized we were heading for Korea, he guided us on what bus to take to Seoul and some other seasoned traveler gouge. Soon after, a refueling operation heading to Wake Island popped up, and with hope in our hearts, we hopped on the flight. Wake Island was a bit of a detour to Korea but the refueling aircraft canceled, so we continued to Korea. We even beat the original flight we were disappointed to miss as the aircraft had delays due to the flight’s mechanical issues. Even the trip home became a grace as we ended up in Okinawa with a several-hour layover and found the studio of a famous woodblock artist.
Each day of this travel adventure, the four of us got into a habit we called “Today’s Truth.” Something unique and impossible to explain would happen, and we’d call it Today’s Truth. The crazy refueling mission, running into a Naval Academy classmate, and a layover in Okinowna allowing us to enjoy an artist studio were some of Today’s Truth that I still recall. It was our way of declaring where God showed up in our day.
Today’s Truth is STILL in operation.
This past Saturday, Gary and I rode in Delaware on a bike tour. Three thousand people thronged to ride various distances. As I walked around the back of a string of portajohns, I saw a piece of paper on the ground. It was a loose lunch ticket. Our event bib had a detachable portion for our included meal. Registration advised us to take off the ticket and tuck it away. As I looked at that meal ticket on the ground, I thought I should pick this up. I bent down and tucked the ticket into my bike shorts with a silent prayer. Lord, bring the person who lost their lunch ticket into my path.
After four hours of riding and completing our miles, we got in line for one of four lunch trucks. Right in front of me were two fellas. One of them was negotiating with the truck vendor, and You guessed it. He had LOST HIS MEAL TICKET.
I couldn’t help but exclaim, “Ooh ooh. I have your ticket!!!!”
I reached into my bike shorts and handed over the recovered ticket, telling him God had taken care of his lunch ticket. He was one surprised and happy biker! We exchanged our celebrations and went our way.
Was all that happenstance? Or God poking into our day with a nod to say, pay attention to what I am doing?
Transformation begins with awareness. When you look for God to show up, you see and do things that can change your day and someone else’s.
Where are you seeing today’s truth in your day?
I’ve had so many of those moments … including one time I was at a Bible study in our tiny, rural mountain community in about 2012. We were going around the circle telling about our day. There was a young woman who had been through a lot and who was trying to turn her life around. She mentioned that she had been out cutting brush to earn some money and had lost the gas cap for her vehicle somewhere out in the woods. She sounded defeated, like it was the last straw. We lived at least a 2-hour round trip from the nearest auto parts store.. I piped up and said, “Wait a minute … don’t you have a ’96 Ford Aerostar?” I recognized the make and model because I had owned a couple of Aerostars in years past. She nodded, and I told her, “I have a gas cap for a ’96 Aerostar in my car!” I don’t think she believed me at first, but it was true. My daughter and I had recently driven back to California from Colorado in a little Honda Accord my brother had given us, and just before we parted, he had given me the gas cap, saying he no longer had the car it went to, so I might as well take it. I no longer had an Aerostar either, but he was cleaning stuff out in preparation for a move, so I took the gas cap, just to get it off his hands. I hadn’t even been home long enough to clean out the Honda before going to the Bible study. I was able to go grab it from my car and give it to her, then and there. All the ladies in the circle sat around marveling and rejoicing the God had shown himself real and faithful and had met this young woman’s need long before any of us knew there would be such a need. We told the “gas cap” story for a long time after that incident.
LORRI, that is a story worth telling over and over again! I love how you saw God at that moment and how you all rejoiced over His Love to meet a need that honestly only He could meet in such a fantastic way. Thanks for sharing this!!!
Mary, thank YOU for sharing your article and asking the question that prompted my post. I honestly had not thought of that incident for years, but I HAD recently prayed for God to give me something to write about … and your post was the answer to that prayer!
Ah, Mary, I love this! Thank you for sharing the details of a trip filled with “Today’s Truth”, and of how God is still reminding you to pay attention and just watch and see how He will use you, even down to a lunch provided for a stranger (to you, but not to Him). My mother-in-law says it like this, “Watch for the Lord’s hand in your life and in the lives of those you love.” She says it so frequently that we’ve all memorized it and love to share with her how we’re doing just that!