When God Connects the Dots

It was on a wim this week.

A text message from a friend wondering

 if I wanted to make a trip

 to Richmond this week.

I was coming back from one trip

 and the "to-do list"

was hollering loud.

I knew the name- Parker Palmer.

I had read a couple of his books.

I loved his insightful thoughts.

Writings on education, vocation

and spirituality.

I was not familiar with 
Carrie Newcomer.
           She is an American singer, 
songwriter and author.
She has produced 16 solo CDs 
and has received numerous awards for her music
 and related charitable activities.
 She has done numerous collaborations
 with authors,
 academics, philosophers and musicians.

The evening was enjoyable, 
the time with a sweet friend- a blessing.
This next week was spent 
just moving bits and pieces of what I had heard-
 around in my mind-
 while doing the dishes,
 folding laundry, or driving around to run errands.
How does this all fit with what I already know?
How does it all come together?
Most of the time-
I just don't have any answers.
Just waiting, waiting.

Today I had lunch with a dear friend.
She has unofficially served 
as my spiritual director for close to 30 years.
All that right in the middle of living life.
 I told her what to pray for in my life right now- 
just where I was needing spiritual discernment.
As we were finishing up our
 so valuable time together she said-
 "I have this book for you."
And she passed it right across the table.

It was the book I had looked up
 on Amazon when we got back from Richmond.
The Parker Palmer book 
on my list to read next.
About discernment.
And she never knew the first part of the story.
Or what I was going to ask her to pray for...
Oh, sometimes I just take a deep, deep breath
 and feel that Holy Wind across my cheek.
So close, it moved the depth of my heart.
And it was just one of the times,
 I saw how God connects the dots.