Through the Disappointments and Tears . . .

Through the disappointments and tears of life, God continues to work in and through us if we allow Him. That was brought home to me this past week after we received some disappointing news.

Thursday, after having shed more tears than I wanted to shed, I went to Walmart to pick up a few things and blow some time while waiting on Eddie and the girls to finish their CAP Meeting. I sure didn't feel like smiling, much less speaking to anyone.

As I walked into the store I spotted the "greeter" sitting on a stool. Now, it has been my experience that Walmart greeters usually are retirees who would rather be somewhere else. Most of them are "greeted" out and usually don't say anything much less smile at you when you walk through the doors. I weighed in my mind whether or not I should initiate the greeting and my first thought was "NO! I'm not getting paid to do his job!" (grin) That quickly left my mind and my mouth opened and spouted out my old standby, "How are you doing today?" Surprised, he turned and replied that he was doing good and asked how I was. Without thinking, I said, "I can't complain" and continued into the store.

Now, I really could complain but had no legitimate grounds to do so. Even with the disappointing news we'd received that day, I was blessed. I am married to a man who loves me and whom I love. I have two beautiful, precious daughters who make me so proud. I'm reasonably healthy and my Dad has been healed of cancer. I live in a land of many freedoms. I have the freedom to worship God in the way I feel best, and have a wonderful church family. My husband is employed and we have a house. I've been blessed with some of the best parents in the world and have wonderful siblings, siblings-in-law, and nieces and nephews. I've been blessed with many great friends.

The more I thought about my blessings and what God has done and is doing in my life, my spirits started to rise. I found myself smiling at everyone I passed, sometimes getting a smile in return and sometimes not.

When it came time to pay for my items, I got in a line that had a couple people in front of me. As I stood waiting, I spotted another lane that had no one in it. I quickly moved to it and noticed that the cashier was very young and looked sad. I put my purchases on the counter and she rang them up. As I was getting ready to walk away, she said, "Have a blessed day." The "blessed" caught my attention and I replied, "It's already been blessed." She asked me, "How?" I told her that I was blessed in the fact that I wasn't in the hospital or funeral home. The Lord had been so good to me. She smiled and then proceeded to tell me that she was going through a divorce and that it had been a very hard time for her. I acknowledged her heartache and told her that God was able to help her through the pain and difficulty. I then told her that I'd be praying for her and her little daughter. Another customer had come up behind me in the middle of our conversation and he too was a believer and took over encouraging her as I was leaving.

I believe that God put me in that lane for the reason of coming in contact with that young woman. I do not believe that it was a coincidence. I walked away rejoicing in the fact that God had been able to use me to make a little difference in that cashier's day. Each time I think about her, I pray for God to reach down and give her a big hug and work in her life.

Yes, life if full of disappointments and tears, but God is able to work in and through us if we don't get lost in the clouds of despair. I was lifted up above the clouds into the light of His love and care. Praise His Name! I was even more blessed as I walked past the Greeter who was now doing his job!