This morning I found out that a friend’s mom passed away over night. To say it was shocking news for me to hear is an understatement. It was just not something that I expected. She’d had a stroke several weeks ago and had been moved to a rehabilitation facility. I went to visit her about a week ago (last Sunday to be exact) and she looked good. She was in good spirits, she was talkative (with a slight slur because of the damage the stroke had done) and she was enthusiastic about giving 100%+ doing whatever she had to do to be rehabilitated. I spent a few hours with her. We laughed and talked. I cared for her and tended to her needs while I was there. I promised to get back to see her during the week before I left town. Unfortunately, I never made it back. I got sick during the week and was confined to my house for several days. I never made it out of town on my scheduled trip and I never made it back to see her. I learned of her passing this morning.
The situation took me back to the passing of my grandmother just a few months earlier. I was visiting my hometown during the Thanksgiving holidays. While I was visiting my niece in the hospital several hours away from where my grandparents live, my grandmother had taken a turn for the worse. My grandmother had been suffering from dementia for the past several years and had recently experienced some physical challenges as a result of old age. While on Thanksgiving Day she was vibrant and alert and recognized everyone, just a week later she was not doing as well. I drove back to my hometown and before preparing to leave to fly back to Atlanta very early the next day, I went to visit my grandparents. My grandmother was sleeping, so I sat and talked with my grandfather for about an hour. Just as I was preparing to leave their home, my grandmother awakened. She was a little groggy, she wasn’t in her complete right mind, and I don’t think she recognized me… but, inside, I believe she absolutely recognized me. I visited with her briefly, gave her a big hug and told her I loved her, I said “goodbye” and that I would see her in a few weeks when I came back for the Christmas holiday. That was the last time I saw my grandmother alive.
What does this have to do getting to my destiny? These situations are a reminder to me that God knows the road ahead (you probably agree with that easily)… and, that he very carefully and intentionally makes sure that you are where you need to be at the right time if you follow His directions. If I am connected with him, all I need to do is heed to the urging and the calling I have on the inside. Had I gone about my daily responsibilities and ignored the real desire I had to spend time with each of these beautiful women placed in my life, I would have never had an opportunity to experience the real quality and memorable moments I had with them at the end of each of their lives. Truly not a coincidence… truly amazing how following His directions works! What do you have an urging to do?
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