Friendly Reminders

Some reminders are annoying, the nagging kind that you wish would just go away--my calendar prodding me that I have to get my tax information together, yet another political ad reminding me that an election looms, and my backache telling me that I'm chasing 50 years old.

Others are friendly--every sunrise that reminds me of God's mercies, my wife's smile that says, "I love you" every time we pass, a hug from my son or daughter once again restoring my hope in their futures.

Some reminders are pointed and thought-provoking. This morning is an interesting example. Some of you might remember This post where I told the story about finding a dime and two pennies in multiple places and how it related to my father's apparently prophetic statement, "What are you going to do with the twelve?" I thought it might relate to the new book I'm writing, so I hoped that the idea would come while I was writing.

Well, I have been working on that book all month, and the story is pretty average so far, so I have been praying for a spark to make it shine. As you might have guessed by now, I hadn't thinking much about "the twelve."

My wife, Susie, and I got up extra early this morning to take my son to the airport (he's flying to be part of a big orchestra clinic in Chicago), so when we got home it was earlier than the time we usually go on our morning prayer walk. We went anyway and found ourselves alone in the park long before daylight. As we traversed our usually trek and passed under a light, we both spotted a shiny dime. Susie picked it up, and I immediately thought about the "signs" and said, laughing, "I wonder where the two pennies are."

She pointed to a place just a couple of feet away, said, "They're right here," and picked up two pennies. We looked all around. There were no more coins.

If we had gone at our usual time, I doubt that the dime would have been there. It was too shiny and obvious. Very strange.

I take this as a friendly reminder from God, a gentle prod that answers my prayer for a spark to my story. It's coming together in my mind this morning, so, if you are so inclined, please pray for the ideas to bear some exciting fruit.