Being in the Right Place at the Right Time

It’s amazing how something as simple as deciding to chance catching the 8:00 train can yield such rewards.

I overslept this morning. Massively. As in, I woke up at 6:15, hit snooze, and somehow slept for another hour. Commence frantic dressing, grooming, breakfast-and-lunch making, all while dodging small furry bodies, and somehow rushing out the door relatively on time. I missed my usual 7:45 train, but I figured I just might be able to make the 8:00 and still get to work on time. I could drive in, but that means moving my car every two hours or shelling out $6 in quarters for the 10-hour meter, and I really don’t like doing that if I don’t have to. So, I headed for the train station. At 7:57, I was sitting in the left-turn lane, facing a red light that just. Would. Not. Turn. Green.

I considered conceding defeat and heading for the freeway. But no, I had come this far, I was going to try to catch the train, dang it! The light finally turned green. I parked, hurried to the platform, and amazingly enough beat the train there by about a minute. I boarded, chose a seat, and collected myself. This is where it got interesting.

I pulled out a package of 12-hour Sudafed and took one. The woman across from me said, “Oh, that’s some good stuff.” Now, this being public transportation, my radar started to go up because, well, it’s public transportation, and when someone starts a conversation by commenting on Sudafed, you just don’t know where it’s going to go. I cautiously proceeded with the conversation, and I am glad I did. I have no idea how or why she made the leap from Sudafed to migraines, but leap she did and the next thing I know, we’re talking about our migraines and various treatments we’ve tried. She actually gave me a tip I plan to try at some point.

This is where the “right place at the right time” thing comes in. I asked her if she also worked downtown, and she told me she was in ministry working with youth. I told her about the ministry Chris and I are dreaming of starting one day, helping women who are survivors of rape, abuse, and human trafficking. She didn’t just nod and smile. She referred me to an organization in California that does what we want to do. She said that with just one spare bedroom, we could start working with them and gaining experience for the future. It was just so perfect.

That is how what started as a frantic Friday morning turned into a great blessing. I’m still tired, a little congested, and missing my bed, but I am greatly encouraged. God is good, all the time.