Nope, not a coincidence

I have to write about what happened Wednesday evening.

So after we were all packed and ready to go home from the 
hospital, the Dr came in and announced that Den had to stay 
because his echocardiogram showed a possible blood clot in his 
heart. 

It was scary news to go home with, plus I was tired, so tired. I just 
wanted to get home and go to bed. But I thought I better stop and 
get gas in the car because my tank was near empty.

Problem is, I've pretty much not pumped my own gas for the past 
20 years, since I married Dennis. He takes care of all that for me.

But it had to be done and I thought how hard can it be? 
So I stop at the gas station near VONS, where we often shop. 

I started to pull up to one of the pumps but then I realized I didn't 
know which side of my car the nozzle goes in. So I drove off to the 
side to open the car door and take a look. 

Then I drive into one of the lines. Finally it's my turn so I pull the 
car close to the pumps. I get out and look everything over, and oh 
my things have changed the past 20 years! 

Gas even has different names than before. I chose the middle one. I 
figure that one couldn't be too wrong even if it's not exactly right. 

I get out my credit card, insert that, and then the little door to where 
the pump is to go would not open. I thought back 12 years to when 
we bought my car, and remembered there is a release somewhere 
inside it.

I go back into the car and look all around. I'm nervous because I 
could feel the car behind me getting mad. Not sure if they were but 
that's what I feared. 

I finally find the button in the car to release the tiny door for the pump. 

I insert the nozzle and it says "re-fueling" but nothing is happening. 
I couldn't get the nozzle back out again. 

In desperation, I see a young mom (kids were bouncing around in 
her suburban) in the next pump line over and ask her a question 
about it all. She says with a sweet voice, "Hold on a sec and I 
will be right there to help you." 

She comes right over and asks me questions about how much gas I 
want, etc. and proceeds to help. Then the car behind me (the one I 
thought was probably mad at me) jumps out of her car and comes 
over and says to the young mom, "I got this. I can help her. You 
go home."

She takes over and while I am standing there watching her I am 
over come by all this kindness of strangers. But they didn't act like 
strangers. They didn't even hesitate not one second but just jumped 
in to help. And, with smiles on their faces.

While this second lady was helping me I said to her, "Thank you 
so much. You are so kind. My husband had a stroke last 
Monday and he's in the hospital and he's always taken care 
of all this for me. It's been 20 years, and I just don't know 
how to do this anymore." 

She had the sweetest eyes and said, "This is so hard on you. You 
probably just have too many other things on your mind. Do 
you mind if I give you a hug?" 

Probably the first time ever someone hugged me at a gas station.

I had not cried since this all began on Monday, 
but I sure did right there at that gas station. 
I was crying so hard I could hardly talk. 

I know if I had friends or family in those lines they would have 
come helped me too. No doubt! But these two ladies didn't know 
me, knew they would never see me again, yet they helped me like 
we were related. 

There are good people in this world. But I also don't believe this 
was just a coincidence those two ladies were at "my" gas station 
precisely when I was there. God above, was sending me a message. 

Looking back over my life, in every hard time and challenge, the 
blessings come, there are tender mercies, and the angels show up! 
I've come to expect it. No, I don't always get everything I want. But 
I always get signs that He is there, and that He always will be. 

PS  Next morning, we got the great news that there is not a blood 
clot in Den's heart. Instead, the doctor calls it a harmless freckle. 
Who knew we could get freckles on our hearts.

So I got to take him home with me yesterday! 
My home once again feels like heaven on earth. 

(I thought of changing that last line above because it sounds sappy, 
but it's the truth, so it's staying.)