How many times in the past six weeks have you been on a quest for toilet paper?
If you are like me, the answer is A LOT!
Every single time I go to the grocery store I head to the paper products aisle first, hoping to see SOMETHING!
Empty. Time and time again.
UNTIL LAST TUESDAY!
I actually had forgotten about the whole need for toilet paper and turned up the paper products aisle absentmindedly. I was trying to answer some work texts and grocery shop at the same time, so honestly I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing or where I was.
AND THEN – BAM! Nirvana!!!
I NEVER thought I’d get that excited about finding some Charmin Toilet Paper – but I felt like I had won the lottery!!!!
AND right beside the toilet paper was one roll of Bounty Paper Towels! The day couldn’t have ended more perfectly!
Because I had grabbed Layne a bottle of wine to survive being quarantined with me, I decided not to do the self-checkout. I laid my products down and started to get out my money.
“How did you score toilet paper???” the cashier questioned. “AND – Charmin on top of that!!! You are one lucky lady! AND BOUNTY???? What in the world? It IS your lucky day!!!”
“It was a total accident, but I totally agree! I couldn’t feel more lucky!”
We laughed. Isn’t it crazy that we feel “lucky” if we find some toilet paper/paper towels?
“Do you mind telling me if you noticed a lot being left on the shelves? I get off at 9 pm and I really could use some toilet paper.”
Because I am not the most attentive person I had no idea how many rolls were there. But I suspected there weren’t many or I would’ve grabbed two (the limit). I told her I didn’t know but I would be happy to go back through the store once I was finished checking out and grab some for her.
She told me not to worry about it, that she would be sure to check it out once she clocked out.
Then – – – something hit me.
“Give her your toilet paper” that voice inside my head said.
“Have you lost your mind?” I said to that voice! “Do you know HOW LONG I HAVE LOOKED FOR TOILET PAPER??? She works here, she’ll be fine!”
And before my brain could stop my mouth, my heart took over.
“Ma’am, please take my toilet paper. And the paper towels, too!”
It was one of those outer body moments because I felt like I was watching an alien in a foreign land. I had no intentions of parting with my paper products, but there I was giving them away.
“Really? Really?!?! You are going to give me your toilet paper? It could honestly be all we have!”
“Yes, I want you to have it. And I want you to have a great rest of the day.”
With those words she began not just to have tears in her eyes, she started openly crying.
“You have no idea what this toilet paper means to me. The delivery truck comes mid-day and by the time they get it unloaded, it’s always gone by the time we get off work. You have no idea how much I needed this . . . you really just don’t get it – but this toilet paper for me is a God thing.”
She got my attention . . . “This toilet paper for me is a God thing.”
“Yes ma’am, actually – I do get it! I’m a pastor at a church that normally worships at Lake Norman High School and it’s just the coolest church ever. They care about giving things away and paying it forward. And I believe in God things. I believe God uses things – IF WE LISTEN – like toilet paper to show God’s love. Here’s my email/cell number and I hope you will worship with us online and maybe someday back in the high school . . . because yes, I do believe in God things!”
Albert Einstein called it “the sacred gift.”
He was commenting on the spiritual implications of listening to the “still small voice” of God. Unreasoned, intuitive moments just might be heavenly whispers.
We all hear them. We just have to take pause so that we can follow them.
Grace and Peace,
Andrea
There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever. -2 Corinthians 4:18