This was posted by my friend, Nola Swartz, on Facebook today.  I wanted to share it (with her permission) because it’s so easy for us to miss opportunities to participate in God’s blessings.

Had a definite God moment tonight. Last week was stressful, very stressful. Today was very harried. I had too much to do, not enough help, and not enough of me to go around. I put dinner on the stove as I told Mike, then left to run an errand. I called Mike and told him I was going to pick up a salad to go with the soup I had on for dinner. He informed me he thought dinner had burned because it was all stuck to the pan. So I sighed and went in this new restaurant to pick up dinner to go. I knew I had to go back and finish working, so no time to cook a new dinner.

I’d never been to this new restaurant, so I glanced at the menu and quickly ordered a salad and sandwich to go. I stepped to the side to wait for my order.

God’s timing was PERFECT. A lady came up behind me and told the cashier she was worrying now where her card was. Her next words were – “Here are 3 more cards to try.” Card 1 – declined. Card 2 – declined. Card 3 – had $3.xx on it and her meal she had ordered was $10.91.

By now, I had my debit card out and I was going to get her meal. So the cashier looked shocked and took my card. The lady was humble and said a quiet “Thank you.”

As I told her to pay it forward one day, she went to a table where her child was waiting.
I sat and waited for my to go order, only a few feet from them. As their food came, I noticed they had only one meal.  I went over and asked “Are you sharing a meal?” The mom (a single mom), told me “Yes, we are.”  I handed her my card and told her to go get herself a meal. She graciously accepted and again said “Thank you.”

The cashier came over and thanked me and said “Bless you; my drawer was going to be short.”  

As I got my to go order, I noticed 2 pieces of chocolate cake I had not ordered. The restaurant had blessed me, but I walked over and gave that to the mom and her son too.

I got in my car and let the tears rip.

We take for granted so easily that we are blessed, that we have so much food that we throw enough away to feed a family, and that we never have to worry if we have enough for a $10 meal.

I grew up in poverty and know my mom had plenty of times she didn’t know what or how she would feed us.

As I drove away, I realized God just allowed that to happen, perfectly timed, so I could see my own blessings today, and bless someone tonight who really needed it.