ordinary moments
I’ve been having a weird week. Not a bad week, not an amazing week, just a weird one. Nothing wrong with a little off week, you have to have them to appreciate the wonderful weeks right? I learned this week about the importance of ordinary moments. Not amazing, perfect moments or awful, terrible moments. Just plain ordinary moments.
December 5th as I was trying to fall asleep, this ordinary moment kept replaying in my head. Filled with gratitude - I of course had to write it down. So, here’s today’s little message.
December 5th, 2022 12:07 am
Today (well technically yesterday) I was at the gas station with my friend Kate filming something for one of my college classes, super professional. I know. Rory Gilmore who?
We were laughing, messing around, and letting ourselves be creative (or as creative as you can be at the gas station). I’ll paint a little picture. She had sunglasses on looking all cool next to her car while she pumped her gas. I’m holding my camera trying to set up a makeshift tripod on the garbage can across from her. So classy. So professional.
We’re in the middle of laughing at each other when an older man comes up to me with a huge smile on his face, eyes lit up - reflecting the sun shining on him.
Now normally, if a random person started walking up to me at the gas station with a phone out, I might be a little concerned. I might be a little freaked out. Surprisingly at this moment, I wasn’t worried. There was something about the situation where I knew the intentions were pure.
He pulled up his phone to show me with a huge smile remaining on his face. I looked, not knowing entirely what to expect but I looked. This is usually the part in the story where the cute girls at the gas station get kidnapped and the end! But this is not that kind of story. On his phone was a picture of a girl who looked like she was maybe in high school smiling the same big smile - eyes glowing just like the man in front of me. He tells me,
“You remind me so much of my granddaughter, she lives in Oregon”
I don’t know about you, but that’s the world’s biggest compliment right there. It’s so clear that he loves his granddaughter immensely. The smile spoke volumes! I have no idea what his granddaughter is like but to be compared to someone he loves THAT much, I will for sure take that as a compliment. He apparently saw the same light in me, that he sees in his granddaughter.
My grandpa passed away when I was a freshman in college. I was extremely close to my grandpa. He was always in my corner. One of my biggest fans, loudest cheerleaders, and partner in crime. He got me. He had a smile that could light up an entire room and eyes that sparkled when he did. He made sure to make me feel loved not only by him but by God as well. He was a pure reflection of God’s love without a doubt.
It’s moments like this,
being in the right place
at the right time
that I love. These little ordinary moments give me hope.
I like to call these moments “God moments” because that’s exactly what they are. Moments where every little detail aligns perfectly. Moments that create a little glimmer of Jesus.
Moments that meet you exactly where you are.
Moral of the story - it was such a random, brief interaction that I know we both appreciated it. A grandpa missing his granddaughter, and a granddaughter missing her grandpa. In the right place, at the right time, at the gas station of all places.
An ordinary moment with a glimmer of hope.
That’s the thing about God moments, they happen anywhere and everywhere. God isn’t afraid to meet you EXACTLY where you are. If you look around and listen closely, He’s surrounding you minute by minute, second by second, breath by breath.
And if you pay attention,
He might just meet you at the gas station.
