Sunday, July 22, 2012

Treasure Finding

The weight was crushing. It looked impossible. He completely stood out to me.  It was all over him.  It looked...painful. Eyes down, silent demeanor, shuffling to and fro under it - all the while, silently screaming, "I'm HURTING, doesn't anyone see my pain, for God's sake!?"  I saw it.   
With client meetings over and the booth traffic slowed the last day of the exhibition, I looked next door and there he was, under that impossible whatever it was, the man in the booth next to ours. He was all alone at this show.  No other person to help out. I asked him, "So, how are you doing?"  He said, "Bored", as he then began talking to the person on his earpiece cell phone.  A little while later, he came over to our booth and apologized.  He said he didn't mean to ignore me, but was on his cell when I spoke to him.  So, I asked him again - "How are you doing?"  He fairly spilled out that his mother was dying of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and that he had to be at this show, but wanted to be home helping his wife with his mother's care. He'd just ordered an electric bed for her while at the show, to help alleviate bed sores, and though his mom was being tended to by his wife and wonderful Hospice care workers (she was the founder of Hospice) he wanted to be home with her. He told me he and his wife had brought his mom into their home when her illness had become too debilitating. He admitted that his mom's illness had taken a toll on him personally and his marriage as well, but that he knew this was the right thing to do and would not back away from it. Neither of his brothers wanted to be involved in any way with caring for his mom, but the highlight of his days was to walk in and sit with his mom and speak to her (whether she was lucid enough to respond or not).  It made his day when she answered him. I was so touched by this man's love and devotion to his mom. God put it on my heart to pray with him right there in isle at the convention center. I asked him if He knew God and believed in Jesus. He said yes. I asked if he would like me to pray with him and He said yes. Jesus just amazingly touched this man and his whole demeanor changed.  All the rest of the afternoon this man was buoyant.  As he packed up to leave that day - he smiled with a twinkle in his eye and said we'd be meeting again sometime and that he'd introduce me to his mom then.

It's just the most wonderful thing - to see people get freed up to be who they are, who God envisioned them to be. That is my calling and I so love walking it with Jesus!!  It's treasure finding.  Most times, the treasure is in places no one sees.  Of course, it's hidden and has to be FOUND!  But, the more unlikely the person, place or circumstance seems - the most likely it is to hold amazingly abundant and extravagant treasure.  I'm a treasure finder with Jesus.  It's the best life!  You never know just what may happen, but it's usually miraculous.  

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