An author friend of mine, Penelope Marzec, sent me this devotional about where she found God in her life one day:
As the daughter of a journalist, I grew up with current events as part of every dinner table discussion. I am still addicted to the news. With today’s constant bombardment of awful reports, it seems impossible not to worry.
As a Christian, I’m not supposed to be anxious, but with the steady stream of dreadful headlines, despair weighs on my heart. One morning, I didn’t have time to read the latest headlines since I needed to hurry
and get hubby to his physical therapy appointment, which was scheduled earlier than usual. But once hubby was going through his workout, I sat in the waiting room and pulled up a news site on my phone. I soon began to scan through the latest disasters worldwide.
Then a text message popped up from my daughter. She had borrowed my old Jeep, a
1998 Cherokee, since her car needed expensive repairs. I had just gotten the brake lines
on the old Jeep repaired and it had a full tank of gas, plus it’s built like a tank. My
daughter said one of her coworkers called that old Jeep a national treasure. That made
me smile. But I went right back to glancing at the headlines on my phone. Then another
physical therapy patient came in and sat beside me. “Any good news?”
“Not in the headlines.” I shrugged.
“How about your own good news?” he gazed at me waiting for my answer.
I had to think for a moment before I told him about my daughter and the old Jeep. He
responded by telling me about his first car. I shared my memory of my 1971 Nova.
Somehow, we were soon chatting about his grandfather who fought Pancho
Villa at the Mexican border, which surprised me because my grandfather had also served at the
Mexican border and kept an eye out for Pancho Villa back in the day.
“Maybe they knew each other,” he said.
Maybe our grandfathers did know each other. Even if they didn’t, they both survived tough times and lived long lives. Even so, that shared knowledge made me feel connected to him.
But then he was called by his therapist as my hubby wandered over, finished with his session.
Thinking over my conversation with this pleasant stranger, I drove home with a lighter heart as peace settled on me. Had it been a coincidence that he had come to sit beside me? Or had I just been given a life lesson Afterward, I thought of Proverbs 12:25, “Worry weighs down the heart, but a kind word gives it joy.”
We are all God’s children, members of the same family. The world will always be in turmoil, but that man was a light to me that day. It didn’t take much, only a few happy memories and shared experiences to turn my mood around.
I’ve decided to be more like that man. To engage others in conversation while waiting in doctor’s offices, grocery lines, or wherever instead of staring at my phone. Perhaps I can help lighten their day.
So, I encourage you to do the same. Hand over some joy to someone else today.
Penelope Marzec Bio:
Penelope Marzec grew up along the shore of Raritan Bay in New Jersey. Now a
retired teacher, she writes inspirational romances. Two of her inspirational works have won the EPPIE award and one finaled in that contest. One paranormal, Irons In The Fire, was a nominee for Romantic Times Reviewers Choice award. Her historical novel, Patriot’s Courage, won first place in the Central Region Oklahoma Writers, National Excellence in Story Telling for an Inspirational. She paints seascapes in oils when she isn’t writing.
You can find her online at http://www.penelopemarzec.com, read her blog at
http://penelopemarzec.blogspot.com, or become a fan at
https://www.facebook.com/penelopemarzecbooks
Check out her new, Christmas novella, now available on Amazon!
Celeste Greenfield’s life is a mess. As the whistleblower who uncovered her boss’s embezzlement, Celeste now has no job and a difficult future. Then her mother dies, and Celeste is shocked to discover a strange bequest in her mother’s will: The man renting
the basement is given two years to find another venue for his online antique business. Entangled in the fear of testifying, dealing with the man in the basement and his son who was born with Down Syndrome, coupled with old memories of her younger sister’s
death, Celeste must navigate where God wants her…or if she can maintain her faith.
Sawyer is devastated by Mrs. Greenfield’s death. She gave him a lifeline when his wife died and he was left as a clueless single father of a son with Down Syndrome. With his mentor’s grandmotherly help and resources, Sawyer has managed to build a life and is
finally comfortable with his ability to provide for his son.
When Celeste returns home, Sawyer’s world is turned upside down. Attracted to the woman who has charmed his son, he feels compelled to keep her at a distance. Most women shy away from single fathers, especially when they have a child with an extra
chromosome. Still, Sawyer prays that she will become a part if their lives.
Snowstorms, threats from Celeste’s boss, the wake and funeral of her mother, and an impromptu Nativity play shows Celeste and Sawyer that even if life throws a curve ball, the restorative power of God’s love can make Christmas spectacular.
Where Did You Find God Today? 
