Rose & Marci aka Thelma & Louise aka Lucy & Ethel

Early yesterday morning, a few of us in my community sent off two of our neighbors to California. They’re driving in Rose’s truck and will be staying, nightly, in their new cozy travel trailer. These two fun-loving widows, who met here in Hyde Park two-plus years ago, have become best of friends. A 3-week journey that these two women, with hearts for adventure, will no doubt blaze an action-packed trail . The one man that got up to join our little farewell to them said, “I wouldn’t consider doing that with another man, never mind two women venturing off like that!” But these are women who live with the understanding “We have one life to live and why not live it with gusto?” I love that, and I’m really happy they’re travelling via a truck and trailer versus the motorcycles that they once considered. LOL!

We sent them off with our best wishes and prayers for them. When they pulled away, underneath one of the trailer’s tires was a penny. We all know what that means…..”In God We Trust”. My friend and I continued to walk around our community after they left and we were thrilled at the skies that seemed to offer God’s light shining on us and them. “In God We Trust” on a penny, and brilliant skies — a coincidence or a recognition of God’s smile on them and us?

Why shouldn’t we live with audacious living — leaving nothing on the table when we’re done? Why shouldn’t we look for God’s little (or big) messages, even in the “practical” of our lives? Don’t we, as parents, put little notes to our kids in lunchboxes or send them text messages, or leave love notes to them on tables?

Just maybe, our Dad, our Heavenly Father, is trying to tell us something. I experienced that last week when I knew I was at the right place at the right time, but only because of little delays that made me get there perfectly ON TIME.

Perhaps this little FB post today is God reaching out to you to give you a message. Maybe it’s a message that’s been communicated through multiple people, or little signs, or interruptions, or encounters.

It can be tempting to ignore messages we don’t want to hear, or to take for granted the positive messages that come through people or events. But it’s important to be open to messages that may be a “Don’t do that” warning or maybe its a nudge “Get ready” or it may be an encouragement – “You’re on the right path.” Whatever the message, our job is to watch, look and listen. Often, things that happen are not simply a coincidence. Maybe, it’s a penny or a cloudy sky with sunshine peeking through — whatever or whoever — remember…..God is always speaking….are we always listening?

John 10:27-28 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”