2:30 p.m. Today's project was to make sure I had transportation home after dropping off my Jeep at Moss Motors' Riverside body shop. It would also be nice to have something to drive for the next 5-7 days, but the Lord would have to arrange that. For all I know, He might ordain me to just stay home! That's exactly what I did when my kids were small, because it was just too much stress some days to get everyone ready---by then we'd just about be ready for our nap!
But I left a hopeful request to borrow one of their cars with my son-in-law Nick .
The Mercury Insurance adjuster needed to look at the car by 12:00 p.m. Knowing I only had until noon to get any errands done, I got both of us up early, we had our morning devotions and breakfast, and I headed to the grocery store for some needed non-perishable supplies, in case I were to be stranded for a week. Then I headed downtown to McGrath's, a caterer I have used before, both at my home and for school events. Mark McGrath's daughter was on Mock Trial with our Heather the year that King High won several County titles, including our daughter as "Clerk of the Year." And I was the mom who arranged the celebration banquet for the team and families--with McGrath's. They cater many school district and civic events with great food, service, and prices.
Mark and I had been talking over the last few days, and Heidi and I had explored their website, very pleased with our "preliminary findings." So today, I got to ask all of my questions, take notes, and give enough information to have him work up a quote for us later today, based on number of guests and two pasta choices, all-inclusive, with 3 servers for the buffet. Oddly enough, the owner just now called me by accident, because he had my proposal in front of him, but meant to call another company!
I might suspect that this is the caterer God has brought to our attention at this relatively late stage. With a June wedding, this should have been settled months ago, but with Heidi being sick and several matters postponed, we are now a bit behind in "wedding time." But God's timing is not ours, as Pator Tim Hamilton reminded us on Sunday, from Psalm 90:4:
For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night.
As I talked with Mr. McGrath, he mentioned that he had a memorial to cater today that had come up suddenly. I asked, was it (my friend) from Panhellenic whose husband suddenly died last weekend, memorial today? Sure enough, it was. Hmmm, it's looking more and more like a God thing!
About 10:30, while we were going over details and figures, Heidi texted me to bring her some clothes from home. Ok, I answered, thinking, now I have to not only go home, pick up Steve and drop off groceries, but now go back and forth to Jurupa? And all before dropping the car at Moss Motors, several miles west off the 91 fwy? Ai! (or ach!) So in the same text I asked her if next Tuesday she and Pavel could come do a tasting, and set that for 6 p.m. It was now definitely time to end the meeting and head back up the hill towards the house! An insistent call from the insurance adjuster making sure we'd have the car at Moss on time didn't ease my tension.
I worked my way through Heidi's closet and saw a cute reminder of my two daughters rooming together for years: in black marker, now worn down to grey, were the words Heather's side forever! A married woman of two years' experience now...it was just a little bit of sweetness from the Lord to lower my heart rate and let me enjoy my day! After all, hasn't God given us "richly all things to enjoy" (I Timothy 6:17)?
We drove off to Heidi's school, Pacific Avenue, I signed in, left a Mary Kay sample and catalog for the receptionist, and took the bag of clothes to her classroom, where she introduced me to her amazed 1st graders. They stared at me without making a sound--I don't think little kids can picture their teacher having a mother like they do! I complimented them, signed out at the office, and we headed out to the dealership.
Praise the Lord, that even with the switch-ups in plans and construction on the roads, we arrived 8 minutes before twelve! We had a very good visit with the receptionist while the adjuster and the body shop manager compared their numbers--more samples and a catalog given out--and we were soon on our way in the dealer's van headed towards home. The friendly gal driving heard that we have a daughter getting married and asked, "do you have a caterer?" I said, "I think we may have one--why?" She replied, "My husband works for one here in town, he's a cook." I politely asked, "which one?" "McGrath's." We just burst out laughing when I told her that's where I'd been this morning.
As a Christian, I am not a believer in coincidences. But three--or four, if you count Mock Trial--connections just today? That's no coincidence, that's the Lord bringing something to my attention! May the tasting next Tuesday seal the deal and a signed contract be the confirmation if this is the caterer God wants.
Meanwhile, I got a message from Heather's husband and called him back. They'll be bringing a car for us to borrow tonight at 6 p.m.
The events of today may not have been exactly what I'd been planning, but it was what was supposed to happen!
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