The Chair
I switched the chair that was bumping back-and-forth with the one beside me. One of the legs maybe was shorter than the other. You know?
I’d just gone into the coffee shop, to have a black cup of coffee (diabetes) and do some writing. I switched coffee shops to cut down on the possibility of running into someone I’d get talking to, So how did that turn out? One might wonder!
I was going about my writing when along came another older fellow around my age, he looked to be a very dignified fellow. He was preparing to sit at the table that I’d just switched chairs with. He wasn’t gonna be sitting in that chair but nonetheless, I realized; he’s putting a napkin underneath one of the table legs, because the table was rocking back-and-forth.
I said, “You know what I just did, funny thing, I just changed this chair out because I…” and just then I touched the chair and I showed him how it wobbled back and forth.
Just then – all in a split second – I saw and realized why he was adjusting the table leg, a very practical man!
Because all in that split second I realized, because, well… I was spilling his coffee all over the place – the cup of coffee that he had put on that chair while he fixed the table, so that his coffee wouldn’t Spill on the table that he was making stable before he put his coffee on it! So I helped him mopping it up, and went back and forth from the front counter to get reinforcements, and we were starting to get to know each other.
Well, if you don’t know me, but if you do… well, about 20 minutes, later I knew his name is Gary and he knew my name is Laurence. He’s got a laptop, and he points to it and he says, “I did come here to get some things done so I’m gonna have to let you go!”
I said, “…it’s OK you’ve been in inspiration to me!” his reply was in his face, as well as the words, “I haven’t said anything?” and I laughed and he laughed. I said well you’re a type of audience! You’re this listener type of person. Someone that I can think of when I’m writing!
He goes to the Tsawwassen Alliance Church. He knows North Shore Alliance people – he mentioned that because I told him I’d once attended the Alliance church in Richmond, and North Vancouver. He mentioned that one of the North Shore’s past preachers, sometimes preaches at his church. I asked if it was Brian Buhler? Yes it was!
That man, I told him, was the man that had preached the sermon on the infilling of the Holy Spirit, when my wife, Cheryl, stood and responded to his invitation to receive the infilling! I told him how her whole journey with God, coincided with my own journey BACK to God. I’d been shattered, my faith had been shattered! Cheryl’s word to me was that she’d always wanted to go to church, but didn’t have anyone to go with!
My testimony at the time was, come with me!
Part of my brokenness was being disillusioned with my faith, so much so, that the best image to tell you what I mean is, look there at that empty book shelf, and on the floor in front of it, is a pile of books!
As Cheryl’s faith came into being, my faith was being re-built. Those books, one by one, but not all of them, were being put back on the shelf!
So, she sat down, after Brian had prayed over all those that were standing, and she started to try and express what she was hearing in her heart! And she couldn’t get the words out, couldn’t express what she had in her heart… I paused and said, after having flipped in my bible to a particular scripture her words reminded me of, and put them in front of her to read, “here, is this what you are trying to say?”
As she read the verses, her eyes flooded with tears… her mouth crumpled up, and she nodded and sobbed. This happened over and over again, that whole afternoon, and many times since! It was HER initial evidence of God filling her with his Holy Spirit! (See Ephesians 1:???)
What a connection this was!
I don’t believe in coincidences!
I initially gave my sunshine card,
to Gary. I told him how the Jesus Bus minus the bus experience continues to happen with me, and I’d made the mistake of trying to keep in touch! By giving folks my card, with my name, phone number and email address on it! And I’d scare them away, maybe?!? I don’t know! But I’ve never had anyone ever call me back, or contact me through that means.
I spoke to him about Jesus and the man in John 5, and Nathaniel. And the woman at the well.
Well. I switched cards, and gave him my card, and my email address is on it
walkingdownvimy@gmail.com
is on it. I told him to go to my blog, by typing running instead of walking, and then /gary. He’d get to his page, that I’d just then created. I had left him alone for a few minutes, and then before going home, I showed him all I’d written, and linked for him to look at.
That this had been a divine appointment, God had brought us together!
Running Down Vimy 