Last night our family went to a favorite Asian restaurant in San Antonio. It was wonderful. In many ways. We ordered new dishes and enjoyed the fresh fare set before us. The company was also a delight. When it came time to pay the bill, the waitress told us that the bill was paid and we owed nothing! Someone else had paid our bill. Jeff asked who we needed to thank, but she would not reveal the benefactor. The fun part is that I saw the man do it! shortly after we were seated at our table a single older gentleman, bespectacled and full bearded, sporting a hat was seated at a nearby table. In passing glances I observed his interest in our table. I wasn't sure if it was the food that interested him, the conversation or the dear faces of the people around the table. In any case I saw him ask for a check as soon as his meal was set on his table. I instinctively had a feeling that he had just picked up our check. (FYI: it is almost impossible to surprise a Brinegar girl) And when the waitress confirmed it, I knew that what I suspected was true. As we left the restaurant he hid his face under the brim of his hat as we passed by him. I have no idea what made that man decide to pay for our meal, but it certainly was a beautiful and kind thing to do. The kindness of this stranger reminded me of these precious words found in Hosea 11:4
I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love,
And I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws;
And I bent down and fed them.
And although it was the act of a man that fed our family last night, I know that truly God does bend down and feed us.
I never really liked games that much when I was a kid. I don't know if I was just a poor loser or I didn't care for the randomness of rolling dice and drawing the wrong card that all of a sudden made you a loser- probably both. A few days ago I felt like we rolled the dice and all of a sudden things were on a losing path. Now I realize that in real life being a "loser" is a little more subjective, but all of a sudden I felt like instead of being on the path that leads to comfort and American equivalent of happiness I was on the path that takes me to a less desirable existence. You know something akin to being on your way to the lollipop wonderland and then all of a sudden you've been thrown back into stuck in the sludge of sticky taffy and everyone is laffy but you.
