Of course, I often find that my miracle requests are somewhat bodacious in nature. They're heavy lifting, if you will. Who prays to find spare change in your coat pocket so you can pay the parking meter? Not me. I'm busy praying for world peace, a cure for obesity, to hit it big in the Lotto, or to have some random celebrity buy me a summer home (whatever, quit judging my miracle requests, I'm sure yours aren't so alturistic!).
The truth is that more often than we realize it we're stumbling over one miracle or another. Typically, we're so darn busy looking for the big ticket items that we don't notice those everyday miracles in our path.
I was blatantly reminded of the everyday miracles this weekend when I received the earth shaking news that a dear friend of mine, Lynn Heilig Faber, had fallen from a ladder while conducting inventory at her Holland business. She fell six feet onto a concrete floor. Today she is recovering from the resulting brain injury at a local hospital. I'm sure she doesn't feel great today, but she is alive.
The path that Lynn took on Friday was strewn with simple, everyday miracles. They happened in real time. Nobody was praying for them. There wasn't a prayer chain feverishly working on her behalf. A Higher Power just took up the charge and peppered Lynn with a handful of miracles.
I feel sort of enlightened to have noticed them. Typically I'm oblivious to this type of thing (remember, I'm busy crossing my fingers for an A-lister to buy me that summer home on Lake Michigan!). First, she wasn't alone at work that morning, Joe (her husband and business partner) was within earshot and responded immediately.
Second, as she fell from the top of a 6-foot ladder her foot must have tripped on a rung of the ladder. This caused her fall to shift a bit and she landed on her shoulder first, then the back of her head hit the floor. She's no ballerina, but I must applaud the choreography! How often does that chain of events line up?
I've been friends with Lynn since our freshman year in college at Grand Valley State Univeresity in 1985 (holy smokes!). She was the maid of honor in my wedding 18 years ago. We go way back. I feel justified in pointing out that she's always been hard-headed. But, really?! This is a bit dramatic. No severe brain damage. Sure, some swelling, probably a whopper of a headache, and she'll walk like a tipsy sailor for a bit, but that's it.
Again, a miracle tossed down on the path. No questions asked.
So, while I am not above continuing to make some very specific requests of a Higher Power (no, silly, I'm not asking God for a beach house, how crass!), I'm going to invest some time each day scanning the real estate of my life for the everyday miracles that I've already received. I'm pretty sure that Lynn doesn't have a corner on the miracle market, so join me in seeking out those that have been slipped between the lines of your life too.
I'm betting that we trip over a miracle or two every single day and just don't notice. The next time I find enough change in my coat pocket for a parking meter, you're sure to hear me shout out a big old fashioned "Amen, baby!"
