Kimberly

Absolutely nothing happens by accident with God's plans.

Last week when we were visiting Brent and his family in North Carolina, Carl and I went into a Food Lion store to get some bread for lunch. As we walked past the register, I overheard a piece of a conversation that included the words "lung, liver and bones." Those words caught my attention and I turned around to see who was talking. I spotted a familiar face. Her name was Kimberly, a young lady who was a cashier, and she was talking to a customer.
As soon as we saw her, we remembered her. Over the last 3 years, whenever we've been in that Food Lion, Kimberly has (not by accident) been our cashier. ( I'm sure that was part of God's plan). We remembered Kimberly from the previous visits because of her friendliness and warm smile and willingness to ask about our trip. She treated us as though we were everyday customers. Each time, after going through her line, we left with smiles on our faces .

So last week, when it came time to pay for our bread, we made it a point to go through her line.
We said "Hi" and told her how we remembered her from the last visit. Then I said, "I couldn't help overhearing a piece of your conversation with a customer about liver, lung and bones. I have a type of cancer that likes to spread to those areas and it caught my attention."
Her eyes spoke volumes as she began to speak. " It's my daddy", she said. "He is my rock. His cancer is in his lungs, bones and liver. He isn't doing chemo anymore. He is tired. He just wants to enjoy his time left with his family and not be sick from chemo. I try to get him to eat and I bring him Boost but he just doesn't want to anymore." She said, "It's hard for me when he won't eat but I just try to spend as much time with him as I can." Whenever I'm not working, I spend my time with him."

As she spoke, I wondered if she knew how very much, her love and attention meant to her dad. I wondered if her daddy knew what a sweet, caring young woman he had raised. I gave her a slip of paper with my blog address on it and told I would keep her and her dad in my prayers and would keep in touch.

Last night, at 8:27 pm, Kimberly's daddy, her "rock", lost his battle with cancer. And Kimberly's heart is broken. She can no longer throw her arms around his neck and smear his cheeks with little girl kisses. She can no longer sit on his lap and cuddle in his arms. She can no longer ask him for his fatherly advice nor sit on his bed and talk to him.

I wish I could be there to give Kimberly a hug, help to ease her sadness and offer words of comfort. But sometimes human words aren't enough. But, I can pray for her. For I know that only God can bring the kind of comfort and peace that can get her through these difficult days. And so I pray that God would comfort her heart, help her to remember the good times with her daddy, remind her of how much her love meant to him and know that she will see him again one day.

It was no accident that we met Kimberly. It was no accident that she was our cashier each time we went to that store. It was for a reason. God calls us to lift each other up in prayer when they are down. As you read this blog today, I ask that you would lift my friend Kimberly up in your prayers. In the days and weeks ahead when she comes to mind, whisper a little prayer to strengthen her and give her peace. God's peace.

Dear Kimberly, May God Bless and Keep You and give you His Peace!