NOTICE

I am joining the Five Minute Friday group...the subject today is "Notice."



Yesterday, when I was at the grocery store, I was looking for my brand of coffee.

A little lady (shorter then me!) was standing next to me studying the top shelf.

Her hair, pulled back in a bun, had lavender and blue mixed with her gray. She squinted through her glasses.

    I asked if I could help her...we were looking for  "instant, granules coffee."

She found what she wanted and thanked me.

  
 On this word "notice," I wonder are we noticing other people? I notice people who look so sad.  Or so stressed. I wonder what they are going through.

    When I'm out and about I notice people.  One young man waiting on me, at the cash register, has a handicap. It takes him longer to ring items through.   

The man in line in front of me, was clearly irritated with the worker, and was rude.
  
The cashier remained composed and kind. And tediously rang 

through each item.



     When it was my turn, I noticed the cashiers tag. I called him by name, and congratulated him for his service of ten years. He looked me in the eye and said with pride, " it's been eleven years."

     A friend and I met each week for prayer at a restaurant.  A waitress looked so unhappy. I asked her if there was something we could pray for her.  Her eyes filled with tears and she left in a hurry.  I did pray for her everyday, she was on my heart.

Probably a year later, a group of friends and I visited another restaurant.  She was working there.  She met us with a wonderful smile, looked me in the eye, and said how good it was to see me.

Our group was seated in a booth. I sat on the end. we were talking and laughing...

when the woman, I had prayed for, came to our booth, leaned down and hugged me.

    I felt like the Lord had hugged me...it was so sweet. Later, before we left, I was able to talk to her a few minutes. She said she was doing so much better. I told her I had been praying for her. She thanked me.

    I thank the Lord for helping me "notice".  For laying someone on my heart.

    A few weeks ago, during our greeting time, I turned to shake hands with a young woman. As I was turning back, I felt I should ask her how long she had been coming.

When I asked her, she said it was her first time at the church. I was able to welcome her. What a blessing.

Lord Jesus help us to notice others and have our hearts opened to Your nudging's, in Jesus Name..Amen.