OMG!

There was a week, not too long ago, when I was asked the same exact question.

By two completely different people.

“Do you believe in God?”

Now that’s a strange question to be asked, I said.

To myself.

I’ve made it 43+ years, so far.

And other than possibly a Rabbi in 5th or 7th Grade.

Or maybe both.

Or some solicitor knocking on my door.

I can’t remember being asked that question before.

I’m sure it’s happened.

But it certainly hasn’t happened twice.

In the same week.

By two completely different people.

It hasn’t happened by a friend that I’ve known for 25 years.

And then happened a day later.

By a girl I’d never met before, sitting next to me at a restaurant.

As for the answer to that burning question.

That answer would be yes.

I don’t know that I could say God is a big part of my everyday life.

Although I do say a prayer every night before I go to bed.

And I do look to the sky whenever life hands me lemons.

Before I try to make some lemonade.

Faith is a funny thing.

When you need it, you lean on it.

When you don’t need it, you don’t think about it.

When the University of Pittsburgh got bailed out by a last second foul on Saturday, I guarantee they said....

“THANK GOD.”

But when they committed an idiotic foul seconds later to lose the game, I guarantee they didn’t say....

“BLAME GOD.”

How is that possible?

Did God decide to help Pittsburgh?

And then seconds before it was over, He... or She picked up the real Universal Remote.

And moved onto the BYU game.

Same God, right?

I’m a big believer when it comes to believing.

Believing in whatever you gotta believe.

To get from point A to point B.

Especially to guide us through the tough times.

You.

Me.

Anybody.

Whatever you want to believe.

Whomever you want to believe in.

BELIEVE!

If you want to believe there is some grand master plan.

Believe it.

My friend believes it.

I got an email from him today.

He is well aware of the ups and downs in my life.

At one point, many years ago, we were very close.

Unfortunately life has drifted us apart from one another.

But thanks to a common interest in music.

And us both living on email.

We have managed to stay in touch.

Somewhat.

The last time we were together was a few months ago.

In New York.

We did a couple of nights of dinner.

A show.

Great catching up time.

And in that quality time he saw I was hurting.

So since then, his emails have come more frequently.

And more supportively.

Is supportively a word?

Well, it’s amazing what a little love will do.

His positive energy is enough to recharge any dead battery.

Even my dead battery.

And when I got his most recent email, it made me smile.

Again.

In that email he informed me...

“God only challenges those who can take it.”

Say what?

Now nothing against Bible thumpers.

But my friend is no Bible thumper.

Far from it.

I’m guessing the only other time he has referenced “God” to me was something like...

....”Oh My God she was hot.”

Not exactly Corinthians 4:27.

But he continued. 

“God has a plan.

“And it might not be our plan.”

“But he has a plan.”

Ok, keep going.

“I know that you use to work a lot of hours, more than you wanted but it was required as part of your position.”

“I know that you did not get to spend as much time as you would like with you kids and maybe this is God's way of helping you get back to really what is the most important in your life.”

“I know it is hard to argue with that right!”

“Stay strong and enjoy this time with your kids.”

OMG!

Where did this come from?

Was this a sign?

From above?

The message was perfectly simple.

The meaning was clear.

Don’t ever stray too far.

And don’t disappear.

No don’t disappear.

He ended this email, as he ends every email.

“God Bless”.

God Bless you too.