Serendipity • (ser-ən-ˈdi-pə-tē)

-- the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for

When I looked up the word serendipity in the dictionary, I half expected to see a picture of me and my husband next to the the definition.  When we met 28 years ago, we were not seeking each other; and were definitely not seeking love!  However, we found each other -- and it has been a most valuable and agreeable relationship!  I've also heard serendipity defined as a fortunate accident.  Over the years, we've often commented on how fortunate we were to have met each other and how easily we could have missed it.  Just a few minutes here, or a left turn instead of right and we would have missed out on a lifetime together.

It all started with a wave.  My sister, Pam, and I were visiting our cousin, Linda, for the weekend.  The three of us were practicing a special song to sing in our grandfather's church for his retirement service that weekend.  After practice, we ate at McDonald's and were walking across the parking lot to our car when a red pickup truck drove by with three guys in it.  I jokingly said, "This is how you pick up guys", and waved to them.  To this day, I have no idea what posessed me to do that.  It was so out of character!  I was very shy, we were good girls - preacher's daughters.  But, that's all it took.  They started following us!  Oh, no!  Now what?

Before we knew it, we found ourselves at Messenger Lake, with the guys right behind us!  We were actually a little terrified.  We started to turn the car around to leave, but they were already out of their truck and walking straight toward us.  Maybe we'd just say hello for a minute and be on our way.  We locked  all the doors and rolled our windows down about an inch -- just enough to talk, but not enough for them to grab us!  As we talked, they seemed like nice enough boys.  Two of them were brothers, and the other was a friend.  Todd had just gotten home from his first year of college and they were just out "cruising around" this evening.  We told them about being in town to sing at our grandparent's church on Sunday.  To which they replied, "we're church-going boys ourselves"!  Slowly the windows went down just a little more.  They said they were going bowling, would we like to join them?

The rest of that night has played over in my mind many times over the years!  We did end up going bowling with them.  In fact, after bowling, we went to Big Boy for a late snack where we talked and laughed and told jokes for hours - well, Todd told jokes!  He must have told every joke he's ever heard his entire life!  When we finally left the restaurant, we were having so much fun, no one wanted to go home.  So, we went to the park and listened to music and talked and walked.  It was one of those nights you never forget.  We had so much fun! 


From the start, Todd picked me out of the bunch.  In fact, I didn't know it at the time, but he has since told me that when I waved to them at McDonald's, he exclaimed, "I get the red head!"  (That's me!)   In fact, he was so smitten with me, he actually tried to kiss me as we were walking in the park!  "I don't know this boy!  Who does he think he is?  And, more importantly, what does he think I am?!"   These questions flashed through my mind in an instant and it was an automatic response to turn my head as he leaned in for the kiss.  -- Not what he was expecting!  But, ultimately, that was the move that clinched the deal!  He now says, that was the moment he realized I wasn't just another girl.  I wasn't going to be a summer fling.  I was someone he wanted to get to know better.

The rest is history.  We met in May of 1983 and spent the rest of that summer getting to know each other.  Before we knew it, we were in love.  We were married by September of 1984.  It wasn't planned.  It wasn't good timing.  In fact, I know it wasn't even a fortunate accident, or serendipity.  It was Divine Appointment.  It was God's timing.  It was part of a plan that was in place long before we were involved.  

Thank you, Lord, for Your plan for my life.  Thank you for that left turn instead of right, that uncharacteristic wave, and the kiss on my cheek!