at Publix, in training…

The strangest thing happened this morning.  I went to Publix for my Saturday grocery run.  Just like normal.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  It was a lovely peaceful morning as I walked through the doors, coffee from Panera in one hand, grocery list in the other.

I took my time,  wandering through the store gathering the items on my list.  I examined produce, searched for Michael’s favorite coffee and discovered boneless skinless chicken breasts on sale.  The deli counter  was calling my name, so I stopped by for my new favorite – Boar’s Head lacy Swiss cheese- exactly a third of a pound, thinly sliced.  All in all it was turning out to be a blissful experience.

When I had finished cruising through the frozen section and the dairy cases, I headed to the checkout.  Now, at Publix they are very friendly.  There is someone waiting to check each item, and another clerk waiting to bag your groceries.  Their service is amazing.  It just so happens that the young woman who was my cashier also is a friend of mine.  She is always so kind and when I see her there, we usually catch up a bit.

As my groceries were being bagged she happened to mention she’d been enjoying reading my blog.  I was so flattered and told her thank you – that I was enjoying writing these days.  I’m sure I blushed a million shades of red.  By this time, there were others waiting, so I had to scoot on out of the way.   Well, a young women was ready and waiting to help me to my car with my groceries.  Did I mention Publix is my favorite?

And this is where it happened.  the strange part…

Hold on. I h]ave to explain something first.  In my life, long ago, my sister and I spent a lot of time with my Aunt.  We called her Aunt Betsy – she was the sister of my grandma. I loved going to her house because she always made delicious things to eat – especially these soft, warm little chocolate chip cookies.  Sometimes we even stayed over night.   One time my sister shoved me right out of the double bed we were sharing… but that’s for another blog post…

At any rate there is something very important you need to know about Aunt Betsy.  Even when I was young at 8 or 9 – I recall her talking about the Lord.  All the time.  To everyone.  Everything was about Him.  It was very curious to me back then and I remember thinking it was so unusual.  She had a gentle spirit about her and she spoke kind, uplifting words. When I got a bit older I would wonder how that happens?  How does someone end up talking about the Lord all the time? And I wished it would happen to me…

But, its never really happened to me.  I’m not able to talk about the Lord freely in front of people, unless I’m sure they want to talk about Him too…  And I have a lot of fabulous excuses, but all they do is create as many holes in my testimony as my new favorite lacy swiss cheese…  I’ve questioned what’s wrong with me.

Back to the unusual part of my morning.  The young girl who was helping me to my van asked, “So, you’re a writer?  what do you write about?”  And…. it happened!  For the first time ever!  I did not know this girl.  I had no idea if she wanted to talk about Jesus.  But we did.  I told her about His work in my heart and how I share it on my blog so that others could know about Him too.  And we talked about it for a few minutes – she didn’t seem to have the typical “church lingo” down…  Unbelievable.  I wasn’t nervous.  I wasn’t uneasy.  The words just rolled off my tongue like it was meant to be.

And it was.  What I’ve learned from Scripture and my sweet Aunt Betsy’s example is this: The more I think about Him, and the more I talk to Him, the more He fills me up to overflowing.  And the more that happen, the more He will spill out onto those around me…

Ephesians 3:

16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  ²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

As I begin to understand His love,  I experience His fullness and then, and only then He can do immeasurable, amazing things!  Not the least of things, my experience today.  Its amazing that I’m 35 and today, it all began.  I started my training, at Publix.

amen.