So a new Rite Aid opened up in South River and I had the circular that I got in the mail that showed all the things that were going to be on sale. Great sales, like 10 lbs. of cat littler for .77 cents, things I really wanted to stock up on, having four cats! I found a number of things I didn’t really need, but for that price, I found room to need it. And after wandering around the store – it was pretty quiet in there – I had a shopping cart that was fairly full. I went to get in line, and as I was walking up to the single cashier, I saw a woman that had only two things – a can of dog food and a can of peas. So I thought to myself, “I’m going to let this woman go ahead of me because I have about 35 things in my basket, and it’s going to take me a while to check out.” Besides, the way we walked up at almost the same time, it was arguable who was first anyhow, so I nodded to her, indicating that she should go first.  She was gracious and said, “Thank you,” and I felt real good about myself. I thought, “That was nice of me. I’m a good person. I’m a good Christian. I’m good to strangers. And even though I’m not going to get anything for it and nobody’s looking, I’m happy because I’m doing the right thing.” Besides, I wasn’t in any big hurry – I didn’t have any kids to pick up from soccer, and maybe this lady did. Or maybe she just wanted to get home and feed her dog.

Just as she was getting her change and her receipt, I saw an older man walk up behind me in my peripheral vision and all he had was a newspaper. He had his wife with him, and she was using a walker. Well, I had just let the woman with two things go ahead of me, so I had to let this elderly couple go ahead of me, too. I mean, all he had was a .35 newspaper. I asked him to please go ahead of me, and he, too, was very grateful. As he was handing over his dollar to pay, his hand was shaking a little and I felt even better about letting him go ahead of me so he could get back to his house and read his paper.

Just as he was leaving, two more people walked up behind me who also had only one or two items each. So I looked up at the ceiling – that’s usually where I look for God, up in the ceiling when I’m indoors J and I shook my head and I thought, “You have a real sense of humor, God! Are you testing me to see how many times I’ll be a good Christian? Well, I can play that game, too! It’s on! Bring it!”

So I let both of them go ahead of me. And this did turn into quite an ordeal. The thing is, don’t ever challenge God to a game because he’s a much better player than we are. This went on for a good twenty minutes. Every time it looked like the flow of people in the store was at a lull, then someone else with one item would come up behind me with that pleading look in their eyes, hoping they wouldn’t have to wait behind me with my big old cart full of stuff.

And as I kept letting people in front of me, I thought, “I wonder if this is what it’s like just a little crumb, just the tip of the iceberg, to be God in terms of how many people will I let go ahead of me?” And when I told this to Pastor, she reminded me of a passage from Matthew where Peter was asking Jesus how many times to forgive – was it 3? Or 7? And the answer was “7 times 70”.

And like a goof, I started to do the math, and pastor saw the wheels turning in my head and said “It’s not a math problem. Seven means completeness. Total.” So it means forever. So don’t do the math. It’s 490, but don’t do the math.

As many of you may know, I used to travel from NJ to Hartford, CT nearly every week on business. It's a 3 hour and 45 minute ride via Amtrak. The last time I took the train, it was nearly an hour late, and it was 98 and sticky while I was waiting for the train. I wasn't in a great mood to start out with.

Some stupid stuff happened at work earlier in the week and I spent the entire train ride alone, trying to de-grumpify myself (sorry, I know that's not a real word!) . I even said a silent prayer that God help me find some peace of mind. Usually when I pray, I start by thanking God for the things I have and then asking for what I need of Him. That night, though, I was so grumpy, my prayer went something like, "Is a little peace of mind asking so much??" as I looked up at the ceiling of the train. Wow, what a crumby prayer! I knew even as I said it that I I was a lousy Christian and probably didn't deserve the peace of mind I so ineloquently demanded of God -- thankfully, whether we deserve God's gifts is not at the top of the list when God grants them (thank you, Grace!).

When the announcement was made that Hartford was the next station stop, there were 5 of us waiting by the door -- everyone in that car was exiting at Hartford.

I noticed, because I notice things like this, that we were all women. We were all in our late 30s to mid 40s. We all stood in silence, loitering near the door to exit as the train started to slow down.

One woman, a petite black woman was staring off into space with tears in her eyes. I think we all noticed, but so as not to intrude on what might have been a private or embarrassing moment, no one said anything.

Finally, as we were pulling into the station, I touched her shoulder and said, "I'm sorry to bother you, but are you okay?"

And she burst out with, "No, I'm not! I just lost my Momma last week and we buried her 2 days ago!" And she began openly weeping.

I kept my hand on her shoulder and said with a lump in my throat, "This August, it will be 5 years since I lost my Mother. I wish I could tell you that it gets easier, but it doesn't."

Then the woman to my right spoke up with a voice choked with tears and said, "I lost my Mother 3 years ago, and she's right -- it doesn't get easier, but you will feel better over time. You'll still miss her, though."

Then the woman closest to the train door, who already had tears running down her face, said, "I lost my Mother 4 years ago, and I know how hard it is. But she's in a better place now."

Finally, the woman next to her said, "I lost my Mother 2 and a half years ago and I still reach to pick up the phone to call her when something happens in my life I want to share."

The woman by the door, looked at all of us and said, "When I want to pick up the phone, I just look up at heaven and say, 'Hey Mom, guess what just happened?'"

And we all laughed a little, and wiped our collective tears.

The black woman said, "I can't believe we all lost our Mothers! We're not that old!" And we looked at each other and laughed again.

Then the Train's Conductor came barreling in and yelled, "Hartford! Station stop, Hartford!" And we all jumped. He apologized for startling us, and asked if we were okay, seeing that we were all wiping tears away and sniffling.

We shared with him that the one lady had lost her Mother and we were trying to comfort her.

As he helped us all off the train, he said that he lost his Mother one and a half years ago, and he still missed her terribly.

All 6 of us stood near the train and the grieving woman said, "A few hours ago, when I first got on this train, I asked God to give me a sign that my Mother was in a better place, and that I wasn't alone."

We all laughed aloud and one of the other women said, "Is this enough of a sign for you? What are the odds that all of us lost our Mother and happened to sit on the same train, and all happened to get off in Hartford, and even the Conductor lost his Mother!"

The black woman looked at all of us in wonder and said, "God really did answer my prayer." And then, as if to punctuate her remark, a bolt of lightning lit up the sky and the sky opened up and a downpour of rain began that immediately soaked us all to the skin, and we laughed out loud.

And over the downpour, I yelled, "In case you didn't get it before, I think this really is your sign from God!"

And we all laughed, did a soggy group hug and went our separate ways.

I realized that if I hadn't asked the woman on the train if she was okay, she would have gone on about her night feeling isolated and abandoned, and as if God had not heard her prayer at all.

I now know what the expression, "The spirit moved me" means: When God poked me in the ribs until I decided to speak up on the train.

I'm honored to have been the catalyst in a meaningful way for this poor, suffering woman.

I've had so many prayers of my own answered, they are too numerous to count. But I cannot recall a time when I've been so obviously part of the answer to someone else's prayer! How cool is that!

And at the very same time, my own "demand prayer" to God for peace of mind was answered as well -- there is nothing like being part of something bigger than yourself to pull you out of your own misery.

And if there's a moral to the story, it's this: the next time you feel the spirit move you, an inner nudge, that little voice telling you to speak up or take action or reach out or make that phone call, act upon it! You might be a part of the answer to someone else's prayer. So don't be shy or embarrassed. The odds of 6 middle aged people all losing their Mothers on the same train are so staggering, it leaves me with no doubt that God is up there, doing His thing. And we need to remember to let him use us to help answer prayers for others. Let us pray.