It was the Spring of 2010. I was fulfilling a work contract in Tempe, not far from Sky Harbor or the home that Glenn was sharing with Dena.
Sometimes I would even see them riding together in the Silverado, while I was about that side of town.
My job at that time required that I drive between sites....One day, just before lunch, while driving back to my office I was thinking of how I had pleaded with Glenn to sell our big, empty nest house in Peoria, - or rent it out - and move us into a small condo, closer to the airport and my job contracts. But Glenn had refused, telling me how he needed the 45 minute drive as "wind down" time. So I let it go. Meanwhile, I realized later, that his "wind down time" was probably spent at Dena's apt., less than 2 miles from the airport.
These thoughts brought tears to my eyes and I started crying and lamenting to God about my situation. AGAIN and for the umpteenth time! - This particular time I was crying out loud about how I didn't mind if I wasn't the most beautiful or most perfect one of His vessels. But I took offense that I must be one of the most pitiful creatures He had ever created since my beloved Glenn had left me to go live in Section 8 housing, with a woman who bared her breasts to the world on My Space.
And as I was lamenting and whining out loud, the traffic light in front of me turned red. So I slowed down to stop. As I did so, a car horn honked to my left.
And there, in a red mercedes, was a handsome, well dressed man; leaning towards the van from behind his steering wheel, motioning for me to roll down my window.
Now at this time, I was still driving the well-used 2000 Chrysler Voyager. It did not have electric windows; and the handle to roll down the window was stuck. But I applied the force necessary to get the window down as I wiped away tears, while wondering what in the world was wrong now! I figured I had left my gas cap open, or I had a flat tire that I didn't notice while in the middle of my tirade against God. But neither was the case.
Instead, this gentleman raised his voice to say, "You're beautiful! Can I take you to lunch?"
I was flabberghasted.
"What?" I shouted back at him.
I just couldn't believe I had heard him correctly. But he shouted through his window again, " You are a beautiful woman; I'd like to take you to lunch."
Well, needless to say, I just started cracking up. I started wiping away the few vestiges of tears as I continued to shout out loud - half to him, and half to God " Are you kidding me??!!"
"No," he replied, not realizing that I might not have been talking only to him.
So I addressed both him and God again, shouting through the air and through the window at the same time, "Look, I am not sure I can handle this right now. I am sorry, but You have got to be kidding me!"
And the man shook his head in apparent disappointment, as I continued to laugh out loud.
Perhaps he thought I was laughing at him, but I wasn't. I really didn't think the man was human anyway; I figured he was an angel in disguise, sent to take my mind off my pity party. I was laughing at how quickly God can answer prayers. I just couldn't believe this was happening! And as the light turned green, I went on my way, while he made a u-turn and I lost him in my side view mirror.
Sometimes, the universe is like that.
I was delighted the rest of that day, with the knowledge that God had heard my voice and once again had assured me that no, this affair had little to do with me.
And that yes, I was still beautiful in His sight, - and in the sight of the handsome, well dressed man in the late model red mercedes!
My job at that time required that I drive between sites....One day, just before lunch, while driving back to my office I was thinking of how I had pleaded with Glenn to sell our big, empty nest house in Peoria, - or rent it out - and move us into a small condo, closer to the airport and my job contracts. But Glenn had refused, telling me how he needed the 45 minute drive as "wind down" time. So I let it go. Meanwhile, I realized later, that his "wind down time" was probably spent at Dena's apt., less than 2 miles from the airport.
These thoughts brought tears to my eyes and I started crying and lamenting to God about my situation. AGAIN and for the umpteenth time! - This particular time I was crying out loud about how I didn't mind if I wasn't the most beautiful or most perfect one of His vessels. But I took offense that I must be one of the most pitiful creatures He had ever created since my beloved Glenn had left me to go live in Section 8 housing, with a woman who bared her breasts to the world on My Space.
And as I was lamenting and whining out loud, the traffic light in front of me turned red. So I slowed down to stop. As I did so, a car horn honked to my left.
And there, in a red mercedes, was a handsome, well dressed man; leaning towards the van from behind his steering wheel, motioning for me to roll down my window.
Now at this time, I was still driving the well-used 2000 Chrysler Voyager. It did not have electric windows; and the handle to roll down the window was stuck. But I applied the force necessary to get the window down as I wiped away tears, while wondering what in the world was wrong now! I figured I had left my gas cap open, or I had a flat tire that I didn't notice while in the middle of my tirade against God. But neither was the case.
Instead, this gentleman raised his voice to say, "You're beautiful! Can I take you to lunch?"
I was flabberghasted.
"What?" I shouted back at him.
I just couldn't believe I had heard him correctly. But he shouted through his window again, " You are a beautiful woman; I'd like to take you to lunch."
Well, needless to say, I just started cracking up. I started wiping away the few vestiges of tears as I continued to shout out loud - half to him, and half to God " Are you kidding me??!!"
"No," he replied, not realizing that I might not have been talking only to him.
So I addressed both him and God again, shouting through the air and through the window at the same time, "Look, I am not sure I can handle this right now. I am sorry, but You have got to be kidding me!"
And the man shook his head in apparent disappointment, as I continued to laugh out loud.
Perhaps he thought I was laughing at him, but I wasn't. I really didn't think the man was human anyway; I figured he was an angel in disguise, sent to take my mind off my pity party. I was laughing at how quickly God can answer prayers. I just couldn't believe this was happening! And as the light turned green, I went on my way, while he made a u-turn and I lost him in my side view mirror.
Sometimes, the universe is like that.
I was delighted the rest of that day, with the knowledge that God had heard my voice and once again had assured me that no, this affair had little to do with me.
And that yes, I was still beautiful in His sight, - and in the sight of the handsome, well dressed man in the late model red mercedes!