Coincidences

I have always said that I don't believe in coincidences. I believe in a Sovereign God who is in control of everything, and so if a seeming coincidence happens, it is probably God trying to get my attention about something. Recently I also learned that there is no Hebrew word for coincidence, which further supports my point of view.

So the other day, Monday, to be exact, I had 3 big coincidences. The first one actually started on Sunday night. I came home from "Adoration" at my church (which was SO good. They're always very worshipful, but the worship went to another level that night. Wow! But I digress.), and was fixing myself something to eat. For some reason, my mind started replaying a Christmas show that I had last seen as an older kid - Claymation Christmas was the name of it I think. I was remember one skit in particular where claymation bells were playing "Carol of the Bells" by hitting themselves upside the head with mallets. It was hilarious! The memory was playing so clearly in my head that I was smothering my laughter so that I wouldn't have to explain it to my husband, who would think I was nuts (and rightly so, probably). The next morning, my mom called me on my way to take Harris to school and asked if I could stop by Lowe's (where she works) on my way home and pick up Rusty, my brother, whose car is currently out of commission. He wanted to hang out with me for a while. So one of the first things he said once we got back to my house is, "Guess what I watched last night? Old home movies and things we recorded over the years. Do you remember Claymation Christmas?" !!!!! I was thinking about the show when he was watching it!!!! Now THAT is a seeming coincidence.

The second coincidence happened on my date with my husband that night. We were watching the movie, "Billy: the Early Years". (A great movie about Billy Graham - how he got saved and called to be an evangelist. It was so funny, moving, and convicting! I highly recommend seeing it! But, I digress again.) The actor playing young Billy was very easy on the eyes, and his mannerisms and the sense of humor that was written into the part made me think of Darrell, my other brother. I was wondering if maybe Darrell was meant to be an evangelist - or at least someone whose livelihood was in full-time ministry. In one scene, Billy is leading his first convert to the Lord and he asks the man's name. The man's name is Darrell! What a "coincidence"!

The third one happened at dinner after the movie. Our waiter (excuse me, I mean server) came up and at first I thought it was one of my step-father Hugh's, sons. (Yes, that would make him my step-brother, but I don't think of him like that. No hard feelings. It's just we were mostly grown when our parents got married, so we have never lived together like siblings.) Anyway, this guy had the same hair style, build, size, everything. He even sounded like him! All of this I take in within a couple of seconds. The server then introduces himself - his name is Brandon, which is Hugh's son's name!!!!! What are the odds, people?

So now I am prayerfully trying to figure out what God is trying to show me with these 3 big "coincidences" in one day? And all 3 had to do with either a brother or step-brother? Very weird. I almost wish I did believe in coincidences so that I could just chalk it up to that and forget about it.