Be grateful for the godwinks that come into our lives
Chaka Khan — “I’m Every Woman,” Alicia Keys — “Superwoman,” Stevie Wonder – “Livin for the City,” Michael McDonald — “I Keep Forgettin,” Jarle Bernhoft — “CMon Talk,” Bruno Mars — “Treasure” — are just a few of the tunes playing in the background of my life.
Did you create, play and listen to your soundtrack lately? I know I’ve been listening to my playlist. It keeps me fired up and motivated to fulfill my goals for 2014.
In addition to my playlist, I am fortunate enough to have several cheerleaders in my life. My mom is one of those cheerleaders. In my last commentary, I shared Gary Lew’s quote, “This is your world. Shape it, or someone else will.” That morning, my mom read the newspaper, smiled to herself, then journeyed to her prayer room (a transformed bedroom that now serves as her prayer closet — Matthew 6:6 ). Later that day, she handed me a bag. A few months earlier, she purchased a journal with that quote written on it. Inside the bag was the book that now serves as my new journal for 2014.
Isn’t ironic, funny how events like that happen in our lives. Too often, we dismiss them as happenstance or coincidence. I’d rather think of these moments as “Godwinks.” The term godwink comes from best-selling author and speaker, Squire Rushnell. According to Rushnell, a godwink is a moment where most people would typically think life is serving them a coincidence. I don’t believe that it was a coincidence for my mom to purchase a book with a quote on it, the same quote that I would use in an article two months later. It’s a godwink. How many times have you had a godwink happen in your life? Did you recognize it as a godwink? Or did you dismiss as a coincidental series of events? Or maybe you are just unsure of what could qualify as a godwink. Let me give you another example.
Last week I was travelling to Keisterville. Instead of fighting with traffic on the two-lane road of Route 40, I decided to take a back road to the appointment. Why did I make this decision? Because, as you usual, I was running late and trying to get to the appointment in a timely manner. As I am travelling on the back roads, a deer, actually two deer, decided to gingerly cross the road in front of me. Swerving to miss them, I found myself stuck in a ditch full of snow. I didn’t panic — I’m not that kind of chick. Rather, I calmly got out of my car and began to dig out my two front tires. “Oh she had a shovel!?!” you surprisingly questioned yourself. No, I used my ice scraper for my window — call me MacGyver (google him if you have no idea who I am talking about). While I was digging, a kind stranger stops and tries to help me. He had to leave to take his daughter to school, but his simple choice to stop and try meant so very much to me.
Finding that digging my tires out of this deep, impacted snow was proving useless, I decided to call my dad. Super Dave to the rescue! Now mind you, I have AAA. I think I just didn’t consider this an emergency — well at least not yet. So here comes dad. He has his shovels, two old mats, and he starts digging. I try to help but am quickly discouraged from assisting as I’ve done enough to help this situation already.
After some time passes and we make attempt after attempt to get “un-stuck,” we throw in the towel — but not quite. Dad looks up and realizes that he has a friend who owns the business across the road. A few minutes later, two gentlemen emerge in the distance. They have a truck and a chain. Hooked to the truck and then with a gentle tug, the Sorento is free!
I graciously thank my heroes and attempt to finish the journey I began about an hour earlier. I decide that maybe I should just travel down Route 40 and take the more direct route to my destination. As I travelled down the road, I notice flashing lights from a police cruiser, a yellow light from a PennDOT truck, the red lights from a fire truck, and the red and white colors on an ambulance.
By the time I reached the accident site, the crews had already cleaned up the wreckage. I couldn’t tell if the accident was severe, but I knew that an accident occurred nonetheless. Tears began to roll down my cheek. “Oh here she goes with that emotional stuff again.” Hey, get over it! By now you know I am an emotional creature. You keep reading my stories don’t you? Anyway, I realized in that moment that a series of godwinks that began with my choice to fail at time management, most likely kept me safe and alive. If I would’ve completed my tasks on time and travelled the most direct route, I may have been hurt and/or hurt someone else.
How many times do we just overlook our godwinks and dismiss critical moments in our lives? I challenge you today to take time to pay attention to your godwinks. Be grateful for those moments when a slow driver gets in front of you when you are in a hurry. Maybe God is trying to keep you safe or prevent you from earning a speeding ticket. Be grateful for the times when the furnace goes out. Maybe if the fan would’ve ran a little longer, it would’ve caused a fire and your home burn to the ground (that actually just happened to me). Be grateful for every moment — good and bad.
On our journeys to become #BetterMeIn2014, remember to take time to focus on our goals, listen to the soundtrack of our lives, and be grateful for the godwinks that bless us everyday.
Gina Jones is a life-long resident of Fayette County and serves the community as an educator and advocate. E320 – Follow Gina on Twitter @professorgmarie.