A BUNDLE OF JOY

                                          A BUNDLE OF JOY

     I've heard of small bundles of joy, meaning newborn little babies who come into our lives to bless us and bring joy. I've never heard of an adult bundle of joy. But my husband and I met one in Houston at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. The meeting was a chance encounter, but I told her that there are actually no chance encounters where God is concerned.
     I was taking a long walk on the Sky Walk between buildings while my husband was in a series of tests, and a small vibrant woman who was pushing her walker remarked to me that I looked so pretty in my green blouse. I thanked her and continued my speedy walk.
     Later, after my husband completed the first portion of his tests, the two of us went to one of the many hospitality rooms for cookies and coffee. We got refreshments from the hostess, then we sat in chairs by the door. We had also obtained a blanket in which my husband wrapped like a cocoon, because every health care facility sets the room temperatures low, low and lower. He was freezing.
     Into the same hospitality room walked the same woman who had commented on my green blouse in another part of the medical complex a long way from this particular hospitality room. She took a seat in another sitting arrangement but quickly noticed me in my green blouse and again commented how pretty I looked.
     We exchanged pleasantries about our favorite colors and then my husband joined in the conversation when we began to talk about grandchildren, one of our favorite subjects. It evidently was her favorite, also. We bragged on our grandchildren; she bragged on hers.
     Suddenly we started talking about another of our favorite subjects, God. We shared testimonies. She had wonderful ones and we had wonderful ones. She talked freely in her conversations about God's miraculous events in her life and we filled in with the astounding testimonies of God's presence in our current situation, which was Steve's operation, the removal of the cancer, and the reason for the appointment at MD Anderson. It is the king of cancer treatment centers of the world, as proclaimed by Steve's surgeon.
     The bundle of joy announced that she is a 25 year cancer survivor. I chimed in that I am a 19 year survivor. We had both been treated at MD Anderson. She began glowing as she related the events of her unfortunate ordeal which eventually had wonderful results. I shared my same miraculous results with her, sharing the miracles that God had performed in my life.
     Soon she had to leave the hospitality room for her doctor's appointment for a checkup. We hugged and remarked together that there are no chance encounters, that we both knew that our meeting was arranged by Our Loving Father to enhance the faith that Steve and I already had relating to his tests, the findings and the treatments.
     That particular day we needed to hear the testimonies of the bundle of joy to enhance our faith relating to our current situation. God arranged my wearing the green blouse that attracted her attention on the brief meeting in the Sky Walk. Then He led the three of us to the same hospitality room in the same building, of which there are many, many similar rooms in the medical complex. She took a seat near us before she noticed me sitting there in my green blouse that she had previously admired, after which the sharing of testimonies began. Her joy was contagious in the midst of serious events in the lives of all the people in the room, on the Sky Walk and in the huge medical complex.
     She brought to mind the scripture that says, "The joy of the Lord is my strength." Steve and I left that hospitality room with stronger joy and stronger faith. I call it an infusion of faith and joy. The sharing of testimonies does that, infuses new faith and joy into us.
     Steve completed the next tests with a great attitude after the infusion from the bundle of joy. Those chance encounters are like kisses from Our Loving Father. It amazes me how He arranges them, but I'll welcome them every time,. 
     I'm still thanking Him for delivering joy to us from an 80 year old Bundle of Joy. She's probably continuing her ministry of distributing joy to other people in her small Texas town and wherever she travels. She told me that she was a cheerleader in high school and college. She's a cheerleader for God now. Her current team always wins. I'm glad we're on the same team.