Lean on me . . .

I just got out of the Shelby County jail. Fortunately I was just visiting, but the visit lasted several hours. Seems like I should get a jail credit or something, but no one offered.

So it was dark and cold as I left the correctional facility and home was about an hour or so away, which is much shorter than it was on the way down through the I-65 parking lot. But I was out, a free man, having paid my debt to society, and enjoyed the bracing slap of the cold wind against my face as I jumped into the Sebring and headed home. I have a habit of talking to God as I drive . It may surprise you, after reading a couple of my earlier posts, that the vast majority of the time I do not yell. I still feel pretty shabby about the whole fit I threw with God the other day as I was driving, so I started out this time by using a little prayer method that I have not used in a while, which is just giving thanks. It was a little bit of a strain, since I was regretfully out of the habit and have been enjoying a prolonged period of self-centered pity. The idea is not to give general thanks, but to be very specific, and just keep listing things I am thankful for. God helped me out a bit tonight, because as I was getting in the car a flock of geese flew low overhead, silohuetted against the moonglow. Sort of like a dad pushing his kid on a bike with training wheels. I am a sucker for God's creation. He was showing off a bit. So I began to give thanks.

I was a couple of minutes into the conversation when I saw a hitch hiker on the side of the road. As usual, the passenger seat was full of the necessities of life, clothes, computer, a loaf of bread, a briefcase, an assortment of coffee mugs, and other stuff like that. I was ready to get home and I was praying and my car was full, and a hitch hiker a half-mile from the jail . . . I drove on by. I have a friend who talks about following the nudges of God, and the regrets if the nudge is ignored. I don't know if it was because I was in conversation with God at the time or not, but this was no nudge. This was more like a really heavy lean. I drove on for awhile, but it was hard to drive being leaned on like that, so I turned around.

Turns out the fellow had indeed just been released from the jail and didn't have a ride, or money, or a phone. Like him, I had no money. But I had a ride and a phone. I cleared the passenger seat, which I think the appearance of gave him pause about accepting a ride. But he got in, used my phone, and I gave him a short ride into town before I headed north. It was no big deal. No Guidepost kind of story. In fact, it was just a little companionship for a few miles.

Heading back toward the interstate I passed a Starbucks in Alabaster, which I did not know was there. A friend had given me a Starbucks card a while back which still had enough for a latte on it. I felt the need to stop and relax awhile before I drove on. As I sat and sipped the latte a friend called and we talked awhile about life. I had my laptop with me and another friend wished me happy birthday and visited with me awhile online. By the time we finished, the latte was gone and the folks in the Starbucks were wiping down the counters and cleaning those little nozzles that come out of the steamer machines. I hit the road again. As I walked into the house another friend texted me as he drove to Gatlingburg. I called him and we talked awhile.

Sometimes we have the car and the phone. Sometimes we're the hitchiker. Sometimes we feel the nudge, sometimes we are blessed because someone else responds to the nudge. That may be the best thing on my thanksgiving list tonight. I am thankful for all of you who respond to nudges

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