I was volunteering at my son's middle school as a validator for the final presentations the 8th graders do as a culminating, reflective exercise. One at a time, adolescents of radically varying personalities, skills, interests, and appearances come into a room to talk about their middle school experience with a couple of strangers. It's actually a fascinating exercise for everyone involved.
I love meeting the parents who help organize and volunteer for these kinds of events and today was no exception. (Last week I stopped by the main office to tell the secretaries what a great and important job they have. I just get SO excited!) Today my partner in the evaluations and I had some time to exchange stories as the first participant was absent. By the time our second 8th grader left, we had learned quite a bit about each other (actually she had learned a lot about me. I'm quite a talker. Is this news to ANYONE?).
When the third presenter came in I was reminded so much of myself at 13 that I loved her immediately. She was a taller, thinner, quieter version of me: long dark hair, braces, glasses and a clarinet case in her hand. Total flashback! She was a delight to listen to as she proudly displayed projects she'd creatively finished over the past three years. One of them made our jaws drop. It was a science project on the exact kind of leukemia that my son had had several years ago and I had just finished telling Michelle the story! As it turns out, this clarinet-playing girl has a brother with the exact same cancer Charlie had and was diagnosed at the same age.
Then she played a lovely tune on her clarinet (another moment I was transported back in time) and ended by saying she was going to have to take private lessons next year because there wasn't room in her schedule for band. Why? Because she's taking FRENCH! What?! Who was a French teacher? Who sent her kid to a French immersion school? Who is surrounded by Eiffel Towers and francophile paraphernalia as she writes this blog? ME! I'm telling you - I met mini me today!
When Madeleine went back to her class, Michelle and I looked at each other incredulously. What are the chances that out of 300+ 8th graders, this one would come into our room moments after I had told the story of Charlie's cancer? No chance. Only divine appointment.
As it turns out, Michelle is in a small group Bible study, too, and she recognized the moment as well. I love getting to recognize God inserting Himself in life situations like this, but being with a new friend who recognizes it too was the frosting on the cake.
I love when God shows up like that and I wish I expected it more often. I'm sure my son hopes it doesn't include much more volunteering at his school, however. If God keeps this up, I could make quite a spectacle of myself, and that might not be good for his social life.
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