The Holy Spirit Is Everywhere

The other day I was on the road to do a few errands… nothing fancy or complicated. I was headed to Cosco. It was about 1:30pm, a time I’ve often found the store is pretty empty. I planned to pop “in and out”. 

As I pulled in to get gas, I thought “hmmmm, pretty crowded…oh well”. I’m peacefully waiting when a horn starts blaring…yikes. All of a sudden you hear a “Bonk” and this guy is out of his car raging at the guy behind him. I thinking, ” boy I hope this doesn’t get blown out of proportion ….. faces are red, veins are popping… it wouldn’t take much for a punch to be thrown or worse. I start praying that the Lord would calm things down while also wondering if I should try and be a peacemaker, although it’s usually the peacemaker who ends up in the ER. Thankfully the prayers worked and they’re back in the car, creeping up to the gas pump. So much for my leisurely trip to Cosco. Well, I get my gas, smile, thank my attendant and say God bless you. 

Okay, now off for my shopping. As I zip in with my basket I realize that the place is jammed. Woe, what’s going on? Then I realize it’s Columbus Day and apparently everyone decided to go to Cosco. I’m still keeping my peace. I even start to whistle. People start to glace at me…”who’s the goof ball whistling…”. Smiling and whistling, I travel for the spinach and melons and apples…. excuse me, where is the maple syrup… isle 305…thank you. Wow, I’m feeling pretty good. In the power of the Holy Spirit, I can do all things. A quick stop for salted butter and a visit to my friends at the Hearing Aid Center… they duck and turn out the lights as they see me coming…hmmmmmm, I thought they liked me. Okay, ready to check out…..yikes, the line is really long, a new Cosco record…. never mind, I’m smiling and whistling.  

I take the regular checkout line and finally get up to a new opening cashier… whistle, whistle….. woe, the cashier laments, “hey bub, your apple bag is broken”… oh no, really… what to do, what to do…. hey, run back and get a new bag and I’ll hold the line open for you….. race, race, race….. new bag…..race, race, race.” Thanks so much, whistle, whistle, smile, smile.” We depart as “best buds”.

Is there any point to this BLOG? Well, I think there very well might be. This was a simple trip to take care a few chores…get gas, pick up some food items, yet it could have been a mini-disaster; I could have come home deflated and crabby as things didn’t go as planned. Yet I came home still whistling and with a smile. I was tired after my half marathon thru Cosco, but I was happy. The Holy Spirit had helped me to be happy and kind and cheerful to those I met. I met some very nice people.. the gas attendant, the people who helped me find some items, the cashier, the checker as I left the store. I was able to pray for some of the people including the two guys in the gas line ready to face off with guns drawn. 

So, it’s amazing how our routine days can either be happy and hopeful or sad and depressing…. same day, same duties, but different results. When I’m open to the Holy Spirit and ask for his help, things go well. As Mother Teresa used to say, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love”. So the Holy Spirit is everywhere, even COSCO, pouring out his loved. And that is very good news.