Saturday, May. 07, 2022 - 7:27 a.m.

The Monday before my mom's surgery, I asked if there was anything she needed for her room to make it complete.  She said she wanted a mirror.

When I moved into my house, I was able to find a really nice standing mirror from a thrift store. The thrift store is owned by a lovely lady who used to be a police officer.  She likes stuff so she opened a thrift store smack in the middle of the hood.  Like, literally the hood.  Whenever I pass, I stop in.  I've got a couple pieces from her.  So I told my mom next time I went by her store, I'd stop to see if she had a mirror that would fit her room.

Again, that was Monday night.  Tuesday morning, my mom was scheduled for several pre-surgery scans and lab tests.  On the way to the hospital, I realized we were going to be passing by the lady's store.  So I told my mom that on the way back, if we had time we could stop by the lady's store and see if she had a mirror.

Well, the tests all took a longer time than expected so I started to tell her we wouldn't be able to stop by the lady's store.  I'd gotten her interested, so she wasn't happy to hear we couldn't stop at the store since we'd be passing right by it.  But I had a meeting to get back home for, so I just wouldn't have the time.

So as we were heading home, we talked about approaching the store.  There is a car wash on the west side of the street that's owned by a former classmate of hers.  So she always looks that way first.  She was looking left when I was focused right to see if the lady's store was even open.  As I was looking right, I couldn't believe my eyes.  Just as noticed the lady's store was likely closed because the door was closed and locked, I saw a freaking mirror perched alongside the store.

Now, the lady usually lays items out in front of her store to attract customers.  But that's only when she's there and wide open.  Since the store was closed, it made no sense for anything to be out front.  Least of all, a mirror!  A mirror??!  Really??!!

We were stunned.  Like, whaaaat is happening???!!! I kept driving because the store was closed. But the more I drove, the more I realized we had to have that mirror. It was full of the message we needed to receive, that God hears EVERY prayer. Every desire our hearts can generate, God hears. So after driving for a couple blocks, even though I needed to get back home for an upcoming meeting, I made a turn to go up the backstreets and get back to the store. My plan was to take the mirror then call the lady and tell her I'd bring the money by another day.

Well, upon coming up on her store from the back way, we saw that the lady was there, just working behind the store in her storage area. So I yelled out the window that I needed that mirror. We met at the front near the mirror. I proceeded to quickly tell her the story. Being a woman of faith, she was so excited, as were we. So she started helping me carry the mirror to load in my car.

We were just hoisting it up to place it in the back when she asked which wall I'd be to putting it on. I told her where I envisioned it going with a, "I'm going to paint it white since that wall is white." The lady froze. She then asked me, "you're going to paint THIS mirror white?" "Yes." Again she asked, "you're going to paint THIS mirror white??" "Yeah, the wall is white." She said, "I got a white one back there and it's prettier."

At that point, it was like, "Ok God. I hear you. Okay!" Wow. My mind was blown. In light of what we were preparing for - where we had just come from *and* the blessing of free parking we experienced there... Like, ok God. You hear every prayer. I understand now. If I didn't before, I. get. it. now!

We ended up with the white mirror. After some animal got in my ceiling yesterday, I'm going to finally call the handyman to put it up (and patch up any exterior openings that have allowed critters to gain entrance).

What a beautiful experience. It was so comforting. Felt like God's arms wrapped themselves around both of us and just held us in his embrace. It was so beautiful. Thinking about it now just makes my heart feel so warm. I'm so grateful.

My mom's surgery was a success. The doctor told me she did, "fantastic!" It's been three weeks and she is all healed up. She didn't have any pain at all, just some soreness now. No spread was identified. We are blessed that it was God's desire that her cancer be found so early, making a way for a great outcome. The battle is not over but I thank God for where we are in her recovery journey today.

God is good.

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