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10 Minutes Peace

    by Susan McGrath

Coincidence or Providence?
Date Posted: November 22, 2003

Remember in the movie "Signs" when Mel Gibson's character asks, "What if there are no coincidences?"

(If you don't remember or haven't seen the movie, it doesn't matter. That was just my clever opening to this week's topic!)

There's also a saying that coincidences are just miracles we don't give God credit for.

Perhaps both are true. I'm sure you've all had many experiences which, upon later reflection, seem a little too convenient. Things just worked out too perfectly not to have been guided by someone.

I want to share an incident that happened in our community a few weeks ago.

It was Fire Safety Week and the elementary school where I work and where my son attends was having its first fire drill of the school year. But this year, instead of going to the fence at the edge of the property, each class crossed the street at the nearest corner and waited on the sidewalk, a safety measure to get everyone farther from the building.

I only work at school in the mornings, so after lunch I made a few necessary stops around town -- Wal-Mart for diapers, the post office, etc. -- then went to school to pick up my son.

I arrived a little early so I parked across the street to wait for dismissal time. Just as I picked up something to read, I noticed kids beginning to stream out of the building from every door. I couldn't believe they were having a second fire drill. It seemed like overkill. (I was just glad I wasn't in charge of prodding the kindergartners out the door this time.)

Then, just as the last class came out the back door I heard a huge BOOM! I knew immediately what it was. It had the distinct sound of a gas explosion and they had been working on the furnace all week, and were still working when I left just two hours before.

I just thanked God that someone had been alerted in time to get everyone out!

As they lined up on the sidewalk next to my car I was asked to help sort the kids into bus lines and get them to parents, since no one could go back into the building. While shuttling kids across the street and anxiously watching the firefighters and emergency workers checking the building, I was told that a technician working on the furnace was the only one injured, and he only slightly.

And that the principal hadn't been aware of the problem with the furnace boiler. He had scheduled a second fire drill for that exact time.

Coincidence or providence?

Is there a difference? I'll let you ponder all the "what if's" of this potential tragedy. God has a purpose and plan for us. We will never know all the times we may have come this close to disaster. God is good.

This week during your 10 minutes, search out some verses on how God guards and cares for us -- even when we are blissfully unaware.

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Biography Information:
Susan McGrath is:

a recovering journalist trying to encourage others and glorify God through writing;

living the small-town life with husband Tim and sons Lincoln, 12, and Sawyer, 6;

completing a few put-off writing projects while using chocolate for therapy.
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