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Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life
by Tom Kelley
Coincidence. That wonderful rare turn of events that both surprises and startles us. You've been caught up in them before. Events that happen in just the right way or circumstances that align too perfectly. You know; coincidence. Friday, February 15, I got to experience one of those incredible coincidences. It happened at Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky and it involved one of the young couples in our congregation at Minorsville. And it's a neat one.
Gina and Craig Hastings have a little girl named Ellie Morgan who was born on my wife's birthday, February 10 back in 2004, when we first came to minister with the church. She has become a very special little lady to Becky and me. Gina was expecting their second child, a son, who was to be born February 15 via c-section. Due to delays in the schedule that morning she was still sitting in the waiting room when I arrived at the hospital. Another obviously pregnant woman came in during that time also to wait for the schedule to clear.
After Gina was taken back and the other mother, also there for a c-section, went back, her family arrived with a little boy who was born there at Central Baptist on, ready for this?, February 10,2004. She was expecting a little girl this time. As Gina's family and I talked with the expectant mother's family we were all rather amazed at the simple coincidence of two families having babies the same day twice. That's coincidence.
My wife and I have a coincidence of our own. Becky is from the mountains of Virginia. We met in 1970 at Kentucky Christian College and married the next summer. Now for the coincidence. In 1964, I was a freshman in high school at Miami Trace near Washington Court House, Ohio. My science teacher was one Harold Gass, married to the former Peggy McKenzie, second cousin of the former Becky Fridley from the mountains of Virginia. Yep. My wife is related to my old high school science teacher. That's coincidence.
Do you know what's not coincidence? "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons." Galatians 4:4,5 Jesus' appearance on earth was not just happenstance. It was not coincidence. God carefully coordinated it with the alignment of several conditions which would allow Jesus to accomplish His goal; the redemption of the world through His death on the cross. That all the conditions were perfect for His coming was God's design, not mere coincidence.
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...He was the Minister of the Minorsville Christian Church located near Stamping Ground, KY.
...Becky and Tom have three children; John, single and in worship ministry in Nicholasville, Kentucky; Sean, married (Jennifer, elementary school teacher) with twins (Grace and Patrick, b.d. 10/31/04) and regional director of Papa John's Pizza in Central KY; Kara, married (Vince Taylor, prison guard) and working with Hospice East in Winchester, KY.
...Tom went to be with the Lord on November 13, 2009 after a lengthy battle with cancer. If you have been touched by Tom's writings please send an email to Tom's son at jkelley@catalystchristian.net
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