A Cigar is Just a Cigar

The day had begun as usual with the drive in to Windsor to drop Robin, Mary’s husband, off at work. This morning Mary planned to have coffee with Diane afterwards. Mary needed an ear to bounce her thoughts off of because she was having trouble deciding to go back to the old food bank. Mary was concerned about whether or not it was a good idea to invest time there. She didn’t really want to go backwards and felt that is what she would be doing if she volunteered there again. But God had put it on her heart through encouragements of others to go there.
Diane was more than helpful. As a result, Mary decided to go back to the food bank. Her visit with Diane brought the great revelation that she needed to just take a step of faith and go for a visit and see what transpired. It was not to be with the intention of volunteering again but allowing God to work out what He was trying to show her. It was like going to the dentist, Mary realized. She needed to go even if that tooth was alright. Mary would never have found out if there was anything wrong with that tooth if she hadn’t of gone back. It turned out an un-painful event. All her fears had been for naught!
Despite all Mary’s fears of embarrassment, rejection, and shame at returning to the food bank she knew she had to go out of obedience to what God was putting on her heart. She could not let her fears motivate her. Mary would have to go for a visit. She and Diane had discussed over coffee the possibilities of what her involvement back there would mean. In the end, they both agreed that Mary would never know what God had in mind unless she went.
Mary was blessed that day because Diane offered to go in with her as moral support after their coffee. The thought of that was such a relief to Mary. She would not have to face her demons alone. The visit turned out to be an awesome show of love. All the women Mary had grown to care for greeted her with open arms and kind words. All of them wanted to go for coffee or have lunch at sometime in the future.
Mary left with no decision to go back. In fact, she felt the visit was just that, a visit, nothing more and God had just asked her to go and be obedient. Diane had been instrumental in this obedience and Mary thanked her profusely. It was a good morning and Mary realized sometimes she allowed her imaginations of what God expected of her to get in the way of her being obedient. Mary almost allowed her fears of what might come to prevent her from going to the food bank. Mary was so grateful. She had gleaned and stored a whole mountain of love in her soul from that visit as well as promises of future lunch dates.
Sitting, reflecting on it later, Mary realized if God was ever to use her she had to be obedient and not try to figure out what God was doing. Casting down all imaginations was so important; it seemed to Mary because sometimes, yes, sometimes like today a cigar was just a cigar!