A Plate of Waffles

One of my favorite things about God is His redemptive nature. Over the years, He has given me very specific and unexpected gifts in answer to the many kinds of losses and disappointments I’ve experienced.

This week I experienced His redemption through a cancelled flight, a sold out hotel, an unexpected guest room—and a plate of waffles.

Last weekend I flew north to visit my family, right at the 40-day mark since my mother’s death. I arrived at my dad’s house knowing that these visits would never be the same again. There would be no flowers in the guest room to welcome me, and this time I wasn’t even able to sleep in the usual guest room. There would be none of my mother’s pancakes waiting for me in the morning, no sound of her voice chatting with my father. There would be none of her hugs, none of the countless thoughtful ways that she made everyone feel special and at home.

We had a great visit. I don’t need flowers and pancakes to enjoy my family. (I’m quite capable of making my own pancakes!) But I missed my mother.

Then came the travel drama, and I was stuck at the airport. It was late, and the stress of trying to arrange the long, unplanned trips to and from the airport was disheartening. Suddenly, in the time it took to make a quick phone call, I found myself the unexpected guest at the home of a couple who live near the airport—a couple who are good friends with my dad, who knew and loved my mom.

I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed that brief time at their house. I was welcomed with the hugs and special attention of a mother. I slept in a waiting guest room. And I was served a plate of waffles in the morning.

I couldn’t understand why this little detour in my trip had made me so happy. But now I do. It was part of God’s plan. The one who knows my heart so intimately placed me there to receive His kindness. Through this couple’s thoughtfulness and hospitality, He provided so many redemptive moments—the motherly hugs I missed, the breakfast I didn’t wake up to. The guest room I didn’t get to sleep in.

It’s not that I needed to be served or treated like royalty. It’s just that I missed all the little things my mother’s presence always brought to the home.

I’m so thankful for this couple and their willingness to share their home, their time, and their friendship with me at the last minute. I’m sure they’ll never know how that plate of waffles made my day.