Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Headphones Don't Show Up, But God Does

Like I said in my last post about the headphones shytuation, I promise this is true. Actually, I couldn't make this stuff up if I wanted to.

If you have yet to read the original blogpost about my headphones at work you should probably do that now or this post might not mean much to you. Now that I think about it, it may not mean much to you either way but you're reading this far so obviously something's got your attention and it's not my profile picture (WOMP)!

I walked into work this morning (early, I might add) and I go to put my bag down and I notice this on my desk...


I figured this was probably a "gift" from whomever took/borrowed the headphones and a note apologizing. In my mind I thought "about time". But little did I know that not only was I wrong but that it would be something that would resonate with me much more deeply than a simple apology. The pink sheet of paper read:
Michael,

I saw your note about your MIA heaphones (how'd this person know it'd soften me up to mention Miami) and hope these will be an ok replacement. No, I am not the one who took yours I'm just trying to do a good deed (suuuuuuure). You see I'm recovering from very bad breast cancer God blessed me by giving me my life back (now I gotta take this seriously, she just hit a soft spot - my father passed from cancer in 2003). So I promised to do some good things when I can in return. This was one thing I could handle (replacing your headphones). I knew for some reason the office cleaner is always the first person most likely to have taken something or when something gets broken. But trust me when I say that this 50 year old lady is not one to do anything bad against God. So please enjoy this gift and know it's a good deed done, for a really good reason.

Be Blessed,
Mrs. Green
After reading this how else could I have interpreted the message and deed other than God stepping in? Maybe that's far-fetched or maybe I'm one of those people that just need a reason to find God in a situation. To the former, I say maybe it is far-fetched to some to think that God is stepping in. To the latter I say, what better person to find in ANY situation than God? Most of you that know me either in the real world or just via this blog know that I am not a one to be talking about religion or spirituality all the time or getting evangelical. I don't get very spiritual in my blogposts for the most part and most of you probably say "this fool is going to Hell with a one-way ticket". But considering some of the things that have happened in my life lately that have really been tough and helped me grow as a person, I had nowhere else to go but to God for strength and peace-of-mind. I never preach and I barely go to church but I know when He is at work in my life. And it's notes like the one that Mrs. Green (here-to referred to as Sister Green) left that let me know that God and all the angels I knew on earth that are now in Heaven with Him, are looking down on me.

I'm going to leave Sister Green a thank you note and post her letter beside mine. I want others in my office to see this since it's become a bit of a sensation around the office. That is, "Michael and the note on his cubicle".

One last thing. I had a co-worker come to me and mention that the night staff sometimes will bring their children into the office with them (which is against company policy) because they don't have anyone to watch the kids in the evenings. So one of my other (and obviously more uptight) co-workers set-up a webcam in his office because stuff started "moving around" and has video of a child sitting at his desk (but not stealing, HA!). Based on that knowledge I assumed that someone's child was sitting at my desk at night and took my headphones once. The parent probably noticed the "new" headphones the child had "procured" and ask where they were from and returned them to my desk a couple days later. The second time the headphones pulled a David Copperfield the kid may have gotten sneaky and hid them from the parent.

With those thoughts in my mind I'd brushed the headphones off as a lost cause and an experience from which I learned to not leave stuff laying around. And then this morning the headphones and letter show up. The irony in this is that Sister Green mentioned that she knew the night staff would be the first people that popped into mind which is unfortunately true. What's also unfortunate is that some people who work on the night staff have to bring their kids into their job (and risk losing their job) because they don't have anyone at home to watch the children. That's sad.

I'm now glad that I didn't blow the whistle and tell the building manager because it may have gotten someone that really needs their job, fired. I'm even more glad that I went through the entire situation with the headphones (and I'm keeping the joints she gave me too) because it served as another example of how God finds ways to let me know He's present in my life. And that makes me feel like I'm here for a reason and I'm headed in the direction He has set for me. And that my friends, is what's really good!

6 comments:

M.C. said...

Awww! Yes, the Lord does work in mysterious ways and he often uses the unlikeliest people to get his point across to us. Good deeds are often ways for us to show God that while we often go about our day as if we are in control of it, He is a part of who we are. God bless her and enjoy your headphones.

Tamecia said...

I'd agree with you that it was G-d. The fact that you don't have to preach or overspiritualize yet recognize tells others that there is integrity in your understanding of G-d. I think G-d had been in you the whole time b/c you exhibited patience and considered forgiveness when you coulda kicked #$%, and you were justly rewarded and people kept their jobs. (I'm also cheering the kid on cam who just sat in desks.)

I know how important headphones can be because I have about 4 prs...one for each bag/purse. Saying a little prayer for Sister Green that her days are added to.

Anonymous said...

@Mecia: Why the G-d?

T.a.c.D said...

wow! awesome Mike! GOD DOES show himself and you don't have to "preach" it most times we do better by just living and showingit!

A. B. said...

Real deep post Mike. Very touching. I was listening to the chronic while I read it. (Ha!)

Anonymous said...

LOL @ you and The Chronic.