Coincidence or Intervention?

Am I the only one who struggles with interpreting signs and distinguishing intervention vs. coincidence? Do you ever wonder what it would be like to see one of the angels we read about in the Bible? What if you had someone speak a specific message from God? There would be no need to over-think the message if you knew it came straight from the source! I’m an over-thinker, and anytime I pray for a sign or think something may be a sign, I struggle with the notion of was it a sign or am I trying to make it a sign? Even if we do no have heavenly angels on Earth, I truly believe we have angels among us and divine intervention.

Yesterday would have been my Dad’s seventy-third birthday. My father lived with COPD due to years of smoking and still smoked until the end. He faithfully made his various doctor’s appointments but never could let go of the cigarettes. I always thought that his smoking would lead to lung cancer; however, it led to a massive stroke on his seventieth birthday.

One of my favorite authors Karen Kingsbury has a book series called Angels Walking about miracles and divine intervention. Sometimes things happen that you can’t explain and maybe don’t even understand the event’s magnitude unless you experience it firsthand. Looking back, I had several instances before my Dad’s death that are unexplainable from a logical perspective.

Coincidence or Intervention #1

A few days before my Dad’s stroke, Chris and I were out of town on a short vacation. I read more than usual, and one particular book pulled at my heart. The book, The Beach House, made me cry and cry, and I saw a shift in my prayers after reading that book. I felt like something was going to happen, but I couldn’t explain what, how, or when. Two days later, my Dad had a massive stroke on his seventieth birthday. The next few days were a whirlwind in the hospital.

My Dad was airlifted to a regional hospital an hour away. There was a discussion about sending my Dad to Memphis (another hour away) to the VA hospital due to insurance. Fortunately for us, there were no available beds, and he was allowed to stay in Jackson.  My brother and sister both arrived from the west coast within 24-hours.

Coincidence or Intervention #2

My Dad tried to talk in the emergency room but could not speak clearly. We had to ask questions and let him nod or shake his head.  We were transferred to a room to wait and see if his condition improved. Unfortunately, my Dad’s condition did not improve, and we relocated to a hospice room. My Mom decided that we should all have a few minutes alone with Dad to say our goodbyes. Dad was not able to speak, but we each took our private time with him.

I always thought my middle sister, Becky, was the favorite. With Becky gone, I was the only child who lived close to my parents, so I probably saw and talked to them more than anyone else. When I had my private time with my Dad, I couldn’t quit crying. During this short conversation, he spoke three phrases to me: “It’s ok,” “I love you,” and “I love you so much.” I compared notes with everyone else’s conversation and learned that I was the only one who heard Dad speak. Maybe it was divine intervention because I needed it the most?

Coincident or Intervention #3

My Mom, sister, brother, and I spent the day telling stories and talking in the small hospital room. A few times, we got too loud, and Dad would shake his hands to silence us. He started giving us a “hang loose” gesture with his hand. We laughed about it but didn’t think much about it at the time. Weeks later, my Mom somehow discovered that the “hang loose” gesture could mean “goodbye” or even “I love you.”

I had never seen my Dad use this gesture, nor did the hospital staff provide any gestures or sign language guidance for communication. We choose to believe it was his way of telling us he loved us. Call it what you want, but I think this was another example of divine intervention.

Coincidence or Intervention #4

My last example was when I went home to shower, get clothes, and see my kids. I don’t do well with idle time. I decided to go to my parents’ house to clean things up a bit before the additional family arrived. In the process of tucking things away, I stopped at my Dad’s desk and noticed a VA instruction sheet for how to access Veterans Affairs benefits in the event of a death. There is no reason this sheet should have been so easily accessible.

My Mom had no clue why the paper was there. Either my Dad was coherent enough after his stroke that he could get the paper out, or this is yet another example of divine intervention. I wish I could have asked my Dad about the form. With each passing year, there is so much that I wish I could ask him about or that I wish I could record or write down.

Hindsight can be 20-20; however, sometimes, we never know how or why things happen the way they do. I believe some of those unexplainable situations are our current day version of miracles or divine intervention. I think those miracles or divine intervention are what helps us get through the tough times. My Dad was a simple and quiet man, which is all the more reason that I will forever cherish those last three phrases he said to me in December 2017.