Sunday, July 21, 2002
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Sunday, July 21, 2002 |
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The miracle of caller ID By MARY JANE HOLT
This story was recently e-mailed to me about a pastor who was working late on a Saturday night and decided to call his wife from the church. It was about 10 p.m., but his wife didn't answer the phone. The pastor let it ring many times. He thought it was odd that she didn't answer, but decided try again in a few minutes. When he tried again she answered right away. He asked her why she hadn't answered before, and she said that it hadn't rung. They brushed it off as a fluke and went on their way. The following Monday, the pastor received a call at the church office, which was the phone that he'd used two nights earlier. The man that he spoke with wanted to know why he'd called on Saturday night. The pastor couldn't figure out what the man was talking about. Then the man said, "It rang and rang, but I didn't answer." The pastor remembered the mishap and apologized for disturbing him, explaining that he'd intended to call his wife. The man said, "That's OK. You see, I was planning to commit suicide on Saturday night, but before I did, I prayed, 'God if you're there, and you don't want me to do this, give me a sign now.' At that point my phone started to ring. I looked at the caller ID, and it said, 'Almighty God.' I was afraid to answer!" The reason why it showed on the man's caller ID that the call came from Caller ID is because the church that the pastor attends is called Almighty God Tabernacle! I am such a doubting Thomasina that I would never believe the above story if it were not for so many things that happen to me directly. But I do believe the Caller ID story, and now I will share with you one of my more recent tales. I have been having health problems again and was in pain following a physical therapy/massage visit. I was questioning myself, wondering if I was doing the right thing when the phone rang. It was a gentleman from Pine Mountain calling to tell me he read my column regularly and that he agreed with what I had said some months earlier about how doctors do not do enough to relieve pain, but, he said, patients don't do enough either. "Human touch and stretching is the answer to pain relief," he told me. He went on to explain that it takes a physical therapist, massage therapist, chiropractor, or just somebody who has the gift to do the human touch. But the stretching? That's what the individual must do for himself. We talked at length. He's pushing 90 and still healthy and active. I wasn't about to argue. When we hung up I went through a repeat of my stretch routine that I had been dreading. And I suddenly began to look forward to my next visit to the Georgia Rehabilitation Center in Newnan. I whispered a prayer of thanks for Lili, the physical therapist, and Trudi, the massage therapist. But it gets better. Later that night, I was sound asleep when my clock radio came on. I sleepily glanced over at the window and through squinting eyes, surmised that it couldn't possibly be 7 a.m. I lay there listening to somebody repeat a phone number three times, then Dr. somebody started talking about some kind of vitamin while I wondered where the usualmusic was. That's when I looked at the clock which told me it was only 1:30 a.m. I reached to turn it off as they repeated the number one more time. I decided to turn on my light and write down that number. The following morning I checked my clock. It was still set for 7 a.m. I looked at the number I had scribbled during the wee hours when my radio had come on of its own accord and decided to dial it. "Purity Products," said the voice I heard on the other end. They sell vitamins and were promoting a special a new bone and joint formula. I hung up. Later in the day, I checked out the company Web site and read about its founders, the mission statement, the products. Still I did not act. A week later I finally ordered the vitamins. I will let you know in a few months if I think they are something special. Shortly after placing my order I went online and found the e-mail containing the story I shared with you at the top of this column. You may not be suicidal like the man in the Caller ID story. Your back may not hurt like mine does. Your life may have its own unique challenges. But please know that miracles happen (if I can believe, anybody can). Look for yours today.
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