Love Tap

My first reaction was, "seriously, this can not be happening to me again." But as I sat with spilled coffee on the floor of my car and air bags I didn't even know I had, deployed, I came to the realization that "yup it's happening again". I got hit. As I sit, smelling the mix of coffee and airbags and car rubble, I just shake my head and say "Alright God, it's happening to me again. Have Your way in this situation." And He did. The young driver was apologetic and made sure I was ok. A kind lady, who was an off duty EMT stayed with me and made sure I was fine. An older gentleman made sure to give me his name and number to give to the police officer as a witness to what happened.  My principal at work stopped to see that I was ok and our amazing guidance counselor stayed with me until Matt came. Countless coworkers, who were driving to work, paused when they saw Karen and I to see if I was ok and if we needed anything. The officer on duty said that I must be pretty popular. I thought to myself, "No, but I am incredibly blessed". Another blessing was that Matt was off from work, so he was able to pick me up, retrieve the belongings from my torn-up, towed car, and drive us home.  Later on that afternoon, I received a call saying that other party was accepting liability for the
accident. Huge weight lifted. I knew it wasn't my fault, but I was grateful the other party was truthful and I wasn't going to have to engage in a long process of proving my innocence.

Kind strangers, caring coworkers, loving husband, favorable outcome. Oh I forgot to mention that I walked away with only a bruised leg and sore chest and neck. Later on that evening it became clear to me what had happened. God gave me a love tap.

Not always in the form of an accident, thank God, but I do find that this happens to me wh
en I get a little complacent in my relationship with Him. When things are going well and the urgency to connect and pray isn't as strong. When life is just rolling along ok and I don't pause as often to be grateful for what I have. Love tap. You wanna know what my last "love tap" was? Wocka 3 :-)  (Read my first blog if you have no idea what I'm talking about)

A "love tap" is that thing that happens kind of out of the blue when things in life are going along just fine and then BAM, it hits.  A loss, an accident, a sickness. I don't know what "love taps" have happened in your life, but I do know that when it happens, it doesn't feel like love. My first reaction is usually "why is this happening to me?"

In my life, it happens to me when God is telling me I'm getting a little too far away and He wants that closeness back. And I can't argue with Him. In fact, before the "love tap", there's usually something inside of me saying "you know you're getting a little too far away." But do I put in the effort I should to prevent that? Not always. But here's the cool thing,. Even though the "love tap" situation is usually crummy, God always shows His love and care for me and shows up when I need Him to. When I give the situation to Him, He always comes through in amazing ways. Those blessings in the midst of the "love tap" make me wonder why I ever let myself get too far away.

If and when you find yourself in what you think might be a "love tap" situation, here are a few verses that may be helpful to read and meditate on:
Love tap verse 1    Love tap verse 2 
(This last verse is a full chapter but it was too good to cut it off. Love Tap verse 3

May we chose to view those unexpected, unwanted, crummy circumstances that happen in our lives as love taps from a God who loves us, desires a close relationship with us, and longs to bless us beyond our dreams.

Thank you for reading!