Funny Things Happen on My Way EVERYWHERE...

Funny things seem to happen to me more often lately, making me wonder whether naming this blog “Out of My Mind” nearly thirteen years ago might have been more prophetic than clever. I’ll start with the cucumber.

While grocery shopping recently, I considered a long English cucumber. While one normally finds its way into my cart and into our salads, this day I looked at the price and left it in its bin. At least I thought I did. When I arrived home and unpacked my groceries, I found a long English cucumber. Was I losing my mind? I checked my receipt and found I’d paid for it. I wracked my brain while a vague memory from a half hour earlier surfaced.

I’d stood in line at the checkout behind my friend Kendall. I watched her hand her three-year-old son William a long English cucumber. I smiled at Will’s cuteness and didn’t notice where he placed the vegetable. Had I somehow come home with their cucumber?

I messaged Kendall and explained. “If you are missing yours, now you know why. And if you’re not missing yours, now you know I’m losing my marbles.”

She laughed. “I think it was my ridiculously overpriced cucumber you went home with. Oops!”

Since the cucumber was almost the last item on my long receipt, I’m still puzzled about where William laid it, but at least I wasn’t out of my mind. The worst part? Two weeks later, I found the cucumber in my crisper drawer, flexible enough to bend back and forth. I had to toss it. I deplore wasting food and wish I’d gifted it to Kendall that first day.

Then there was the book. When Randy from the radio invited me to come to the station to talk about the value of public libraries, he asked me to bring along a copy of my book, The Last Piece, for a photo op. Sure, I said. Better yet, let’s give one away!

Not until after this exchange did I remember. I didn’t have a single copy of The Last Piece in my house! Our church was holding a fundraiser for a mission trip that weekend. Wanting to supply a complete set of my books for the silent auction, I’d donated my “keeper copy.” After all, I expected a new shipment in a week. Why would I miss it?

Oops. I would need to borrow a copy from someone so Randy could take a photo.

Then it dawned on me. Who better to borrow a book from than the library? The irony felt too perfect. I tromped to the library, a little chagrined about the idea of borrowing my own book but laughing about what a great story it would make. Alas, my plan was foiled. The book was checked out. Did I want my name on the wait-list?

Um. No, thanks. I’ve read it.

Lucky for me, a copy remained in the library’s consignment sales box. They loaned me that. On my way home from the radio station, I realized Randy had forgotten to take a picture. When his article appeared on their website the following week, he’d used a photo from the book’s release more than a year earlier.

I had a third funny story to tell you, but it has escaped my mind. Maybe it’ll show up in someone else’s shopping cart.

I need God’s help to remember stuff, don’t you? I sure am thankful He never forgets about me.

“I, God, will never forget you. Look here. I have made you a part of Me, written you on the palms of My hands.” (Isaiah 49:15-16, The Voice) I’m no Hebrew scholar, but I believe that word translated as “never” means never.