A tap on the shoulder.

I have told a number of people over the past few decades that God plants a seed in their hearts and then gives it time to grow. There comes a time when God taps that person on the shoulder and says, "I'd like you to decide what to do with that seed."

I believe this to be true, otherwise I wouldn't have told those people to expect it. However, I didn't understand how it works, until now.

When I was 40-something, I thought I'd be single till my last breath. When the only girl you ever wanted to marry is not available, and you're in your forties, you could be excused for thinking that. So now I'm married to the girl I thought was no longer available. That in itself is a blessing, but it was just a step along the path that God was laying out for me.

I'd always thought that I would stay in Hong Kong, since this is my home and I was born here. When Irene first suggested that we move to England, I was against the idea. That was a few years ago. Since then, things have happened that have cut away the strings keeping me here. Some people might call it coincidence, but I prefer to believe that God is getting me ready for the big move.

For example, I have tried so many times to quit smoking. A couple of months ago, I read about the late Allen Carr and his "Easyway" book "Allen Carr's Easy Way To Stop Smoking". A Google search showed me that seminars were held in Hong Kong once in a while, so I signed up for it. I wasn't going to tell anyone that I'd signed up, in case I failed miserably, just as I had so many times before. Wouldn't you know it? The night before I was to attend the seminar, my niece mentions out of the blue that her husband had quit smoking after reading "Easyway". Why should I have chosen this time to attend the seminar? And why would my niece blurt out of the blue that her husband had quit using that method? I see that as God preparing me for the next step along the path.

My sister is one of those people who look for God's hand in everything that happens in their lives. Therefore, I get genuinely surprised when she tells us that she's worried about something. I also find it amusing when she is surprised when things fall into place just when she needed something to happen. In my mind, it's all part of God preparing me, so that I can see His hand in the things happening in my own life. One of the great things about God is that He doesn't wait for someone to be ready. He just starts laying out His plans and then taps the person on the shoulder and says, "I'd like you to decide what to do." And when I start to worry about something that may or may not happen much further down the road, I can just picture Him saying, "Really? You're worried?"

So, a week from today, a month from today, a year from today ... I really shouldn't be surprised when things happen, but I probably will be.

Thanks for reading.