My husband and I have a very dear friend, Margaret Larson, whose gift to her church is to make up their entire church newsletter every month (most times many pages) and pays to have it copied and to send it out. They are such interesting newsletters, and I’d like to tell you a little of what I just read in her recent newsletter, as it is something we all should think about. She tells of the terrorist attack of Sept. 11, 2001, and how many people were supposed to be in those towers but something came up and they weren’t. I quote her:

“As you might remember, that day of 9/11, the head of a company survived 9/11 because his son started kindergarten. Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring doughnuts. One woman was late because her alarm clock didn’t go off on time. One was late because of being stuck on the New Jersey turnpike because of an auto accident. One of them missed his bus. One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change. One’s car wouldn’t start. One couldn’t get a taxi. But the one that struck me was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning, but before he got to work, he developed a blister on his foot; so he stopped at a drug store to buy a Band-Aid — that is why he is alive today.

So stop and think, when you are stuck in traffic, miss an elevator, turn back to answer a ringing telephone, all the little things that annoy us, remember, this is exactly where God wants you to be at that very moment. Next time your morning seems to be going wrong, you can’t seem to find the car keys, you hit every traffic light, don’t get mad or frustrated. It may be that God is at work watching over you. May God continue to bless you with all these annoying little things, and may you remember their possible purpose. Amen.”

There was also a little tidbit I hadn’t heard before: This year we will experience four unusual dates: 1/1/11, 1/11/11, 11/1/11 and 11/11/11.

Now figure this out: Take the last two digits of the year you were born, plus the age you will be this year and it will equal 111.

Have a great day.

Carolyn Westrum

Albert Lea