God works in mischievious and humorous ways

By Barbara Phinney

At church this past Sunday, I realized once again how God works in mysterious and yes, humorous ways.
But, first, it starts Saturday night. My daughter and her husband came over for supper. Her husband, Andrew, was a little under the weather, so he laid around on the chaise in our living room for quite a while. When it was time to leave, he accidentally left his cell phone on it, but I didn't learn that fact until the next morning. I received a text from my daughter asking that we bring the cell phone to church.
I scooped it up, and was overwhelmed with a wash of mischief. You see, my son-in-law, you remember Andrew, had grabbed my phone earlier in the evening and text my son who is in basic training with those old unforgettable words, "poop poop poop". Yes, although these men are in their 20s, they are really just 11-year-old boys at heart.
Well, I sat down at the breakfast table clutching my son-in-law's cell phone, wanting so badly to text "poop poop poop" to everyone he knows, until I realized that those words wouldn't embarrass Andrew in any way. That wouldn't work!
Another plan is needed. I have an hour before we need to leave for church, my son-in-law's cell phone in my hand, I had to do something.
Well, half an hour later, I only just figured out how actually to unlock the cell phone and begin to text, so I did what any brilliant mother-in-law would do. I text everyone that I knew that famous line, "my mother-in-law is awesome!"
Suddenly the phone actually began to ring. It was his mother! I had already text her, you see. Well the only thing I could do was ignore it. Actually, I did have to leave for church now, anyway. Fun and frolics were over.
At the last minute, still thinking along the lines of technology, I decided, actually felt an urge to bring my Kindle to church. I don't do it every Sunday, but this Sunday I just felt the need to.
As soon as we walked into the sanctuary, my son-in-law's father approached me. "I tried to get a hold of Andrew, but he wasn't answering his phone this morning." (I wonder why?) "I was going to ask him this. I have to ask you instead. Will you help me with communion today? And I'll need you to pray or say something appropriate beforehand."
Oops.
Oh wait! What's that Bible verse appropriate to the Last Supper…? The one that says occasionally someone may die for a good man…
Thankfully, my Kindle, the one I rarely bring to church, has a search engine, and I found that excellent paragraph in Romans 5.  
Jesus died for our sins, even while we were still sinning…
Isn't it mysterious, and yet very humorous, how God allowed me to have a little fun, whispered quietly for me to take my Kindle, and then, yes, got in the last chuckle?