Divine Appointment in Capitol Heights

/

I have to tell you this story. This afternoon I had to get fingerprinted. My sister and brother-in-law are preparing to adopt and I needed to be fingerprinted in the process. Well, if you have never been fingerprinted, it's a pain on several levels. Here is the series of events today. Hope you laugh with me:

  • Planned to go to the Glenarden Police Station to get it done. (closest in mileage to Bowie)
  • I went.
  • The woman who does it was not in today.
  • Called Capitol Heights Police and asked if they could do it.
  • They said yes.
  • Headed there.
  • Found out they only take money orders! Who does not take cash?
  • Stopped at a store. Western Union Broken.
  • Got lost.
  • Forgot to stop for money order...realized it once I arrived at station.
  • Left to go get money order.
  • Saw a western union sign in a liquor store window.
  • Stopped and went in.
  • 2 noticeably drunk or high people were in line before me.
  • The entire "convenience store part" and the liquor are behind a floor to ceiling wall of bullet proof glass.
  • Comforted, I get to cashier.
  • They do not accept credit or debit.
  • I use their ATM, get out $20, pay a $2.00 fee and buy a $15.00 money order.
  • The ATM puts out blue monopoly-looking money.
  • The cashier exchanges for cash.
  • Return to police station.
  • Go in and wait 10 minutes before I get noticed.
  • Lady asks me if I am getting 1 or 2 cards done.
  • I said 2.
  • She said, "then you need 2 $15.o0 money orders."
  • I scream inside.
  • I go back to my car, return to the liquor store.
  • This time there is a fight going on between 2 customers.
  • I use the ATM again, pay a surcharge again, get blue money again and buy a second money order.
  • Head back to the station.
  • Get fingerprinted.

Now for the best part...

  • The lady doing it is in her 60's.
  • They have to hold your hand to do it.
  • She notices my wedding ring and likes it.
  • She tells me that she has been married 47 years. And then says, "Isn't that terrible?"
  • I say..."Terrible, no it's beautiful."
  • She proceeds to tell me how miserable life is and how she should have got out of it, but instead stayed with the same person all these years and now she is stuck.
  • That led to my telling her how incredible it is that she kept her commitment and how Christ has kept his commitments to us, etc.
  • One thing led to another and we had a powerful conversation about the Lord and her purpose on earth!
  • I prayed with her and she said that she wanted to "turn back to God" after many, many years away from him.

Now, I know why I went through the fingerprinting fiasco. What the Lord will do for one of his kids to come home. I love divine appointments. Never thought when I woke up this morning that I would have one at the Capitol Heights Police Station.

--Noah