WILLIAM -- A BLESSING

I posted about this a few months ago.  We have remained friends, emailing, but somehow, after leaving the NW, I lost his phone number, and, except for a short call in the NW to tell me he had to head out and couldn't meet me there, we have never talked on the phone.  Well, today I found his phone number through Zabasearch, and hoped it was a present-day one.  It was.  We talked for about a half-hour.

He's going through some really tough things.  The dog described in the story, died.  His brother died a few weeks ago.  His dad is in serious condition.  William's legs are more and more painful and weak.  He's doing what he can, when he can.  But, physically, struggling. 

However, he is serving the Lord any way he possibly can, whenever he feels called.  That is his goal of life.

We both rejoice that the Lord so miraculously put us together when I/we were driving to the NW in October.  Haven't seen each other since, but we truly are friends.

Couldn't NOT share about him again.  [Oh, and he's reading my book, "The Annie Project" and really likes it.  How cool is that?]

This is what I called it last time:

 WILLIAM, JOSIE WALES, AND GOD

I'm probably never going to be able to tell you all the wonderful... and sometimes scary ... events that occurred.  But I can't NOT tell this one.  God's sense of humor just makes me grin and grin again.

I'll begin with the ending.  How's that?  Won't be so boring or confusing.

I was stopping at rest areas rather often, because I could take pictures of the tall hills, beautiful trees, rivers, rainbows, and history info.  I was driving towards a western portion of Montana, and a rest area didn't seem to have a lot of surrounding nature.  Decided to skip it.  Then, at the last sign is said, "History".  I thought, "Gotta do it."  So I pulled in.

I was the only person.  I took a couple photos of the sign and its info.

Then a pickup truck pulled in and a man got out and said, "It's you AGAIN!"

When I looked at him, saw the dog, I laughed and said, "It's a God thing."

We then talked for a few minutes, both laughing, and sharing about our lives and our plans.

So, THIS is the beginning and here are the photos.

William and Josie Wales

NOW, this is the explanation of how it happened.

I had left Dickinson, ND, on Friday morning.  Had a lovely evening visiting our friends we knew at the orphanage in Uganda.  They were a treat!

My first stop was at the Badlands scenic view at a rest area.

[see the buffalo?]

 

While I was there I ended up talking to a man and noticed his dog had a red bandana around its neck.  The man said he was going to Portland and Vancouver to see his son and daughter and we both indicated the trip would go well.

I hit the road.

I stopped at a rest area about a hundred miles later.  The reason I stopped?  One of the most amazing rainbows I had ever seen.  SO WIDE!  [Photo didn't come out well, compared to the scene, but couldn't not stop and try.]

As I was driving away through it's long circle, I saw a dog running in the grass section and it had a red bandana.  I looked at the man nearby, hit the horn and waved.

That night I stayed just near Butte, MT.  I left earlier than I planned, didn't stop for breakfast.  Just hit the road.

A few rest areas later, I pulled into that empty one and that's when the man and dog showed up and the laughing began.

Then, as we talked, and shared where we lived and where we are going, both to and from.  He lives in northern Wisconsin, small town.   Then we began to discover what we believe in the Lord, churches we attend, how we rely upon Him and His way of leading us to help others.  We took photos of each other, prayed, and blessed each other as we were leaving.  He took a photo of my license plate, too, because he liked the message on it.

He was so excited about telling his son what had happened.  I called my husband immediately.

This covered about 500 miles with piles and piles of stops and rest areas and road issues.  William is now a friend and we are convinced the Lord wants to use us separately and together to serve Him in whatever bit and pieces are dropped in.

Is this too long?  Possibly.  Could it be shorter?  Don't think so.

I grinned and smiled and rejoiced for a long time.  Now it's in your hearts, too.