Coincidence or God?

Sometimes things happen....   and it can cause you to stop for a minute and go "huh...now, isn't that a coincidence."  "Who would have thought!"  Or, "strange how life happens sometimes."  Do you ever experience those moments? 

I occasionally have it happen.  This morning was one of those times.  A bit of background first:  my dad has known this couple, Bill & Trudi Nies, all his life - since when they first met in college and became good friends.  Bill and dad went on to seminary together.  Bill was a groomsman in my mom & dad's wedding.  The two couples were life-long friends. And, even though they lived in different places once out of school, they always stayed in touch and saw each other from time to time.  Our families occasionally got together on vacations.  The Nies eventually retired to Florida; my parents retired in Ohio.

Dad got word last week that Trudi suffered a stroke - and a few days later she died.  Yesterday was her memorial service. 

So, this morning I'm at church and our pastor starts his sermon with a fictional story he read on the internet, about a woman - he said she was a pastor's wife NAMED TRUDI!  He continued the story and there weren't other similarities to Trudi Nies, but I was taken back.  What?  A story about a pastor's wife named Trudi!  Not a common name.  The story was fiction...so why not a more ordinary name like Kathy or Mary?  And why this story this morning, the day after Trudi's service?

It certainly caused me to pause for a minute. Was this a strange coincidence?   Was I just tuned in more because of my knowledge of Trudi Nies passing?   Perhaps.   Or....was it a "God moment"?  I've had a few in the past.  Times that have made me stop. Things that have been said or happened that seemed "too much" to just be circumstance. 

I've always had an open mind (and open heart) to accept a "God moment".    But, what does it mean.  I told my hubby about what happened in church this morning, and he asked me what I thought it meant.  I'm not sure.  Except, I know I sat there and thought about the Nies family and their sorrow right now, and what a wonderful woman Trudi was.  I thought about my dad's sadness.  I prayed for God to give them all some peace - for God to welcome Trudi. I thought about how I believe Trudi and my mom are now together. 

Have you been open to these moments?  Have you experienced it as more than a coincidence?  

I think it's a pretty cool connection when it happens to me.  I like a "God moment."   It's not scary and it's not just a coincidence to me.  I'm wondering... What about you?