One of our friend Julie’s favorite phrases is the exclamation “Holy Buckets!” as in “Holy buckets, it’s cold outside!” With three kids of her own, she uses the phrase liberally when she could be saying something much, much stronger and more colorful.
My wife helped coach Julie through the birth of her son, and Julie promised she would return the favor and be there to help coach my wife a few months later when our baby was due. When our daughter arrived abruptly and unexpectedly six weeks early, we rushed to the nearest neonatal intensive care unit, an hour and a half drive away, which meant Julie was not making the trip.
However, within the first 30 minutes of our tiny daughter’s new life, as a nurse and I were looking at her in her little incubator, the nurse said, “Holy buckets is she doing good.”
And just like that, Julie was there, just as she had promised.
During a very tense, emotional time, it put me at ease for a moment because up popped an unexpected, yet very much welcome, connection to a friend.
Simple reminders of other people in our lives, both past and present, are popping up all the time. Certain songs. Particular movies. Uttered phrases. Unearthed pictures. A certain model of car drives by. And it never seems to be just one isolated reminder. After the initial trigger, typically other reminders cascade one after the other after the other.
Then after recognizing these reminders, you get a surprise call from that person, or meet them, seemingly by chance, at the store. “Hey! I’ve been thinking of you lately.” The reminders seem like some pretty strong coincidences.
So what is going on?
We all share a common connection, and his name is Jesus. He’s in all of us, and through Him we are all connected. He said “You are in me, and I am in you” (John 12:26).
So when the thoughts of someone start popping into your head, who do you think is putting them there? Jesus reminds you of a particular person at a particular time for a particular reason. His reason. Whatever that may be.
So reach out to them. Call them. Pray for them. And, holy buckets, remember He might be reminding them of you someday, just when He knows you need the help too.
Who have you been reminded of lately, and how will you reach out to them?
A refreshing look at something I’ve not thought of for a long long time. It is very interesting when we have those sometimes subtle, sometimes not so subtle, reminder of the people in our lives who matter. The people who are there for us in big ways and in small ways. They are a part of the meaning, the why, we work hard…they are a reminder that we matter because they also matter. Thanks Sean. And “holy buckets” the nearly two decades has flown right by.
Where did that 20 yr go? Thanks for being an inspiration, Julie.
I love this reminder of our shared Spirit in Christ! Thanks so much, Sean! I’ll pay closer attention and take action when Jesus puts someone on my heart.
Thanks, Kelly. Let me know how it goes.
The words of Our Lord speak. ‘holy buckets’ Love it!
A great reminder too, (in the above) that: ” Christian Lives Matter.”
( to hijack an insanely popular mantra pushing the culture today )
Some of the best people I know are Christians. It would be cool if everyone I thought of made me think of Jesus Christ and/or the connection I have with them through Jesus Christ. Thank God! you are a person I think about sometimes who makes that happen.
BTW, do these stories pop up about just the right time ??
Much appreciated, Tim! Kind of humbling to think I might be pushing you in the right direction! But that goes double for your influence on me!