the assignment

A specified task or amount of work assigned or undertaken as if assigned by authority.

Merriam-Webster

Ever get the urge to just get in the car and drive to destination God-knows-where? Yeah, me too; except this time – I had a destination in mind! That destination was just a few minutes up the road to grab a handful of things.

And that, my friends, is where the real journey began!

As I took the wheel and drove, a brief thought came across my mind to change direction and drive to another destination. That thought for a change in destination made no sense to me – at the time. A) It was twenty minutes further away. B) That said location inevitably has a way of “making” me spend more money than ever intended. C) I had no real need to be out in that location. So no, my mind was made up – and I was staying on course to head just a few minutes up the road to grab a handful of things.

As I continued to drive “right up the road”, I found myself passing that destination, and was now pulling onto the on-ramp of the expressway and heading to the other location. The next few minutes became an actual battle in my mind. I remember thinking, this is insane and actually saying out loud… “I am in charge of this car and where this car goes”! As soon as I could, I pulled off the next exit and began to head back to my original destination.

Driving back to my intended location, I couldn’t help but to think about what just transpired. Also, I couldn’t shake the feeling of needing to get back on the expressway. At that point, it was no longer about where I wanted to go. It was no longer about the “voices” or thoughts in my mind. It became about what (or who) was speaking to my soul.

As I made my way back to the on-ramp, I again spoke out loud, but this time the words sounded more like (metaphorically spoke) “Okay Jesus, take the wheel.”

I had no idea where I was headed, why I was going wherever I was going, or what I was going to accomplish when I got there. So, the next hour was spent wandering through two different stores, having random conversations with strangers, and apparently spending just the right amount of time at each location for what happened next to occur.

Looking back, I call what happened next a God-happening, but I must admit that in the moment, I was not amused by HIM. Let’s continue with a short back story to help set the scene….

So, I love board games and all types of games! I love to collect them, display them, and as a family, we play them! You all with me? At that time, I was on the hunt for one of my all-time-favorite boardgames (Clue) packaged in a wooden box – almost like a collector’s item. We were in the thick of the holiday season and I was convinced that one of my favorite discount stores was bound to have what I was searching for.

Alternatively, there is one “game” that I HATE. Yes, those are strong words but with a passion, I despise this thing. I won’t even call it by its name. So, let’s call it “the board” for all intensive purposes. For me, I cannot understand the fascination of siting around “the board” (seance style) and trying to evoke spirit communication. Good Lord, do people not understand what forces they could be inviting into their lives – and perhaps, for generations to come?

So, my quick road trip to grab “just a few things” was now becoming a two-hour adventure. After leaving store number two, I decided to go into one of my favorite discounts stores to look for Clue. At that point, I was like a wandering gypsy looking for a place to settle in for the night, so I went with it!

And like most women, I walked in and was distracted by every nook and cranny – wandering aisle by aisle until I came upon the majestic section of all the games! As I started to look, I couldn’t help but notice that this majestic section of games was overshadowed by so many of “the board”. I can admit I am so not perfect, and at times, have a mouth of a trucker (which may be my downfall) but in that moment, a few choice words came to mind… then came flying right out of my mouth! It’s Christmas time – do we really need to be inundated by this nonsense? But again, isn’t that how evil works – and at times, packaged as a “game” to gift.

Again, I truly cannot explain how much “the board” irritates my soul. There is enough evil in this world, and in my opinion, there is no need to perpetuate more evil with another form of nonsense marketed as an “innocent family game”. Okay – you all get it, so my rant is done, for now!

So, I don’t see what I am looking for. Disappointed, I think to myself, why am I here again? At the same time, I noticed an older woman looking at the games and think to myself, I hope she finds what she is looking for. Without anything in hand, I left that area and went into the next aisle. Before I knew it, I see the same lady (from the previous aisle) coming towards me with her cart – and in that cart was… “the board”. I wish to God that the next series of event were somehow visually captured because it felt like one big comedy and drama all rolled into one with me cast as the unexperienced main actor! God definitely has a way of keeping life interesting!

Instantly, I Knew the WHY. The journey brought me here for an assignment. My assignment.

But in that brief moment, I decided that I did not to make it my business. I quickly turned around and said, Oh hell, no! But something said otherwise because as fast as I turned to run in the other direction; it was almost as my body was redirected, and my shoulders turned back around towards the woman…with the rest of my body following calmly in her direction. As this is happening, all I can think is – well, here goes nothing!

I struck up a conversation with the sweet and unassuming woman. I told her that I couldn’t help but notice what she had in the cart and asked why she was choosing to purchase “the board”. Come to find out that her fourteen-year-old granddaughter wanted it and she was buying it for her granddaughters’ birthday.

At that point, I was committed and surrendered control to how the rest of the communication was going to play out.

The woman had stated she thought it was harmless fun and really didn’t give it much thought when her granddaughter had asked for it.

My response back, simply paraphrased: I said perhaps you are right, but what if it is not just harmless fun. What if the so-called “innocent-fun” was a gateway to something more, something darker. And what if opening that door for your fourteen-year-old granddaughter unleashes things in the spirt world that she is not prepared for. We have all heard stories of what “the board” can do, or what people say they have experienced when using “the board”. Do you really want to take that chance on your young granddaughter?

I, of course, had no knowledge of how she was going to react to my “butting-in” to her business. She obviously didn’t ask for my opinion, and the true elephant in the room was – who am I to think I know better and meddle in someone else business?

The answer is, I don’t know better. I just don’t want to see anyone unknowingly (or even knowingly dabble in darkness). But what I did know is that I had no plan to be at that location. I had no plan to make someone else’s business mine, however, for some reason, I was placed in front of her – in the same store, in the same aisle, and at just the right time for everything to unfold the way it did.

As far as the rest of the story goes, the woman looked at me and thanked me for what I said to her. She stated that she never really thought about it from that perspective and would not want to do anything that may have a negative effect on her family. She took “the board” out of her cart and put it back on a shelf.

Now, I wish I knew the ending to the rest of her story in that God-happening. I wish I knew how it all played out with her family and granddaughter. But what I do know is that if God went to the lengths that HE did to place me in the right place (at the right time); I truly believe the story ended with HIS work positively influencing that fourteen-year old-child. And truly, that is all that I can hope for!

We all know the phrase: see something, say something. This can take on a negative connotation, at times. And most would say, mind your business especially if it doesn’t involve you. However, there is a difference between “being a Karen” and being a human that is whole-heartedly looking out for another human.

The moral of the story is that as humans, we all have an assignment. We are placed on this earth to learn from each other, develop as humans, teach what we know, help how we can, and work to make this world a better place – one small or large assignment at a time. Your light (and mine) will help pave the way for future generations to come. That I promise!

P.S. This story was something that happened two-years ago (about this time). Since then, can you believe that I was placed in another “make-it my-business” similar situation! So, hope you never run across me in the game aisle of a store while you’re looking at “the board” because I promise, it will be assignment time (wink, wink)!

LOVE, with all my HEART,

Natalie