Sophie and The Lady from France

One night this week we ate at Wendy's. Yes, so exciting but our choices were limited in terms of places to eat. It was either fast food or a pricier steakhouse that we were 1. not in the mood for and 2. not in our budget. We had used up our gift cards for other choices and our own food we had brought (soup, etc..) for the most part so we were at Wendy's.

After ordering I took some children to the bathroom to wash hands. On the way in I had noticed this couple come in with the most unusual pram. As we were finishing drying, the lady came in with the baby horizontally looking around for a place to change her. Finding none, she said to me she would have to use the floor. I was horrified. (Laura, is this how they do it in France?) I could tell she wasn't too happy about this choice and of course I opened my mouth, what about doing it on the car seat, out on your lap? She mentioned that it was cold outside which was true and she didn't want to go back out. I offered to help and she looked at me like I had 3 heads. So I squatted (literally) on the floor and made a "table" out of my lap. She declined the offer explaining that the baby had a dirty diaper until I told her how many children I had and that it would not bother me. Then she plopped the baby down. Something had changed; I was a mother too. She changed and I balanced baby and everything was fine. She began to ask about my family and where I was from and I asked about hers and where she was from. She had 3 other children, 13, 9, and 7 at home in France. I wondered about who was keeping them. She said her ex-husband; they were in school so they had stayed instead of being on this trip. I got the impression that the man she was with was not her husband but was the baby's father. We parted ways and went back out into the restaurant.

When we were leaving we passed by their table and immediately I thought of Sophie. Ah, Sophie. If you don't have a Sophie and you have a baby, French or otherwise, your baby is missing out. This is my favorite toy, teether, lovey, that we have ever had for 13 years running. Sophie is a giraffe made in France. It is pliable, squeaks, and is great to chew on. When Scott was a newborn, Russ and Helen, our adoptive parents in Kansas where we were living had gone to France (where incidentally they are right now) and bought one for him. He loved Sophie and the rubber on her eventually destructed. When Sarah Kelly was born, I wanted another Sophie. I asked Sigrid, their daughter if she would get one for me when she went to France. Then, that was the only option; now Sophie can be ordered on-line from France and delivered to your front door. We are on our 4th Sophie. Number 3 is with us on this trip (Jackson's of course, it's a giraffe, go figure) and number 4 Sophie was given to our new baby in Feb. when she was born by all her siblings. Katharine Ellis has yet to realize the potential of Sophie but she will soon.

Now back to this couple. I mentioned Sophie to her and how much the children like Sophie as we were leaving and she lit up like a Christmas tree. Yes, Sophie is wonderful, the ubiquitous toy that every French baby has, oh how did we know about Sophie?, we actually had lots of them?; and on and on. Jackson had Sophie with him and then this gal pulls another Sophie out of her diaper bag and holds it up. Sarah Kelly just couldn't believe it; here was another Sophie. We chatted a few more minutes, we said good-bye and we left with a little more in common than we had than just both of us being mommies.

In the car on the way to the hotel, that's when it hit me like a ton of bricks. What was I thinking? The Lord does not make any mistakes. That gal was mine for all that time and I never asked her about Jesus. I mean, how did I miss it. Did Sophie just pop into my mind? The answer is "no". Offering to help her, thinking of the Sophie connection, all this came from the spirit living within me. As Christians if we train and focus our lives and thoughts on our creator, He directs our paths, in other words, our thoughts. I lost a great opportunity to talk with her about something eternal, lots more important than Sophie and I could have asked her anything. She was in a strange (to her being her first trip) country, she was a little vulnerable in the bathroom but after Sophie she was eager to talk to me. Where was I? Looking back, I could say I was tired, yes, but I'm always tired. I could say it was late and the children needed to go to bed. I could think that Jeff would not want to wait on me (he had taken some on to the car). But all of that is just an excuse. All of that could be worked out and waited on. Just because I am away from home for a long-term and am traveling in a car, and living in a strange place for 5 weeks doesn't negate my responsibilites to God. Daily I am finding socks, clothes, and food for my children. I am brushing their teeth, my responsibilities have not ended on the home-front and I need to be aware. God can empower us wherever we are even when we are out of our "network".

Maybe the lady from France, I'll never know her name, just maybe she knows the Lord, maybe she has the spirit of God living in her. Goodness knows, we all sin and make mistakes, it could be she is a new Christian or a seasoned one who has sinned along the way just like me. But, I didn't ask, I didn't say anything and for that I am sorry. Lady from France, I hope you know or find the Lord, and I'm sorry I didn't plant any seeds or encourage you in your walk. You see, I'm not afraid to ask, to say anything, it just didn't occur to me. This is my prayer tonight, God, prompt me again with your spirit but bellow it out very loudly. I need reminding, daily, that what you have done for me, you can do for anyone. And I will never look at Sophie the same ever again.