The Power of Two Working Together as One

   Since our little grandson, Elliot, was turning five years old on March 11^th Al and I decided to fly back to Michigan to help him celebrate the special occasion. Al chose a different airline than our usual one, because we wanted to use “reward” airline miles for the tickets. This meant traveling from LA to Detroit via Chicago on the way there and also a layover in Dallas on the way home, rather than taking a direct flight. Even though it meant free tickets, I still grumbled about the extra travel time.

   However, as has happened before, there were some divine appointments which had already been prearranged for us, surprise meetings which wouldn’t have happened if we had been on the normal plan. While traveling from LA to Chicago, I happened to sit in the middle seat between Al and a business man who was working on some kind of presentation with graphs and charts. The seats were close together, enabling me to read the title which was “The Power of Two Working Together as One.” A marriage seminar? Motivational speech?

   The opportunity to talk didn’t come until the plane entered a turbulent stretch and began bouncing around, making working on the laptop difficult. When the fellow stopped typing, I asked him about his work. He is a director at Advanced Bionics in Valencia, California, which produces cochlear implant devices. Tom Walsh was very kind to take the time to explain that the presentation would be given later this month to a hearing aid company with the theme on the importance of the two companies working in tandem to help people with significant hearing loss. It was interesting, very different than what I had imagined. Two companies? In the business world as in other areas of life, cooperation and unity is essential too.

   Tom went on to share his story with me. As a child, his hearing was impaired, possibly due to a genetic trait in the family as well as other causes. Tom had to wear hearing aids in both ears and eventually received cochlear implants. This opened up a whole new world to him, not only in allowing him to hear, but also in terms of a life-long career in a business which would help others with hearing impairments. The same technology is now being used in the visual area for people with macular degeneration. It was an inspiring story, a “pre-arranged” appointment thanks to a pocket of turbulent air!

   The second meeting came as we were waiting in the terminal to go to Dallas on the way home. A friendly woman struck up a conversation about my shoes; and from there we covered many topics. We had a lot in common, most importantly our faith in Jesus Christ.

   Being newly retired, she was feeling “God’s nudging” to write. Just a week ago, she had joined a writer’s group and had the ideas for two books already spinning around in her head. I was able to tell her about how God had opened the doors for me to write a weekly column for the newspaper and then to publish a couple of little books, one a devotional and the other a story of a special friendship. Both Al and I encouraged her, telling her it was very “doable!”

   “This wasn’t a chance meeting. I know God brought us together. I needed to hear this!” She exclaimed. We were both excited and could have talked the rest of the day, but were interrupted by the boarding call for the flight to Dallas. Another “Wow!” experience.

   God is so good! I love the way He orders and plans our steps and am grateful that He is patient with us when we grumble and complain because things don’t go the way we thought they should.

The power of His Spirit working in me, “two working together as one” is amazing!

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.” John 15: 5 NIV