The Barber Pole

Okay – I have been slacking in writing my journey moments. Life gets busy and the writings can tend be delayed.

This summer I had opportunities to go to a few yard sales. A friend and I have been trying to find some things for our church and one of the best places to find it is at a yard sale!

My first sale I noticed an old barber pole lying on the ground. My first thought was that I knew of a deacon in our church that decorated his garage into a men’s barbershop and wondered if he needed a pole. He would have the men come over for coffee and doughnuts. I am sure it was a fun time for them. I immediately said, almost out loud, “I need to call Mary.” (his wife)

After leaving that sale just a block down the street was another sale. After looking around a moment or two I stumbled upon - none other than Mary! Of course I understood that God brought us together and that our running into each other was not an accident – especially after what I had just seen and commented on!

I told her about the pole and she ran out like a horse out of the shoot hoping to get to it before anyone else.

That next morning at church she shared with me an amazing journey moment. She did go to the house with the barber pole. After visiting with the man a few minutes she asked him if he was a Maxwell – her last name. He said Yes! The story began to unfold. Her husband’s uncle had moved into the area but he did not know where. They had wanted to find the uncle but were unable to. You see the uncle had early stages of Alzheimer and was becoming very forgetful. Rick had asked the uncle a while back about the barber pole but due to the Alzheimer he could not remember where he had put it – or remembered to call the family after the move.

Mary not only found the lost barber pole everyone was looking for but she found out something greater – where Rick’s uncle was now living. Just when you think it’s about a barber pole the Lord reveals to us what the real journey moment was about – bringing a family back together.