About a two weeks ago I went to get a haircut, I am sitting in the chair and begin talking to the barber (a middle aged probably 45 or 50 year old woman) about the normal stuff weather, current events and so on. Then I started asking some deeper questions like where are you from and how did you wind up here. I thought I would get the abbreviated version but….no she open the flood gates and laid it on me. This lady began her story with a loving family here in middle TN (Ashland City) who went to church and seemed pretty normal. She went off on a rebellious stage in her 20’s; moved to LA (not lower Alabama) and jumped in the fast lane for about 25 years never got married odd jobs alcohol, drugs and so on… about 6 months ago her then estranged father was diagnosed with cancer which finally brought her back to help him and take care of her mom. Her father passed away about two weeks prior and now it was just herself and her mom.

My next question after passing along sympathy was “now what?” after a short pause she said she liked working at the barber shop wanted to support her mom but she really had a desire to get back involved in church and wanted to find a husband and settle down here. When I asked what church she attended or if there were any prospects of husbands she brushed it aside and said at her age she did not have much hope for finding a good husband and she was “just not ready” for the church thing again. However there was this guy (who was an old family friend) who has been trying to get her to attend church with him and just happened to be single and was a real “spiritual blessing” according her when this guy showed up at her fathers funeral unexpectedly…about the time she was describing this guy who could accomplish both her desire for a husband and her desired to get plugged back in church the bell at the front door rang and sure enough this guys walks in the door. He had driven all the way form Ashland City to surprise her at work and just say hello!

She almost passed out right there, her skin turned a ghost white and then followed by bright red as this guys walks over. She said a shocked hello and then told him he had to leave or she would get fired. He walked out a little dejected and she finished my haircut and apologized repeatedly to me for the interruption (like I would report her to the better business bureau).  As we walked to the counter for me to pay I asked if she was going to chase after this guy. She was not sure if she could leave without getting in trouble by loosing customers and was not even sure if the guy would stick around. So my response as I signed my receipt and prepared to fill in the tip amount was “I was given a favor a few weeks ago at my church that I would like to pay forward…I am sure that if this guy drove for an hour just to say hi he is still waiting right outside so the first half of the tip is for you to take this guy over to Starbucks and buy a coffee for you both. Next, if time away from work and loosing a few customers is the issue the rest of this tip is for the next two people that may walk through this door while you are gone so you don’t loose any money.” As you can imagine she was pretty surprised and a little embarrassed and as I walked out on the door I left a final word I would be back in a couple weeks to check in on her and find out how things turned out.

Unfortunately my hair does not grow as quick as it used to so I have not been back yet but I am very anxious to follow up and see what has transpired and what God had done. What an awesome opportunity it was for me and such a blessing to be able to help out and watch from the sideline as such an unbelievable and perfectly orchestrated event took place.

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