Gift of Jewel Today

I have not had an awesome encounter for too long.  This morning that changed.  Jewel came walking into my shop this morning.  Pulling a big suitcase.  She was on her way to St. Louis for a wedding of a close friend.  She said it would be a YaYa Sisterhood week-end.  We start chatting.  She was talking about how beautiful all the colors of the candy is.  I agree.  Story goes to, how did I come to open the shop.  I tell her the story.  I talk about how I am struggling to find customers to keep the place going.  She asked if she could pray with me.  I said, of course.  She told me her name, Jewel.  I told her my name.  Now Jewel is an African American.  This woman could pray.  I love the way African Americans pray.  It is so up lifting.  I feel so good right now.
Jewel told me that she felt she was guided to me.  I am sure a believer of that.  Seems like people walk in my door often that I am meant to meet.  She said yesterday she felt God nudge her.  She knew something was going to happen.  She is at a crossroad in her life.  She worked in the prison outside our town that recently closed.  After it closed she went to another county where many of the inmates had been transferred.  She helped with the acclimation.  (She said it is a nightmare.)  Anyway, her story is that she ministers and was starting to feel she being guided away from what she had been doing to a different type of work.  She was waiting for the path to open for her.  Today her friend was going to bring her to the train just in time so she would not have to wait.  Something came up and the friend had to drop her 45 minutes early.  That is how Jewel ended up in my shop.
I talked to her about how I loved to hear her pray.  She has a beautiful voice.  She said that is why she met me today.  She was trying to decide to change her career into voice overs and books on audio.  I said I would love listening to her read a book.  Jewel said this is why we met today.  To nudge her into making the decisions.
Talking to Jewel reminded me of another friend that would pray with me.  She moved to California.  I miss her and listening to her prayers.  Part of this journey I have been on has led me to church.  Meeting people like Jewel reinforced things do not happen by accident. 
Now back to work.  Decorating for Christmas.  I know it is early.  Next week-end is my holiday open house.  Need to have some decorations.  Just not an over whelming amount.  I have been moving shelves around.  Putting candy in new spots.  Giving Coco's a face lift.  I am always shocked that Coco's keeps getting more adorable!