"God Winks", Have you had one?

[DawnCt1]

I saw an interview with author Squire Rushnell this morning. He wrote a book called "When God Winks At You". Its a collection of personal experiences that are beyond coincidence. He gave an example of Diane Lane, the actress. Her father was a cab driver and had died years before. At a pivotal moment in her career as she was approaching a theatre in NYC, a cab pulled in front of her with her father's cab number. There are 1500 cabs licensed at that time in NYC. Has God ever winked at you? I am going to have to think about it for a while.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

I wonder if you'd call these "winks"...

There's this guy in whom I'm interested. Before he moved to another apartment, he gave me his phone number and requested mine. I finally called him. Starting the very next day, I began to see these license plates...his work car plate ends in TNP. Almost every day since then (we're talking over a month), I've seen another TNP license plate. A different one every day. Sometimes 2 or 3 in the same day (I saw 2 today...a few days ago, I saw 3). Out of the entire state, one thousand possible TNP plates, and I've seen at least one per day since August 23rd? Only 2x have I seen a duplicate. One time while driving home, I did blurt out, "Oh, Lord, just give me a sign, please!" and right then, a TNP plate went by.

Another one I noticed is on the orders I process at work. We have one particular client where the customer contact has the exact same name as this guy. It's not the most common name in the world. It's not the same man. And I'm the only one who processes these orders.

And the final one...I never buy a newspaper. Never, never, never. But one night back in September, I decided to stop and get one. In that newspaper was a picture of him and his brother, with an article and an interview with him about the move and expansion of their family's company. Why did I suddenly decide that particular day that I wanted a newspaper?

 

[MickeyMouseGal]

I think little Walter was a 'wink'. I was devistated by the loss of my boys, but I took a leap of faith and reserved a pup from a breeder friend of mine. She does pretty extensive conformation and obedience temperment testing on her pups, so even though I had visited the litter several times, I wouldn't know which one was mine until pick up day.
I was there when they were born and took pictures every week to chart their progress. (My friend is digital camera challenged.) Every single time, the best picture by far was the same puppy, so that was photo I would send to family and friends to let them see how the babies were growing.
When my friend completed all of the testing (I was to get the top conformation male), guess which one turned out to be mine? The little photogenic one, my Walter! He knew all along he was mine and was just letting me know!

 

[DawnCt1]

I think little Walter was a 'wink'. I was devistated by the loss of my boys, but I took a leap of faith and reserved a pup from a breeder friend of mine. She does pretty extensive conformation and obedience temperment testing on her pups, so even though I had visited the litter several times, I wouldn't know which one was mine until pick up day.
I was there when they were born and took pictures every week to chart their progress. (My friend is digital camera challenged.) Every single time, the best picture by far was the same puppy, so that was photo I would send to family and friends to let them see how the babies were growing.
When my friend completed all of the testing (I was to get the top conformation male), guess which one turned out to be mine? The little photogenic one, my Walter! He knew all along he was mine and was just letting me know!

That sounds like a God Wink to me. I think perhaps Jude could be. Loosing Annie was awful for me and every other dog I saw "annoyed" me for no particular reason, but when I saw Jude, we clicked. He is Annie's nephew and even though they are opposites, he's a male, he is white, he is quiet...they are a lot alike.

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

Dawn, I saw that interview this morning and all at once the little episodes that I ever had made sense. Of course, I had to go to Amazon and get his book. I can't wait to get it.

 

[DawnCt1]

Dawn, I saw that interview this morning and all at once the little episodes that I ever had made sense. Of course, I had to go to Amazon and get his book. I can't wait to get it.

I have a stack of books on my night stand that I need to get through HOWEVER, let me know how you like it when it arrives.

 

[Poohbear123]

I saw an interview with author Squire Rushnell this morning. He wrote a book called "When God Winks At You". Its a collection of personal experiences that are beyond coincidence. He gave an example of Diane Lane, the actress. Her father was a cab driver and had died years before. At a pivotal moment in her career as she was approaching a theatre in NYC, a cab pulled in front of her with her father's cab number. There are 1500 cabs licensed at that time in NYC. Has God ever winked at you? I am going to have to think about it for a while.

YES! I was at work one day, and a Lady came up to my register, and started talking to me out of the blue, and said a few encouraging words to me, as I was struggling on whether to stay at my current Job. I guess she "read" I was having a bad day, as I never said anything to her, I didn't even Know her! She said :"How are you today?" I said I was OK, but she said to me: "You know, this too shall pass!" That was one of my Mom's Sayings.

 

[goofinoff]

OOOOO...I have one, I have one!! My grandfather passed away in 2002, just 2 weeks after my second baby was born. We all called my grandfather Bimpy(my brother couldn't say Grampy when he was little). I had never heard anyone else call their grandfather that. The first Father's day after he passed away my parents and I had to go to a wake. Since it was Father's day, all of the kids and grandkids put their Father's day cards in the casket. They were all placed in one spot except for one that was all by itself. When I got closer to the card that was by itself, I almost fell over. The card read "Bimpy". I could not believe it!! Like I said I had never, ever heard of anyone call someone by that name. I knew it was his sign to tell us he was ok. We had gotten a couple other little signs that day but nothing as blaten as that!!

 

[Saxsoon]

Three years ago, my great grandmother had died. A month later I went on a trip to Colorado with a Christian club at my school at the time. In the middle of the trip, we took a five mile hike to get to the top of this mountain and began singing Amazing Grace. I was suddenly reminded of my G.g. and I started to cry. As we stopped at a gas station I took a look at a newspaper to realize it was a month to the day after she had passed away. (we were not allowed to keep watches or cell phones) It was pretty cool.

 

[JoyG]

I was sitting in church one Sunday evening after dinner and the service was about to start. I had onions at dinner and didn't have a breath mint or a piece of gum. I said to myself, "Lord, I could use a piece of gum right now". A lady promptly sat down behind me, pulled out her gum, then leaned forward to offer me some. It couldn't have been more than a minute after I muttered the prayer. That definitely had to be a wink.

 

[JVL1018]

When my Mom died, I was devastated, naturally.
I had been reading a book by Adriana Trigiani, and hadn't picked it up in a few days between finding out about Mom and planning and attending the wake and funeral..so the day after the funeral I was miserable and I halfheartedly opened the book and started reading.

The characters visit Italy, and they go to a small town called Siestri Levante.
My Grandma(mom's mom) was born there and lived there until she came to the US. What are the odds. I have never in my life heard of the place except in relation to my Gram.

Same author, different book: My SIL is battling breast cancer, diagnosed almost a year to the day after my Mom, her beloved MIL died. She was only 33 at the time. so I'm reading and what town is mentioned?
Wind Gap, PA..Yup where my SIL lives, never heard of it until she and my brother moved there.


Right after my Gram(Mom's mom) died, I was reading Reader's Digest and I see her name in a story. Wouldn't be so odd but I had never in my life heard of anyone with her name: Ismene.

THEN a few months ago, I am reading our little town news and I see a picture of some actors who were putting on a play. One of the characters: Ismene. One of the actresses: Meta. My mom and her Mom. Not common names, I verrrrrry rarely see Meta and Ismene well those were the only 2 times.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I love that book and talk about it a lot on the GAGWTA thread. Someone gave it to me last year. Mr. Rushnell describes God Winks as little things that happen in our lives that make us know we're on the paths we're supposed to be on. He takes us through exercises to help us identify the many God Winks we all have in our lives. We tend to chalk them up to coincidence, but when you really think about them, they're more. I take comfort in the many God Winks I have in my life. I'll share one:

I had two pictures of my mother and (deceased) father from their youth which my DH had put together into one picture and gave to me as a Christmas gift one year (this was long before the great photo technology we enjoy today). I was so happy with the picture I brought it into work the next night to show my coworkers. That night, I was taking care of a patient who happened to notice my last name on my nametag, which is my maiden name. She told me that oddly enough, that was her mother's maiden name too. Once we got talking, it turned out she was my father's long lost first cousin whom I'd never met before. I said to her, "isn't it strange I happened to meet you tonight - I brought in a picture I'd like to show you". I showed her my picture and she gasped and exclaimed "that's your father's high school picture, I remember it well"! I was blown away; I didn't know it was his high school picture. She told me stories about my father I'd never heard before; it was incredible, and especially meaningful since I'd lost him years before.

When I think about it the series of events that night were really amazing - I happened to take care of her out of all the other patients we had; we'd taken an immediate liking to eachother; and it just so happened to be the night I brought in the picture of my father. Luckily she saw my nametag and asked me about it. She died shortly afterward, but I was so glad to have met her. That was a definite God Wink.

 

[jennobrn01]

Driving late at night during a low time in my life; I was telling God how I doubted that he even knew me. I thought his existance was a fairy tale. Looking out through the windshield at the black sky full of stars I yelled and cried. Then finally I sat in angry silence. Suddenly streaking in a long wide arc across the sky was a brilliant meteor. Never before had I seen a meteor. I knew in my spirit it was for me from my God.

That was 10+ years ago. Twice since then I have gone through dark times. Each time involved a chat with God under the night sky. Each time He blessed me with a meteor.

Now they are my reminder that he does exist, he does see me, and he wants to relate with me.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

OMG, I think that this thread is the SECOND "God wink" I've had today. DH, DS8, DS6 and I had gone out to the Marine Education Center about 30 minutes away from home for a free day. On our way back, I saw on this 2 lane road coming from the other direction towards me (not in my lane) a red 1965 Mustang all souped up with the engine poking out of the hood about 2 feet. By the time I could tell the kids about it (they were looking at a helicopter) of course it was gone. I told them about it and they were really disappointed about missing it...Flash forward about 15 minutes later, 3 or 4 road changes through a couple of towns.....on the Expressway, coming up behind me, comes around to pass me.....guess who???? I was totally weirded out, everyone else just thought the car was cool.....And aq month ago almost the same exact thing had happened to me on that same expressway going in the opposite direction away from where we live...Saw a red pickup with a unique grill-cutouts of skeletons...weird...told the boys about it, they couldn't see it.....about 2 weeks later....there it is in the carpool line at their school. Now we see it all the time...



this is the weirdest one of all. DH is a commercial artist. When he was in art school about 22 years ago, he drew a picture of a little boy about 4 years old, standing and looking at a sinking little toy boat in a stream. At age 4 (2 years ago) it looked EXACTLY like DS4(at the time)!!! YIKES!!!!!!Sweet and creepy all at the same time..


I love this thread, up until just now I had never heard of "God Winks.." Now I certainly know what they are!

 

[Aidensmom]

Personally, I think very few coincidences are really coincidences. Every time one occurs, I credit God. I think we have a lot we don't even realize. Ever think that maybe when you get a flat tire, it was because if you had kept going you would be in an accident? Along those same lines, I can think of 3 or 4 times that I have been delayed by something when leaving the house, only to have come upon an accident along my path that just happened minutes before. I very often just happen to look at the digital clock for it to be displaying a number that is significant to me, usually my, DH's, or DS's birthdate. I have even been offered jobs at times I really needed a new one just because of some offhand remark I have made about something totally unrelated.

 

[Aidensmom]

Driving late at night during a low time in my life; I was telling God how I doubted that he even knew me. I thought his existance was a fairy tale. Looking out through the windshield at the black sky full of stars I yelled and cried. Then finally I sat in angry silence. Suddenly streaking in a long wide arc across the sky was a brilliant meteor. Never before had I seen a meteor. I knew in my spirit it was for me from my God.

That was 10+ years ago. Twice since then I have gone through dark times. Each time involved a chat with God under the night sky. Each time He blessed me with a meteor.

Now they are my reminder that he does exist, he does see me, and he wants to relate with me.

Wow, that is so awesome!

 

[HSMndLKfan92]

I don't really know if you would call this a God Wink, but I guess I should share it.

Just a little info : My grandmother died before I was born. I am the only person in my immediate family to never have met her.

For my First Communion, my mother gave me a cross necklace that belonged to my grandma. Once, I lost the necklace for a very long time. I couldn't find it anywhere. One day, I found it in one of the last places I would ever look.

I lost it a second time, but I also found it in a mysterious place.


Strange...

 

[frndofpooh]

I guess this could be a God wink - I've always just thought of it as his way of reminding me.

My DS9 was born at 1:21p.m. Of my two boys, he is the one that challenges me the most. By far, he has given us the most worry at just about every turn, beginning at birth. I have been at the end of my rope with him so often that I barely know where to put the next knot on which to hold on. With the worry and turmoil also comes great joy - he is really such a great kid.

On the days that he is providing me with yet another parental challenge I often find my eyes drawn to the clock, be it in my kitchen, car, whatever, at 1:21 p.m. I see it and remember that overwhelming joy he brought to our lives and how he helped DH and I open a whole new chapter. It always makes me smile. I've always thought that it was God's way of reminding me what a gift DS is, even on the difficult days. Maybe it's a wink

 

[twinklebug]

Not a wink, but odd...

Bought a tiny handcarved desk from a yard sale (circa 1770 or so) - it did not have the key to the drawer... no biggie though. We brought it home and I loved it for years. I finally sold the car I had brought the desk home in and bought a minivan.

Cleaning out the minivan one day I found an antique key - the same exact style, age & patina as the desk. Perfect fit. What are the odds? I'm still waiting for the original chains and drawer pulls show up

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

A few months after we got married, DW Lauri and I weren't really looking to get another dog, but we did. When we first saw Reilly as a puppy, he had black tips on his apricot fur. It made him really stand out and drew us to him. We weighed it back and forth for a couple of days whether or not to get him. Well, I had to go to Raleigh on an overnight business trip, and when I came back I was greeted by the little apricot furball. Lauri said she had gone ahead and gotten him for me as a very early anniversary present.

That was sometime in March 2000. A couple of months later, Lauri started getting sick and was eventually diagnosed with Adult Onset Still's Disease. Although he started out as my dog, Reilly has become Lauri's constant companion. He can tell when she's going to have a bad flair and is there to comfort her when she needs it. Sometimes he is the one that can brighten her day and make her laugh when nothing else can.

And to think we almost didn't get him and might not have been drawn to him if not for those black tips.

If that isn't a wink from God, I don't know what is.