“Why Do You Keep Calling Me?”

I am supposed to be doing something else {even have the 5 little ones at my moms to get it accomplished – thank you mama!} but I am compelled to tell you all a brief story. 

Yesterday morning I received a phone call on our house phone.  Seldom does anyone call it, since we use our cell phones for almost all our calling.  When I answered, a woman said, “Who is this?”  I was like, “Excuse me?”  She said, “Why do you keep calling my home and hanging up?”  I was really perplexed.  I said, “Ma’am, as far as I know, no one from our home has called you.” 

As I was talking to her another caller beeped in. I didn’t answer it as I was in the midst of this conversation.  But I apologized and assured her that really, we hadn’t called.  She said, “Well I called the phone company and they said it is your number doing it and you have been doing it for days.”  I said, “Ma’am, I promise we have not been calling.  I am so sorry for whatever is going on, but really, it’s not us.”

We hung up and immediately the call that had beeped in before was calling again.   I answered.  This time it was a little old lady.  She said, “Why do you keep calling me?”  

Okay friends, imagine my confusion and how dumbfounded I was.  I know I have little kids, but I knew where they all were.  No one from our home had called this lady.  

This elderly lady explained that she is 87 years old, had just gotten out of the hospital and everyday my number calls her  – sometimes even 3 times a day!  I apologized profusely but said that truly, we weren’t calling her.  I then said, “Did I call you on Saturday?”  She said, “Three times.”  I said, “Ma’am, there was no one home at my house on Saturday.  So I don’t know what’s going on, but I will call the phone company.”

A couple hours later all three phones that are connected to the house phone were on the counter next to me.  I was standing talking to Josh and Emma.  The house phone rang again.  It was the little old lady.  She said, “You called me again!”  I assured her that all three extension phones were next to me and no one had called her.  I said I would call the phone company right then. Which I did.

The first girl I talked to sounded like a robot.  What is up with that anyway?  She was probably new and reading every response to each thing I said.  Bless her heart.  UGH. 

She suggested that they send a repairman to look at the outside line.  The soonest they could do that was Thursday.  All I could think about was that sweet little old lady and my stupid phone calling her several times a day between now and Thursday.  I told her that what I really wanted was for her to shut off this number, give me a new one and then send a repairman to check the line. 

She finally consented.  So she took care of what she needed and then she said she would have to switch me to another department, who would find me a new number.

Okay, so at this point, if you are still with me, you may be wondering where this is all leading?

Here’s what I’m getting at:  I have lots to do.  I really didn’t need to be talking to two people who were accusing us of calling them everyday – and multiple times at that!  I didn’t really want to make the phone company calls, etc.

But….as I talked to the first girl I really felt like the Lord said, “This isn’t about you.  I have a bigger plan.”   And when He spoke that, I had complete peace.  Believe it or not I was actually excited….anticipating what God was up to.

So how many times do we get frustrated by life’s circumstances?  If God is really “causing all things to work together for my good” {Romans 8:28} then why is it we seem to be so bugged by stuff like the phone company problem? 

I have just begun to read the stories from yesterday’s Memorial Box Monday…and I started at the bottom {I know, I’m weird and yes, sometimes I read the back of the book before starting it, again, confirming that I am a tad backward, right?}….well Lynnea was sharing in Our God Story about a problem they had.  God met their need in a miraculous way and as I was pondering that, so clearly the Lord said to me, “If you never had problems you would not see Me work.” 

Wow!  I know that, but it was fresh and new and I am still blown away by how powerful that is.  It’s so true.  How many of us would stop and pay attention to the God of the Universe if life was all peachy?  Not many. 

But our problems keep us on our knees.  They grow us.  They help us to learn to trust Him.  He is up to something with every single problem we encounter.  He is just so up to something. 

So back to the little old lady and my phone.  The first chica put me to the other department.  Immediately when I started explaining to this new lady about this, she said, “I had the same thing happen to me!”   Wow.  So cool.  She didn’t think I was a nutcase!! 

That opened the door to a 48 minute conversation with this sweet woman.   I explained about how I needed the number to be unlisted because of the stalker I had.   And soon the conversation evolved into something that was only orchestrated by God.  She has many health issues and I truly {even though I don’t know her} am concerned about her.  I asked if I could pray for her.  She was happy to have me do it.  {Her name is “P”, if you would like to pray for her as well.} 

And as I hung up the phone {after 48 minutes!} I was giddy.  God had moved in such a way, that I know that I know that I know, she’s the reason I had a phone issue. 

See! 

God was up to something!!

He loves “P” so much and He wants her to know it.   I am still stinkin’ stoked about it all, totally thankful for the phone problem and praying for “P” and her healing.   I gave her my blog site address….so if you’re reading it “P”, I’m praying!

Today I called the little 87 year old lady and told her that it shouldn’t happen again because I have shut off the old number and taken a new one.  She was so grateful it was completely cute.  She lives 4 hours from me.  I told her that if she was closer I would bake her an apple pie and take it to her for the troubles that my phone line gave her.  She giggled.  She told me she had just had surgery.  I asked if I could pray for her.  She said, “Bye-bye! Thank you for calling.  Check on me tomorrow.”  I laughed.  Not so into me praying for her.  That’s okay, I’ll pray for her from here.  And I will call and check on her tomorrow. 

Okay, now I must get back to what I was supposed to be doing. ha!

26 thoughts on ““Why Do You Keep Calling Me?”

  1. hehe. What a story! I do love being reminded that we wouldn't look to God if everything was going well. I learn that lesson often. Hope you get a lot done today!

    -Stephanie

    P.S. I saw a man in the drive thru line at McDonald's this morning & he looked a bit like your husband. It made me smile, even after I remembered that I'm clear across the country from y'all & it definitely wasn't him. 😛

  2. My mobile(cell) phone sent a text to a friend yesterday to say I was at a theme park miles away from my home- she rang my home phone immediately and I answered!!!!! How strange. I've never even been to the theme park- I don't even like theme parks! Makes me careful what I write in my texts in case they start arriving in the wrong places!!!!!!

  3. I just have to tell you that when I saw the title of your post, I thought it was about adoption. You see, I have been know, ahem, to have conversations with God saying "why? Why do you keep calling me? Why not someone else who is a morning person, and not so selfish and a better Mommy." I have also said to other people in exasperation when they ask me when we are going to "quit" adopting "well, if other Christians would get it together and do their part for the orphan, we wouldn't continue to adopt." Keep in mind, in reality I know that I know these children were meant for our family and only ours, and God has been amazing to us. But in my grumpier more selfish moments I think "why do you keep calling me!" LOL!

  4. wow Linny- do you know how your words minister to us reading them?
    Ive been having sort of a little problem involving our adoption timeline and Ive had one line of a song in my head all weekend until now-"Its not your problem God replies, 'cause theres a bigger picture you cant see. You dont have to change the world just trust in me. I am your Creator I am working out my plan, through you I will show them I AM." And I have been wondering WHY in the world that song was stuck in my head since its an old song and one I never hear anymore. and then you said
    I really felt like the Lord said, "This isn't about you. I have a bigger plan." And when He spoke that, I had complete peace. Believe it or not I was actually excited….anticipating what God was up to.
    So how many times do we get frustrated by life's circumstances? If God is really "causing all things to work together for my good" {Romans 8:28} then why is it we seem to be so bugged by stuff like the phone company problem?

    God is working and I dont know what He will do but I feel like He is telling me to just trust Him to take care of it, because its not my problem to try to figure it out.

  5. what an odd thing to happen, but so like God to use it.
    thanks for your open, willing heart and your ability to listen and really HEAR.

    thanks for sharing!

  6. I think God is so so SO much bigger than we can EVEN IMAGINE and He can make our phone ring to whoever He wants to! Why do we even doubt that all things are orchestrated! What a great story! Thanks for sharing even though you have other things to do.

  7. I just love that. Thanks for sharing!

    One day I ended up at a restaurant where I felt like God had brought us for a reason. Sure enough, our waiter saw my son's test kit for his diabetes and happened to have diabetes, too. He had only found out a few months before and had no medical insurance. I got his email address, came home and hooked him up with some free medical services! I love that God cared so much for this waiter that he brought us to his table!
    That's our God!

  8. thanks for loving P and this 87 year old lady. . may God use you to point them both to Him. Thanks for not being too focused . too busy to allow God to interrupt your day. When that 87 year old lady gives her life to Jesus, you can put a little phone in your Memorial Box. It so would not surprise me that this is what God has planned. . salvation for this 87 year old woman. Thanks for making room for her in your life. I will close this comment with a prayer for you (tomorrow is Wed), for P, and for this 87 year old woman.

    Thanks for taking the time to write this out.

    Warmly-
    Su

  9. God is so good and so creative. What a blessing for you to be a part of the opportunity to minister to these two people. It will go from them, out to others. God is amazing!

  10. It's wonderful how He's working through the odd circumstances and we get a glimpse of His workings as long as we keep acknowledging Him in all our ways, in all situations, this reminds me of:

    1Th 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

    and this one:

    Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

    I love hearing about His workings and your obedience 🙂

    About the little old lady, she might end up a huge old lady… can't quite say the height/size through voice only? heheh 🙂

  11. Your story reminds me of the Christmas story "The Fourth Wise Man" about the wise man who never made it to see the baby Jesus because he was busy helping others along the way. He finally saw Christ as He was hanging on the cross.

    Sometimes these opportunities seem like detours. How wonderful that you were able to recognize today that you weren't supposed to bring gifts to a Baby in a manger, but instead to worship at the foot of the cross.

    I'm praying for you now and will continue through tomorrow for your biopsy. Prayers for peace, wisdom, strength, and healing.

    Much Love,
    Kathie

  12. Dear Linny,

    Thank you so much for this blog post, I've been reading and keeping up with your blog for some time and am always encouraged by it, but this post definitely spoke to my heart. I'm currently living in the Philippines, working in an orphanage just loving on kids, however today during my shift, I was stolen from once again. I have had several things stolen in my 9 months so far, money, mp3, but this time it was my cell phone, (material I know) but it was also my main means of communication. I was so upset that someone that knew me would do this to me, that I had no means of communication when I had to go out later that evening running errands, worried about the information that might be on my cell… but I read your blog and just heard God, "See there… Linny gets it… stop worrying, I'm still in control." I don't know if I'll ever actually get my phone back.. but thank you for reminding me that our Great God is bigger than cell phones, thieves, troubles…etc… He is bigger than all of it! Thanks, God Bless, and I'm praying for you as you undergo your biopsy!

    ~ To God Be the Glory!
    Brittany

  13. Don't ya just love these kind of moments when God interrupts your day to you for Him to be glorified in the lives of others? I'm thankful that you were able to pray for "P" and just tickled and excited to see how His plans unfolds when you call the 87 year old woman tomorrow…well, yesterday. 🙂

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