Last Night I Hugged A Wal-Mart Checker

I’ve written a new country song!  It’s entitled; Last Night I Hugged A Wal-Mart Checker!  You like it already don’t you?  So what in the world is this post doing on our adoption blog? Well this is what you get when you ask me to guest post…let me explain.

Last night Christy and I had date night, you know, when you have kids and they are out of town so you go to Wal-Mart together to grocery shop; date night.  Don’t you ever doubt that a turn down the detergent aisle can’t turn into a stroll down lover’s lane in an instant!  That honeysuckle’s embrace scented fabric softener is POWERFUL!

As we were checking out we noticed that our checker had a strong accent and very unique name, we’ll call her “G”.  Christy asked her where she was from and she answered, “a country in central Africa .”  That started one of the most fulfilling conversations I’ve had in a long time.  She gave us her inspiring story of how she came here as a refugee knowing no English and nobody, because her country was in civil war.  A foster family took her in until she was 18 and she has stayed here ever since.  We had a good laugh at her misunderstandings of our English slangs’ specifically her recent investigation into what a “Sugar Daddy” was!

Eventually we told her we were adopting from Ghana and the conversation blossomed even more as “G” told us how her country was very close to there.  Christy then asked her about the hearing aids she was wearing.  She was interested in know if “G” was able to get them while in her country or once she got to the U.S.   “G” said there was no way she could ever have something like that where she came from but when she got here her foster family help her get fitted and treated.  Then Christy told her we were willing to accept a deaf child as well, and we all had a little moment right then and there in the Wal-Mart check-out aisle.

As we finished up, and I’m pretty sure much to the amazement of the line that was growing longer and longer, “G” stepped out from behind the check-out counter and insisted on giving both of us hug before we left.

It was an awesome time!  I was seriously considering going back and throwing more canned goods on the belt to keep the conversation going, but the Dave Ramsey in me and restless customers, won out.  I figured 6 extra candy bars and enough breath mints to last me till November was enough. I never would have thought I could have such a moment in Wal-Mart.  I mean I’ve even been tagged as a Wal-Mart hater before.  But last night it was obvious God was speaking to us, he had plans for us to be in that line, at that time, to have that conversation.   

What’s interesting is, on the way there Christy had shared with me how she felt strongly the devil had been attacking her.  She said that earlier in the week she encountered a sense of fear about where we were adopting from and all the things that could go wrong went running through her mind.  But last night as I was sharing the Wal-Mart story with a friend his words brought the whole night together, he said, “Tyson that conversation that happened was God’s affirmation to you that this adoption is good.”  He made that statement not even knowing the spiritual warfare Christy had been battling.

God is speaking to us all around us and all the time.  We just have to be in tune to hear it.

Last night  -  I hugged  -  a Wal-Mart checkeeerrr….  

Till She Is Home,

Tyson Brown