Chase's Reserved Chair
Please pull your chair a little closer to your computer screen and visualize your chair as being one that I have reserved especially for you and ONLY you!! When I know that someone else truly cares, that really touches me. Now, I am going to share something with you that is very tender and precious to my heart. It's a true story, and I always love sharing it.
This following experience is what I call a God-incidence, and I really know that He has touched me.
My definition of a God-incidence is God doing something from a means of His acting anonymous. This is one of those occurrences which has helped me to learn a valuable and treasured lesson.
Chase's Reserved Chair
Continuing to recover from alcoholism, since July 11, 1987, I have remained sober and meet regularly with others who are recovering from alcoholism. Many years ago, I was at an evening meeting, and I strongly knew that I was reserving a chair. It was the chair next to me at the table--for someone who would arrive later. I cannot recall if I knew who I eventually wanted to be siting there, but I definitely knew that I was saving it for someone. God KNEW, and it wouldn't be until a month or so later that I would discover why that reserved chair event was so vitally important.
While I was reserving that single chair, an acquaintance arrived. The meeting hadn't started yet, and I said "Hi, I've been saving this chair for you." Then, I pulled it out for him to sit down. I was somewhat surprised, because although I had been saving the chair, I didn't really realize why. He seemed rather emotional, but he sat down and remained there through the whole meeting. We went our separate ways after the meeting ended.
A month or so later, Hank, my new friend asked me if I could remember the night that I had saved a chair for him at the meeting. I told him that I did, amazingly, remember that night. Also, I told him that, prior to his arrival that night, I didn't really know who I had in mind for saving that chair, but that I was glad that he remembered the incident. Hank smiled at me and told me that there was a lot more happening that night other than just a story about a vacant chair.
As I listened to him share what had occurred, I was almost speechless, and I felt a genuine sense of purpose for my life. My friend told me that prior to coming into the building that night, he had been extremely suicidal and that he had taken a gun, with him, before getting into his car. He continued sharing that, while in his car, he decided to stop at the meeting place, and his intent was NOT to stay for the meeting but just to go in (for some other purpose) and then to return to his car. Hank said that when I told him that I was saving that chair for him, he didn't have the courage to say "no." He continued sharing with me, that during that same meeting, he realized he had more living to do and he knew that he didn't want to die.
A few years later, he very successfully went through major heart surgery and fully recovered. My friend, Hank, was very instrumental in helping countless others since that night and for the rest of his life. I greatly treasured our bond of genuine friendship. Whenever I think of him or when I would see his million-dollar smile, I would and still do feel blessed by God for using a simple chair with an intuitive thought for me to express:
"I've been saving this chair for you."
I don't know of any greater experience than to feel God's miracle of being a link to life and to the wonderful people who are in it. I truly thank God for sparing my friend's life that night and for showing me that miracles happen--even when we are simply reserving an empty chair.
(UPDATED NOTE: My friend, Hank, went to Heaven in May of 2016.)
Thank you for sharing in the continuation of this story.
Whenever you have a vacant chair next to you, please tell whoever comes along that you've been saving it for him or for her. I truly love knowing when others benefit from this very simple act of kindness.
Copyright © 1998-2024--Chase (chase4ever+webaf@gmail.com). All rights reserved.
"Welcome to this chair that I've been saving for you!!"
Thank you for relaxing in this chair that has been
reserved especially for wonderful you.
Chase
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Chase's Tears of Joy
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Chase's Turtle Story
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Chase's Awards From Others Page #1
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Chase's Favorite Links
Chase's Recognition at Cybertown
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Chase's Wonderful Dad and His Love
Chase's Birthday Gift for You on Your Birthday
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