Sharing a Sunflower Cookie with My Photobomb

How's that for a post title? lol  The other day I shared this photo on Instagram and Facebook.

The Pirate was interviewing for a job downtown so I tagged along so I could do some walking. The temps hadn't gotten high but it was already quite humid. After walking from the Legislative Building to the other end of downtown I stopped into Starbucks for something cold to drink. The Peach Green Tea Lemonade was amazing. If you read yesterday's post you know sunflowers remind me of my friend in Arizona, Deb. Starbuck's had one sunflower cookie and I just had to buy it. I had no intention of eating it and every intention of using it as a photo prop to send to Deb. After capturing this shot I decided I wanted one with more of a downtown flavor to it. I raised my camera, focused the lens, placed my finger on the button, pressed down and......got a surprise. Yes, is was a photobomb surprise which is on the 2014 Photography Scavenger Hunt list but there was an even bigger surprise, I knew the bomber!!

Now people from my church will automatically know who this is. A is a church member with special needs. As she quickly moved away from me I thought about calling her name...and didn't. I thought about how much she loves sweets....but didn't get up. I felt guilty as I watched her cross to the other side of the street mid block. I knew I wouldn't be able to catch her. I wrapped the cookie up and thought it would be a nice treat for the Pirate after his interview. As I stood up to start the walk back, I noticed A about 2 blocks down back on my side of the street. Okay, maybe I can catch her, I thought. The next thing I see is her going into ChikFilA and I am not following her in. I had been having a little back and forth conversation with God. I had felt him pushing me to connect with her and I had felt myself pulling back. A can be a bit consuming at times and I selfishly didn't want to get caught up in her day.  I silently said "God, I am not following A into ChikFilA if You want her to have this cookie she's going to have to come out before I pass the door!" Eight feet before I reached the "off the hook" mark A walked out and sat at a table with her tea. "Okay, God, I've got it."  I stood in front of A saying hello to her by name, connected her to who I was and how we knew each other and spent maybe 10 minutes chatting with her about her routine, her uncertain living arrangement and her singing in the church choir. She asked about my vacation plans and why I don't sing in the choir...God gave me not a tad of that gift. As I wound up our conversation, I mentioned the cookie, that I had no plans to eat it, that I remembered she loved sweets...did she want it?  Her face lit up and she happily said she would. As she bit into it I told her I would see her Sunday and to have a nice day and she said wait and then A gave me a gift, a sweet hug and a blessing from God. 

I so would have loved to have had Deb sitting out in the sun with me enjoying tea and sunflower cookies but since that couldn't happen I am glad I got photo bombed by A and that God led me and the sunflower to her down the street.

* another serendipitous moment...as I typed this, Gnomeo and Juliet came on the TV, gnomes are also on the scavenger list  ;)