Cajun Hankering

Cajun: Prepared style of cooking originating among Louisianans and characterized by the use of hot seasonings

Hankering: To have a strong or persistent desire

Recently my husband, Marty, and I were driving from Florida back home to Texas after a week’s vacation celebrating our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. On our trip to Florida Marty wanted to eat a true Louisiana meal but it just didn’t work out. Consequently he had been carrying a hankering for a Louisiana Cajun meal over the entire week. As we were nearing Baton Rouge around lunch time we were determined to find the perfect restaurant.

Not realizing I was supposed to merge onto Interstate 12 from Interstate 10, I had taken us about thirty minutes out of the way while Marty was dozing. Although the scenery and experience of driving over an incredible bridge across the ocean and back across a double draw bridge was exhilarating and memorable, our hunger was coming on fast and thirty minutes felt more like an hour! We got back on track and, with the help of Urbanspoon on my cell phone, narrowed down our dining options to two choices. Pulling into the parking lot of the nearest selection Marty spotted a stylish couple getting out of their car to eat at the establishment and suggested I roll down my window and ask their opinion of the place. The kind gentleman assured us in more than a few words that we would be getting a meal to satisfy the hankering, therefore he encouraged us to stay. Taking his advice, Marty and I entered the restaurant a few minutes later unbeknownst to us that we’d be getting more than just a tasty Cajun meal.

As soon as the gentleman saw us enter he kindly insisted that we join him and his lovely wife at their table in order to converse with one another. Being drawn to the kinetic energy bursting from him we gladly accepted the invitation looking forward to an invigorating experience. After taking our hands and thanking the Lord for the meal and the opportunity for us to meet one another, they introduced themselves as Bill and Marie Hulsey from Mississippi. We took turns discussing a bit about ourselves and I was amazed at the similarities in our hobbies and talents. If you’ve ever met anyone and after ten minutes felt as though you’ve reconnected with a long lost friend, you know exactly the experience we were going through. We were inspired and ministered to and hated for the occasion to end. The Hulsey’s were the perfect example of living out the ministry of Christ while carrying out their day to day happenings; as a matter of fact, the purpose for their stopping to eat was to fill their bodies with nourishment in order to be able to fill the spirits and needs of the friends and family members they were about to encounter at the funeral of Marie’s sister to which they were headed. Talk about beauty from ashes! The Hulsey’s very lives are the testimony of their belief in and devotion to our Lord! What a blessing that my husband and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time for this amazing encounter… or did we? Was it happenstance? I think not!

What if we’d been able to find a Cajun restaurant a week earlier? What if we’d not left at the precise time that we did? What if I’d not taken the wrong road routing us thirty minutes out of the way?  I truly believe that this was a divine appointment. God had planned that day out for us and every detail that was in effect landed Marty & me and Bill & Marie at that exact place in that exact moment and was the doing of His mighty hand!  God had a hankering for the Hamms and Hulseys to commence and I am so thankful that even through a “chance” meeting, God Speaks!

Blessings, Treva Hamm