Another Parking Lot Miracle

You know it’s funny. Miracles can happen anytime and anywhere, but for me, the parking lot is where it’s at. And on Fridays. Yes, I’ve experienced not one, but TWO, miracles that happened on Friday in the parking lot. I wrote about my parking lot miracle last week, and today I’d like to share with you another good one, The Mister’s Parking Lot Miracle.

This story began almost 2 years ago when we were at the church’s small group meeting, praying for The Mister who just celebrated his birthday the day before. Our friends asked him what he’d like them to pray about. He said, “well, I’ll be 32 this year, and I have everything to be thankful for thus far. But there’s one dream that still seems impossible for me, and that’s to meet Karl Malone.”

Roaring laughter broke across the room. It’s no secret that the Mister is a huge fan of the NBA star. The Mister is probably his #1 trading card collector in Asia, if not the world (yes, his collection is massive! It’s fact that still shocks me until today.) He continued to say, “I know it’s weird, but wouldn’t it be nice if I could connect with Karl in person? I mean, it seems so impossible that if it were ever to happen, it would definitely be a favor from God.” Well, our friends prayed for him about it, while stifling giggles, no less. But his 32nd year of life passed by and we didn’t think about that prayer anymore.

Until Friday, the 18th of October 2013.

We just had dinner at Penang Bistro to celebrate M1 and M2’s birthday. It was M1’s real birthday that conveniently fell on a Friday. We had invited the big family for a little gathering to sing “Happy Birthday” for M1 and also for M2 who just had his birthday a week earlier.

After our bellies we full and the grandparents began to feel like they were ready to turn in, we left the restaurant, waved goodbye to the grandparents while some of us stayed back to still continue chatting in the parking lot.

It was close to 9.30 pm and that’s when The Mister received a phone call. He hesitated for a while because, well, it was an unknown number, late on a Friday night, but he took the call anyway. I overheard him speaking in English and I couldn’t read the expression on his face. “Who is it?” I mouthed to him. He mouthed something back I didn’t understand. He covered the receiver a little and said: “it’s Karl Malone!”

WHATTTTTT???!!! GET OUT OF TOWN!!!

“Are you sure?” I asked him with a puzzled look on my face. My brother asked me what’s going on. I told him, and he said “PRANK CALL!”

The Mister pressed the speaker button, and that’s when we heard the southern drawl in the deep voice. My brother, who was skeptical just a few seconds earlier, said: “wow, it really is him!” So naturally, none of us left the parking lot! We just stayed there to eavesdrop on that miraculous conversation!

At this point, you might be asking, how in the heck did that happen? Well, there’s no better way to say it than the truth, which was, of course, the favor of God! It turns out that Karl got up that day wanting to do something nice, so he just decided to pick up the phone and call someone halfway across the world! I mean, really, who does that?

And how did he get The Mister’s number? Well, apparently, the Mister had been tweeting Mrs. Malone (stalker quality!) and hashtagging and mentioning her on Instagram, until one day she “followed” him and he DM-ed her his contact details, just in case, with fingers crossed.

Miracles have a funny way of showing up. But if we can draw a lesson out of all of this, it would be this:  Do the possible and leave God to do the impossible. God is good, and His favor rains down on all those who love Him.

Thank you, Mr & Mrs. Karl Malone, for the beautiful surprise and for making The Mister sleep with a hanger in his mouth for weeks.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8 NKJV).