If you have ever shuffled through a deck of cards you know that each deck has 2 jokers. Typically these are the first cards we ever play with, tossed aside as our parents, older siblings or cousins deal out their game hands and feign inclusion to the youngsters in attendance. These cards can be comically or terrifyingly illustrated or they can be true to life.  Sometimes even plain with just the letter “J” instead of an actual clown or jester. The illustrations and notes on each set vary. Even with jokers of the same deck, often no two are exactly the same. Each Joker will have certain strengths and weaknesses. The cards may even look different. The funny thing is that they are actually there for a reason, in some games the Joker beats every other card. In some instances they are the solid stand in, replacing lost or damaged cards. In other games they are assigned as the Wild Card and a card that is fully wild can be designated by its holder as any card they choose with no restrictions.

Recently Jeff & I attended a party where an artist had made her own “deck of cards”.  She brought a set of 52 black 5×7 cards of random drawings and doodles with funny sayings or jokes on them. As she met new people, she would hold the cards face down and have you pick a card at will. Whatever chance decided was your fate. For one friend it was “Where is my mind?” to another friends utter dismay it was “Finger Banger”.  The deck looked a little short to start with, she had been to a few parties already.

Round the group it went and when it got to my turn, I chose wisely. I read my card aloud, “Mouths Don’t Get Pregnant”.  This is especially hilarious as I mention that I have both heard and said this in my life.  As I am often the one asking if people are really, really sure they are ready to have babies as well as offering options for not.   We all laughed and she signed our cards. I thought it an extremely fun idea for parties and a great conversation starter but that is not the reason I am sharing this with you.

The reason I am sharing this is that in the middle of this outrageous display of what can loosely be called “interactive art” the Universe let me know yet again that I have met my match. While the above shenanigans were going down, Jeff had been inside the house, completely unaware.  Eventually he wandered back up to the patio and met the artist and her infamous deck.

The artist fanned out her cards face down, he chose at random and what he pulled out was one of the only 2 double-sided cards in the deck.  The ‘Jokers’ as it were.  These two double-sided cards did not happen to have the same drawings on them, just were the only 2 double-sided cards.  The first side, was all his.  It said “I’m so lonely” and had a cactus on it.  (If you know Jeff than you understand why this is appropriate for him.  Prickly yet sensitive.  My sweet and Sour Patch Kid.)

However the back side was where our message lay.  Even with jokers, often no two are exactly the same. They each have certain strengths and weaknesses. They even look different.

The funny thing is that they are actually there for a reason, in some games they beat every other card.  Jeff and I went through several rounds of “other cards” before we found our winner in each other.

In some instances Jokers are the solid stand in, replacing lost or damaged cards.  Jeff stood in for me with our son when I was lost and damaged.

In other games they are assigned as the Wild Card and a card that is fully wild can be designated by its holder as any card they choose with no restrictions.  This is where we are now.  We are Wild Cards.  Jeff is my Joker, my King and my Ace.

For the rest of the evening I marveled at the synchronicity of our selections.  I would return to the wonder of why we picked the same drawing.  How could that have happened?  How many other people pulled cards before us?  What are the chances that we would pull basically the same card?  Most of this I will never know.  Maybe He was letting us know that He had us in His deck and we were meant to be.  Maybe it was just tiny notice that He is always watching over us.  That His hand is on us, always.  Maybe God wanted to give us a little heads up that we are where we are supposed to be with exactly who we are supposed to be with.

Or maybe we just really needed the reminder,

Mouths don’t get pregnant.