The definition of ‘luck’

CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON

“Impossible situations can become possible miracles.”

-- ROBERT H. SCHULLER

I recently made an attempt to get caught up with my paperwork.

While sorting and cleaning out some of my many paper piles, I found

an old marketing list.

I was about to throw it away when something caught my eye. There

was nothing unusual in the short list; items like paper towels,

napkins, cereal and eggs are pretty standard.

But it was the last word on the list that captured my attention.

Why would I put “luck” on my list? You can’t buy luck at a market. I

don’t think about “luck” much, so why did I write it on my list?

Then I realized that the word wasn’t “luck” at all, it was “lock.”

That made more sense because I remember needing a small travel lock

for a trip months ago.

But I thought about luck for a while. What are the first words

that come to your mind when you hear the word?

Webster’s New World Dictionary defines luck as “the seemingly

chance happening of events that affect someone.”

I asked some friends, and their answers included coincidence,

chance and good fortune. I believe more in hard work and prayer, but

another friend had a unique way of defining the word.

“I don’t believe in luck, I believe in ‘God spots,’” my friend

explained to me.

“God spots, God spots.” I said. “It’s an interesting phrase, but I

don’t think I quite understand what you mean.”

“That’s OK. Nobody does when I first say the words without

explaining myself,” she said. “That phrase came to me years ago when

I looked back over my life and saw many situations that turned out

way too good for no logical reason. There were countless times when

it seemed like God put a spotlight on events in my life that turned

around and turned out far better than can be explained by simple

luck.

“So, instead of calling them God spotlights, I just call them ‘God

spots.’ I know what I mean, and now most of my friends do too.

“Why should something as impersonal as ‘luck’ get credit for

things that I think God has orchestrated? We all have ‘God spots’ in

our life, we just don’t always take the time to look for them.”

She told me about some circumstances and relationships that made

dramatic changes for the better.

“There were times when it seemed like there was no hope, and

nothing else I could do but pray and wait and trust God,” she

explained. “So many things improved, and I am so thankful for

restored relationships. It wasn’t luck. They were miracles from God.

They were ‘God spots.’ Now when I pray about things, I remember that

God is faithful. I do my part, and trust that He will do His in the

way He sees best.”

She is right. We’ve all had ‘God spots’ in our lives.

Looking back, I see countless numbers of them, and I know that

that will be true in the future. It’s up to us to do our part, and

trust that God will do His, in the way He sees best.

And you can quote me on that.

* CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON is a Newport Beach resident who speaks

frequently to parenting groups. She may be reached via e-mail at

cindy@onthegrow.com or through the mail at 537 Newport Center Drive,

Box 505, Newport Beach, CA 92660.