Check It Out:  When God Winks
By: Squire Rushnell

I’ve never really had a good word to replace it with but the idea of “random occurances with seeming connections” has always seemed a little too pat and comfortable to me.  I suppose it’s a logical conclusion if the idea of God makes you uncomfortable; randomness is a nice cover for God.

The first half of the book is intended to convince you that life isn’t random but all these little coincidences are planned out (I didn’t exactly need that lecture myself), and that they serve a purpose.  That was something I hadn’t considered before.    Rushnell’s theory is that coincidences act like markers – the more of them that you encounter the more likely you are walking on the right path, making the right choices.  Now that I think about it though it makes perfect sense.

The second half of the book is a collection of stories on coincidences – think Chicken Soup for the Soul.  I love coincidences.  I love stories.  There are two more books that follow this one (When God Winks at You and When God Winks on Love) which (as far as I know) are exclusively collections of coincidence stories.  I wouldn’t mind reading them.

This book was such a simple read (even if it did take me forever to finish it – I kept putting it off), it’s really just an afternoon’s read.  I’m glad I read it, but it wasn’t exactly earth moving for me.  It’s too bad my library didn’t have it.

Hmm…  I don’t think I’ll carry the term “God Winks” into my everyday life (coincidence will just have to do for now) but I like the idea – God winking at you.  It’s not such a far off idea, I can’t tell you how many teachings I’ve heard that God will always give “confirmation” when you are hearing him.  What’s more confirmation than a seeming random coincidence?