I'm in the middle of a remodeling project of sorts. Like most of my projects, my vision is bigger than my budget and the timeline is playing out slower than I expected. However, in the midst of extension cords, rerouting utilities and sawdust, it is one of my usual tales full of God nods, and humor. Right now the kitchen is, let's say - unavailable. This makes for interesting meal times. In response, I have become a connoisseur of grab and go foods from local stores.
I have discovered that many gas stations have really leveled up their breakfast game from coffee and donuts to hot sandwiches and all sorts of coffee embellishments. My dog Bowzer and I have a new morning routine. We head to the gas station where I make my coffee just the way I like it - half dark roast and half decaf. Then we get two breakfast sandwiches. The price is better if you buy two, so we buy one for today and one for tomorrow. When we get back home, I dismantle one of the sandwiches. First, I take off the top biscuit. Then I cut the sandwich in half. Bowzer, who is drooling puddles by now, gets one of the sausage halves. I'm not eating that whole piece of sausage because let's be honest… that's not real meat. Then I put the two sandwich halves together and eat it. The top of the biscuit gets saved for later. In a few hours I'll add some jelly to that and it will be the perfect mid-morning snack.
Last weekend, my family and I went to our cottage in Pennsylvania for a fall festival. Like every time my family joins me there, I feel like I am watching one of my dreams become a reality. It was also good to take a break from the construction at home. However, while there, the schedule with one of the service providers came into question. Fear of getting even farther behind in the schedule gnawed at me. (FYI, there are some great construction stories about the cottage. A Better View and Countertop Trash)
One of the things I like the least about myself is when I get irritated over my personal agenda and comforts being compromised. I pray to care about the things Jesus cares about and to leave the inconsequential details of my life to Him. Worrying about my construction schedule flies directly in the face of that prayer. I could feel the tension of who I am rustling against who I want to be. In addition, this was the exact same time that my friends were literally surviving Hurricane Milton. Every time I tried to pray for them I was distracted by thoughts of my project. I went to bed irritated with myself.
It was early morning and I woke up with the same thoughts. I dressed quickly and grabbed Bowzer. I needed to talk this out with Jesus and I do that better when I'm walking. We went to the ball field at the top of the hill behind our cottage. I knew there would not be anyone else up there this early so Bowzer could run and I could pray without being interrupted. I know from experience that God cares about all the stuff in my life, the big and the little. I also know He is very patient with me on His mission to refine me. So I talked to Him about all of that. I asked His continued blessing on my project, and asked Him to protect my friends. I told Him that I trusted Him with both and thanked Him. I asked Him to keep transforming me so that I see and care about what is really important. I ended the prayer by shrugging and saying out loud, "Who cares...I'll just eat at Sheetz for another week". I felt relief and peace as I walked back to my cottage.
I was almost home when my neighbor approached me. He explained how him and his wife were grateful for some help I had offered them a few weeks earlier and wanted to express their gratitude. He handed me a gift card to Sheetz. !!! I couldn't find words for the moment. I was right in the middle of a spectacular God nod, and I wanted to laugh and cry. My neighbor probably wondered what was wrong with me. I could drone on for paragraphs about the implications of what had happened. But, for the sake of my poor typing and your time I'll narrow it down to this. If I hadn't been in a stressful situation, I would not have been asking for God's help and I wouldn't have this funny and truly Providential story to tell. In hindsight, I love this story so much that the construction challenge was totally worth it. How else do I adequately and passionately tell you about the provision, detail, and humor of my God than with a personal narrative? "God, help me to always see a challenge as the front end of the next story you want me to tell about you."
I'm back home now. My friends made it through Milton, my construction is back on schedule, and me and Bowzer had our usual gas station breakfast today before I went to church. I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried. But our good good God sure can.
コメント