Today has been "one of those days". First, I was running late to everything...which, if you know me, is nothing terribly new--so I really shouldn't count that as part of today's "badness". However, I believe my tardiness added to the first major annoyance of the day. Running late and lost on OSU campus this morning, I finally figured out where I needed to be headed--and I was going in the opposite direction. Turning around on the nearest street, I realized I was driving the wrong way down a one way street. I quickly turned into the nearest alley, only to be followed by a police man. Where did he come from?!!! I still haven't figured that out! The first thing he asked me was, "Do you realize you were driving the wrong way on a one-way street?" Seriously, are police trained to ask the most idiodic questions possible? Of course I realized that! I resisted every urge to be sarcastic and threw down my helpless female card. He was very nice and didn't give me a ticket, but warned me to "be careful in the future"...like I was on some crime-spree, driving like an upstreaming salmon down every one way street I could find. Arrrrgghhhhh....
Then, I had a wonderful lunch with some kids who used to be in my youth group (before they got old and I got even older!). Of course, I parked on the busiest street in Columbus, at a parking meter with a one-hour limit. I figured we were all on a tight enough time schedule that I would easily be back in an hour. Well, I got to talkin'...and showed up at my car one hour and 13 minutes later. Guess who had a ticket? Yeah. It was me...$20 worth of ticket. Seriously, TWENTY DOLLARS. That is $1.54 for each minute over an hour. Is the city of Columbus repaving a lot of roads or something, because that seems like a lot of money.
Perhaps there are days when you're destined to have a run in with the law. I had two such encounters in less than an hour and a half. A pastor and a rebel...that's me.
The rest of the day was filled with lots of other mishaps and mayhem. I won't bore you. But I will say, if you are going to get your two dogs groomed at Petsmart--and if you decide to purchase the "top dog" package--pick a day where there aren't unrelenting torrential downpours and flood warnings. Ariel and Pepper looked really cute parading their newly-groomed selves around the store. By the time we got to the car, it was all a distant memory. Ahhhh, the smell of wet dog in the car...truly, a joy for all ages.
We've all had those days...the days where everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. I think some people call that "Murphy's Law"; however, since one of my dearest friends from college had the last name 'Murphy', I've hated the idea of associating bad things with that name. There are probably just some days where it's better to stay in bed...unfortunately, I got up...
It makes me think of a phrase I've heard pastors say (at different times, in different ways): "Nothing is wasted in God's economy". The things that seem pointless and lost to us...well, that's just our limited perspective, really. Certainly, God brings good out of all things (even the annoyingly bad days). A lot of Scripture promises God will restore and redeem all that seems lost--but especially Romans 8:28, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." I love this passage in the Message paraphrase (starting back a little further, with verse 26):
Romans 8:26-30 (The Message)
Then, I had a wonderful lunch with some kids who used to be in my youth group (before they got old and I got even older!). Of course, I parked on the busiest street in Columbus, at a parking meter with a one-hour limit. I figured we were all on a tight enough time schedule that I would easily be back in an hour. Well, I got to talkin'...and showed up at my car one hour and 13 minutes later. Guess who had a ticket? Yeah. It was me...$20 worth of ticket. Seriously, TWENTY DOLLARS. That is $1.54 for each minute over an hour. Is the city of Columbus repaving a lot of roads or something, because that seems like a lot of money.
Perhaps there are days when you're destined to have a run in with the law. I had two such encounters in less than an hour and a half. A pastor and a rebel...that's me.
The rest of the day was filled with lots of other mishaps and mayhem. I won't bore you. But I will say, if you are going to get your two dogs groomed at Petsmart--and if you decide to purchase the "top dog" package--pick a day where there aren't unrelenting torrential downpours and flood warnings. Ariel and Pepper looked really cute parading their newly-groomed selves around the store. By the time we got to the car, it was all a distant memory. Ahhhh, the smell of wet dog in the car...truly, a joy for all ages.
We've all had those days...the days where everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. I think some people call that "Murphy's Law"; however, since one of my dearest friends from college had the last name 'Murphy', I've hated the idea of associating bad things with that name. There are probably just some days where it's better to stay in bed...unfortunately, I got up...
It makes me think of a phrase I've heard pastors say (at different times, in different ways): "Nothing is wasted in God's economy". The things that seem pointless and lost to us...well, that's just our limited perspective, really. Certainly, God brings good out of all things (even the annoyingly bad days). A lot of Scripture promises God will restore and redeem all that seems lost--but especially Romans 8:28, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." I love this passage in the Message paraphrase (starting back a little further, with verse 26):
Romans 8:26-30 (The Message)
"Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun."
I'm not sure what that all means for each individual life, but think it has something to do with loving God and trying your best to be His person in this world; if that is your focus, then everything has meaning and purpose...even those grumpy, cranky, police-chase days; Somehow, God is using all of it to bring us closer to Him. So, we can be thankful, even in the midst of the crap...because God is at work, behind the scenes of what seems pointless and lame...doing something that no human could understand or imagine.
Really, that means we should be grateful--even on the bad days--for what is coming from God's Hand, remembering that we have limited, faltering vision. I'm not quite thankful for today yet, but after some serious sleep--and if the grumpies residing in my soul will pack up and go home--I may see it all in a better light. I like that phrase: "Nothing is lost in God's economy". According to that logic, even today had a purpose and a point. That's a good thing to know, even when you don't especially feel it.
God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun."
I'm not sure what that all means for each individual life, but think it has something to do with loving God and trying your best to be His person in this world; if that is your focus, then everything has meaning and purpose...even those grumpy, cranky, police-chase days; Somehow, God is using all of it to bring us closer to Him. So, we can be thankful, even in the midst of the crap...because God is at work, behind the scenes of what seems pointless and lame...doing something that no human could understand or imagine.
Really, that means we should be grateful--even on the bad days--for what is coming from God's Hand, remembering that we have limited, faltering vision. I'm not quite thankful for today yet, but after some serious sleep--and if the grumpies residing in my soul will pack up and go home--I may see it all in a better light. I like that phrase: "Nothing is lost in God's economy". According to that logic, even today had a purpose and a point. That's a good thing to know, even when you don't especially feel it.
1 comment:
Thanks for the shout-out, and for sticking up for my often maligned name. :) Miss you tons, hope your days have gotten bettern, and just know that a parking ticket in Chicago is $75. An I know they aren't repaving the roads anytime soon here... Miss you! Amy
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