Be Careful What You Ask For...
What?! Are you kidding me?! I have only met this lady twice in my life!
A few weeks ago my Mom had mentioned that I was on Mrs. DooDah's Lifeline call list as she handed me keys to the lady's apartment. There was little, if any thought given to this fact since I hardly knew the woman, and my Mom assured me that I was way down on her list, like at the bottom - after the home and cell numbers for her kinfolks, my parents, and my brother.
I'm almost positive that the phrase, "Don't worry about it, you'll never be called." was used.
The next day, was the normal housecleaning/dog washing/laundry day. In other words, Friday was upon us.
I love Fridays.
Engineer is relaxed, Diva is happy, house is clean, and all is right in the world.
Plus, this time of doing mundane tasks by myself is often my best time to talk with God at length. Whereas lots of times my prayers are formal to a God who is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent; I pray for my hubby and daughter, their safety, their day, our impact on the world, forgiveness, world leaders, direction, etc. But on Fridays, it's a bit more conversational, relaxed, and personal. On this day, I prayed for God to use me in an extraordinary way.
Not 2 minutes later...
While washing the dogs I heard the phone ring. The machine got it; that's what they are for right? For answering the phone when you are up to your armpits in nasty doggy water?
Then I hear, "Lifeline...Mrs. Doodah...call the next number on the list"...and my cell phone ring.
After drying off enough to touch anything at all with an electrical current, I listened to the message and found that today was the day that Lifeline made it to the bottom of the list.
Okay, something you should know about me. I am practical in most situations - I said most.
I don't do blood, guts...really any bodily excretions - seriously without Engineer around, what would I have done when Diva was a baby? Once, a friend of Diva's came over, got her toe caught on a door that ripped off her toenail. She was about 4 at the time and wasn't even crying. I, however, was about to faint - even typing this now I feel woozy. I digress...
You can imagine the panic attack/rant that ensued. I started hollering (in between hyperventilating) about this was NOT what I meant by extraordinary! I don't know this woman! How could she put me on such a list! How could her kin, my parents, and brother not be near a phone! I don't do death! I haven't even had a bath!
There I was, driving up to her apartment with the keys in my hand that I was told would never be used, still annoyed with God, this lady, her relatives, my parents, and brother.
Walking up to her door, I was trying to mentally prepare for whatever I would find inside. I knocked on the door...nothing. I knocked again, then noticed my parents standing out front of the apartment complex. My Mom heard me hollering for her and she came running. She took over from there. Thank God for Moms who are perfectly practical in every way.
Okay, so what did we learn from this episode?
Here in this Easter season, how thankful I am that God's only Son didn't react the way I did and throw a fit when his Father gave him the keys and told Him He was on my Lifeline list.
How grateful I am that Jesus didn't try to rationalize His way out of it or let His fear and annoyance overtake His compassion and concern for me.
Such amazing grace.
Have a happy and blessed Easter!
A few weeks ago my Mom had mentioned that I was on Mrs. DooDah's Lifeline call list as she handed me keys to the lady's apartment. There was little, if any thought given to this fact since I hardly knew the woman, and my Mom assured me that I was way down on her list, like at the bottom - after the home and cell numbers for her kinfolks, my parents, and my brother.
I'm almost positive that the phrase, "Don't worry about it, you'll never be called." was used.
The next day, was the normal housecleaning/dog washing/laundry day. In other words, Friday was upon us.
I love Fridays.
Engineer is relaxed, Diva is happy, house is clean, and all is right in the world.
Plus, this time of doing mundane tasks by myself is often my best time to talk with God at length. Whereas lots of times my prayers are formal to a God who is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent; I pray for my hubby and daughter, their safety, their day, our impact on the world, forgiveness, world leaders, direction, etc. But on Fridays, it's a bit more conversational, relaxed, and personal. On this day, I prayed for God to use me in an extraordinary way.
Not 2 minutes later...
While washing the dogs I heard the phone ring. The machine got it; that's what they are for right? For answering the phone when you are up to your armpits in nasty doggy water?
Then I hear, "Lifeline...Mrs. Doodah...call the next number on the list"...and my cell phone ring.
After drying off enough to touch anything at all with an electrical current, I listened to the message and found that today was the day that Lifeline made it to the bottom of the list.
Okay, something you should know about me. I am practical in most situations - I said most.
I don't do blood, guts...really any bodily excretions - seriously without Engineer around, what would I have done when Diva was a baby? Once, a friend of Diva's came over, got her toe caught on a door that ripped off her toenail. She was about 4 at the time and wasn't even crying. I, however, was about to faint - even typing this now I feel woozy. I digress...
You can imagine the panic attack/rant that ensued. I started hollering (in between hyperventilating) about this was NOT what I meant by extraordinary! I don't know this woman! How could she put me on such a list! How could her kin, my parents, and brother not be near a phone! I don't do death! I haven't even had a bath!
There I was, driving up to her apartment with the keys in my hand that I was told would never be used, still annoyed with God, this lady, her relatives, my parents, and brother.
Walking up to her door, I was trying to mentally prepare for whatever I would find inside. I knocked on the door...nothing. I knocked again, then noticed my parents standing out front of the apartment complex. My Mom heard me hollering for her and she came running. She took over from there. Thank God for Moms who are perfectly practical in every way.
Okay, so what did we learn from this episode?
- Don't accept being put onto someone's Lifeline (even at the bottom of the list) unless you are prepared to deal with the potential consequences.
- Be careful what you ask for from God because He will decide how best to use you that day - and it may not be the task you were expecting.
- Learn from how you deal with what does come your way. I did not deal with this situation well at all; my fear and annoyance overtook my compassion and concern. My Mom later told me how appreciative the lady was and how safe that made her feel that I would come to her aid even though I hardly knew her. How convicted was I?!
Here in this Easter season, how thankful I am that God's only Son didn't react the way I did and throw a fit when his Father gave him the keys and told Him He was on my Lifeline list.
How grateful I am that Jesus didn't try to rationalize His way out of it or let His fear and annoyance overtake His compassion and concern for me.
Such amazing grace.
Have a happy and blessed Easter!
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