Acceptance and patience....

I have to begin by saying that usually, when I am heading down the wrong path, God sends someone along to straighten me up. Not by breaking my leg or bringing famine and plague down upon me. He just points out the flaws in my thinking and gives me opportunity to redirect my paths. My most recent lesson was on the subject of PRIDE. For a really long time I was thoroughly convinced that I didn't deserve any of the horrible things that have happened to me over the past 4 years. I was mad at the world because I believed that I should have a better life than what I have. Cuz I am a GOOD person. I try my best to be a doer of the Word and please God. I put time, effort and energy into serving HIM. I had even let people use me in the name of Jesus.... and I had alot of resentment building as things have not gotten a whole lot better since the Exodus in 2003. Welllllll..... I'm sure that you can see exactly why this is prideful thinking. I had to have it explained to me. But when it was pointed out I realized that *I* am no better than anybody else and in fact JESUS suffered WAY more than I ever will and He is the ultimate GOOD PERSON. He did everything His Father told Him to do and yet His supposed "followers" crucified Him. In reality my life is NOT that bad and I have a ton of things to be thankful for.

AMEN!

Well, lately it has come to my attention that perhaps my next lesson is to be Acceptance and Patience. A lady was hired to work with me who is not as intelligent as most of us. I would say there is some mental retardation there. And I'm not trying to be facetious. That kinda goes against my generally perfectionist nature. OK - OBSESSIVELY perfectionist. I have always held to the old mantra "If you are going to do something - do it RIGHT." (And yes I mean MY definition of right.)

It's been interesting, to say the least, observing how things that aren't even the least bit important to me put her in a tizzy. Little things done right without being told are reasons for celebration. And my "pet" stuff..... all MY little ducks that *I* like to keep in a row.... mean absolutley nothing. Needless to say I have been less than patient. And not even remotely accepting.

But tonight I had to go to the grocery store for dog food. I saw this scraggly looking guy walking back and forth.... up and down the meat aisle at Piggly Wiggly. He had a patchy beard, a headband... a leather vest and a 'do that hadn't seen a hairbrush in a while. I ignored him. More than once. I even wrapped the straps of my purse around my hand an extra time when he walked by.... just in case. Then he came up to me and said "Excuse me Ma'am." I turned to see what he wanted and he gave me this interesting little smile and said "Jesus loves you." I told him thanks and that Jesus loved him too and he went on his way. I mean he disappeared. The Pig is a rather small store and this man stuck out like a sore thumb.... but as I cruised down the pet food aisle he was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he just left. Maybe he ducked into the bathroom.... all I know is that as I pushed my cart thru to the checkout the dude was GONE. But the way he smiled at me.... with this quirky, eye-twinkling, moustache-twitching grin - it was like he knew what I thought about him and other people like him. The ones who don't fit in my perfect mold. The ones that are "in my way" or may draw attention to themselves by being different. The ones who aren't perfect. (like me??? LOL) I think he was put in my way to remind me to lighten up. To accept people and be patient with those who might have handicaps....

I feel kinda embarrased for myself.

So I'll work on it..... Acceptance.

And Patience.