God’s 35,000 Feet View
It’s yesterday and it’s my birthday! And we’re on our way to I-Hop! It’s a redo of last year when my son asked where I’d like to go for my birthday. It was to I-Hop where a most charming waiter welcomed us and sang “Oh, Donna!” to me and the entire restaurant. To top it off, He was the most outgoing, out-serving waiter ever! He earned the big tip that Ryan gave him.
But now it is my birthday again, and to Carl’s ask of where I’d like to go for my birthday, of course, my answer was I-Hop! We arrive at 7:30 am and no host is around so Carl goes to the kitchen area to let someone know we are here.
Promptly the host sees us and sits us at our table of choice. We scan the 55+ menu and both of us decide on the 2+2+2 (two eggs, two meat choices and two pancakes)! The very, quite frankly, quite grumpy, non-smiling waitress takes our orders. After she leaves, I say: “Instead of being sunshine on a cloudy day, she is cloudy on a sunshine day! I guess my cheery waiter from last year isn’t here today!”
Our waitress eventually returns with our orders. Carl’s 2+2+2 (eggs, bacon, and pancakes). Mine, supposed to be the same, but is 1 egg, 1 pancake, 1 bacon slice, 1 sausage link, 1 slice of ham, 1 side of hashbrowns. I guess that was the 1+1+1+1+1+1! Hmmm!
We don’t make an ado about the inaccurate servings. After we’re about to finish our meal, the waitress returns. I tell her about my 2+2+2 order didn’t come to me, but “it’s okay”! She replies “Well, the price is the same either way” and, walks away.
That’s when my dear husband says: “Maybe her 4-year-old died yesterday, or her husband beat her on the way home right after her mother’s funeral.” Always the mind and attitude shifter, he tells me about his friend who asks just about everyone in his pathway, “Can I pray with you about something?” Apparently, it never fails that those someones usually have something to pray about. I needed that explanation. My mindset changed immediately.
Our waitress looked our way, and I signaled her to our table. I smiled as I say: “It’s my birthday today and I just want you to know that I thank you for the 1+1+1+1+1+1 meal. It was delicious.” She says, “Happy Birthday”, and I continued: “Is there is anything that I can pray with you about?” Sure, enough she says “Yes, my family!” So, I reach out, take her hand, and pray for her and her family.
At the end of the prayer, she says “Thank you” with the biggest smile. Best birthday gift ever is to see God in the moments and realize He really does “work ALL things for good, to those who love Him and ARE CALLED to His purposes.” (Romans 8:28)
The icing on the cake is when she leaves our receipt at our table and Carl sees his order that is $8.99 and my order (supposed to be the same amount), is $9.99 AND we get a charge for a side of bananas. God has a sense of humor when He is watching us scale the mountains of attitude. What I continue to learn from God AND my Carl…is our attitude determines our altitude.
Oh, the lessons we can learn by being representatives of the Royal Family. Sure, we want what we ask for, but what God wants is for His kids to rise to His level! His level enables us to see ourselves and others as the image and likeness of God – mirroring spiritually all that He is. We can learn a lot from His 35,000 feet view!