Welcome June and Welcome the Little Things!
I knew it was Memorial Day but I checked online to see if Eyemart was open. YES – they are – 9 am to 7 pm. My glasses needed adjustments, so I headed out on the 10 minutes’ drive to get there. When I pulled into the parking lot, I could see the store was dark. Ugh!
No worries – I’ll go back tomorrow. Then, I head to Sam’s to fill my car up with gas. It was 6:03 pm. I put the pump into my tank and nada – nothing happens. The attendant said “Oh, it’s a holiday. The pumps shut off at 6 pm on holidays! Ugh!
I made my way to Wal-Mart to pick up a couple of items for a potluck meal tomorrow. They were out of some of the items I needed! Ugh!
I think: “Okay, God, what lessons are you wanting me to learn today?” Then I realize it’s no lesson at all. I simply need to be aware that if I am out and about on holidays, I best be paying attention to the potential that there may be adjustments that I need to make. And one, is to stay in on a holiday and embrace the rest.
But, really, are those little things – really that little? I started thinking about the 9/11 catastrophe. I’m sure you remember but the facts tell the story. Nineteen terrorists from al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial airplanes, deliberately crashing two of the planes into the upper floors of the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center complex and a third plane into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia.
The Twin Towers ultimately collapsed because of the damage sustained from the impacts and the resulting fires. The attacks killed 2,977 people from 93 nations.
Today my lesson learned is recalling some of the stories of those who were inconvenienced and survived the disaster of 9/11:
* A company head survived 9/11 because his son started kindergarten.
* Another man was alive because it was His turn to bring donuts.
* A woman was late because her alarm clock didn’t go off in time.
* Another individual was stuck on the NJ Turnpike because of an auto accident.
* One missed his bus.
* One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change.
* Another’s car wouldn’t start.
* One individual’s foot blister made him stop to buy a band-aid.
Little aggravations and annoyances and inconveniences kept those people alive. Those “little” things represented life to those people. And that remembrance flipped the script of my day. It reminded me to respect the little things that may seem like annoying inconveniences.
What if those “little” things were God’s way of protecting us from harm and calamity? I know I harp on it a lot, but I sincerely believe, “ALL THINGS — (little and big) work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes.” Romans 8:28
So, the next time our morning seems to be going wrong, the children are slow getting dressed, they left their lunch at home, we can’t find the car keys, the phone rings, or we had to stop at another red light — may we remember that each inconvenience just might be because God is looking out for His kids. So, let’s let Him!