A Day to Erase

Before I forget to mention it…if you haven’t done so already, PLEASE take a moment to enter this week’s book giveaway. You can do so HERE! Leslie Nease, former Survivor China contestant, is giving one of you a copy of her latest book , Wholehearted! Contest ends tonight at 9:00 pm ET!

Some days I wish there existed an eraser large enough to simply erase a day from my collection of days. Yesterday was one such day.

Now, I’m not talking about those tragic, life-altering days. I honestly wouldn’t wish them away, because in each and every case, God’s created something beautiful out of them.

I’m talking about the days where a bunch of petty things seem to go wrong. Each little issue is minor, in and of itself, but all added together makes for a pretty yucky bunch of setbacks.

I don’t know about you, but these types of days (for me) tend to revolve around people disappointing me. Either somebody has hurt my feelings (often unbeknownest to them) or someone promised something that they didn’t come through with. It may have been a harsh word spoken or a look of disinterest. It could have been an ugly sounding person on the other end of a phone call. It might have even been a child choosing to behave in a hurtful way. Whatever the case might be…those bad days for me tend to revolve around other people.

I’ve been going through a season of “tired” as I shared previously. Therefore, I tend to wear down (emotionally) a little more easily. Words spoken to me that may have been totally harmless are often taken (by me) as bitter or hurtful. Everything tends to look a little more gloomy, in general. I guess you could say, I’ve exhibited the “Eeyore syndrome” a little more often.

Yesterday caused me to slip a little further into that pit – the one I created myself. I tend to go there when I have a “woe is me” moment. I recognized my “plight” as I wandered around the grocery store yesterday evening – the last place I wanted to spend my time on a Monday night.

I mumbled – at least in my head – about how everybody kept letting me down. I just didn’t see an end to my current predicament. I actually had a little bit of Elijah’s attitude (right after the Mt Carmel events in 1 Kings 19). And then it happened…

Another embarrassing grocery store moment (I’ve had many…let me tell ya). I ran my cart into the Velveeta Mac ‘n Cheese display and knocked down three shelves FULL of boxes.It seemed to happen in slow motion.

I first realized the cart that created this mess was mine.

I then realized the bottom shelf was collapsing…then the next one…and the next…noooooooo!

By then, I just stood there and stared. I knew there was no stopping it.

The conviction came almost immediately. I had been complaining (even if only in my head) about everybody else all day long, but this time…it was all me! I think the Holy Spirit jumped on that teachable moment. I sighed rather loudly and then stooped down and started picking up the boxes. Seconds later, a lady beside me finished up a call on her cell phone and then dropped down to the floor to help me. Then, another lady joined our box re-stacking party.

I thanked each of these precious ladies for taking the time to help a tired, whiny girl out.

I laughed at how stupid the display looked, but I was thankful that we were able to scoop up all of the pieces out of the aisles to prevent someone from falling. And…I quietly thanked God for giving me a moment to remember that people only disappoint me when I let them. But, even strangers, can bring joy at just the right moment. 🙂