Imet my daughter-in-law at a local gift shop recently to see what hopefully would be an inspiration piece for me to use to paint a canvas for her new office.
he was dressed nicely and had a name badge on from her place of work. We stood at the checkout counter (located toward the middle of the store and she laid the inspiration piece down on the counter for us to look at) and chatted and talked and giggled and laughed for maybe 10 minutes. Part of that time there was a lady standing there waiting to check out.
After a while my DIL and I moseyed over to the front door and stood there chit-chatting for a couple of minutes. Quite suddenly we were interrupted by the young lady standing over at the counter saying to us in a somewhat (she had been very patient, mind you) loud, rather impatient tone, "I am in a hurry and really need to check out."
I was wondering why in the world she was telling us but my more astute DIL realized that she thought my DIL was the clerk and had been standing there listening to our girlish, silly giggling and carrying on for the better part of 5 to 7 minutes. So DIL quickly responded, "I'm sorry but I do not work here."
Since we were headed out the door, we really didn't see the lady's reaction but she did apologize when she came out a couple of mintues later and we were still involved in our trivia.
All that to say this: I would hope that in a similar situation I would have been as patient as that young lady was. I wonder what would have been going on in my gut if that had been me. Stewing??? fuming?? fretting??? I hope not but maybe, maybe probably, probably surely even if I didn't say anything.
Psalm 37:8 makes a very interesting statement about fretting. It says:
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret — it leads only to evil.
Wow! That is a powerful statement. Fretting--it leads ONLY to evil. How often we rationalize our fretting but God doesn't. He makes it clear in His Word that it is wrong. Can't you just see where that story COULD have led if that lady had not kept her semi-cool?
God forgive me for fretting and help me to delight myself in You.
Just as I needed an "inspiration piece" from which to paint the canvas, the Bible should be our "inspiration piece" urging us on to victoriouos living, painting a daily picture of hope, joy, love, and in this case, patience, for the world to view as a masterpiece from God's creative hand.
he was dressed nicely and had a name badge on from her place of work. We stood at the checkout counter (located toward the middle of the store and she laid the inspiration piece down on the counter for us to look at) and chatted and talked and giggled and laughed for maybe 10 minutes. Part of that time there was a lady standing there waiting to check out.
After a while my DIL and I moseyed over to the front door and stood there chit-chatting for a couple of minutes. Quite suddenly we were interrupted by the young lady standing over at the counter saying to us in a somewhat (she had been very patient, mind you) loud, rather impatient tone, "I am in a hurry and really need to check out."
I was wondering why in the world she was telling us but my more astute DIL realized that she thought my DIL was the clerk and had been standing there listening to our girlish, silly giggling and carrying on for the better part of 5 to 7 minutes. So DIL quickly responded, "I'm sorry but I do not work here."
Since we were headed out the door, we really didn't see the lady's reaction but she did apologize when she came out a couple of mintues later and we were still involved in our trivia.
All that to say this: I would hope that in a similar situation I would have been as patient as that young lady was. I wonder what would have been going on in my gut if that had been me. Stewing??? fuming?? fretting??? I hope not but maybe, maybe probably, probably surely even if I didn't say anything.
Psalm 37:8 makes a very interesting statement about fretting. It says:
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret — it leads only to evil.
Wow! That is a powerful statement. Fretting--it leads ONLY to evil. How often we rationalize our fretting but God doesn't. He makes it clear in His Word that it is wrong. Can't you just see where that story COULD have led if that lady had not kept her semi-cool?
God forgive me for fretting and help me to delight myself in You.
Just as I needed an "inspiration piece" from which to paint the canvas, the Bible should be our "inspiration piece" urging us on to victoriouos living, painting a daily picture of hope, joy, love, and in this case, patience, for the world to view as a masterpiece from God's creative hand.
Proverbs 19:11
11 A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to
overlook an offense.
Colossians 3:12
12 Therefore, as God's chosen
people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness,
humility, gentleness and patience.
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience , kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23
gentleness and self-control.
Photos:
Picture of Carol's tiffany lamp
Picture of morning light shining on my mother-in-law's old Bible given to her in 1941 by my father-in-law
Post Note: My heart grieves with all those who lost family or friends to the terror of 9/11. May God give you comfort and peace on this day of remembrance for them.
