I must preface this post with a disclaimer. This incident actually happened to me months ago, and I was so struck by God's message for me that I wrote it down instant it happened - I was in my car at the time (I pulled into a parking lot before I wrote it down). I then left the paper in my car to remind me of this message; however, the nugget of wisdom soon found its way into the soccer ball/fast food wrappers/spare socks flotsam and jetsam that is my minivan. I forgot about it until a few days ago when I stumbled upon it while cleaning out my car. Not only was God's message just as powerful as it was in July, but it seemed He purposely hid the scrap of paper in my car for "such a time as this". Here's the story:
I was running errands in Norman last July during the period of monsoon rain that left the metro area flooded. I was grumpy because I hate to drive in the rain, and I was visiting my attorney. Double whammy. However, I needed to stop by the bank first. I stopped at a red light on Main street, and orange construction signs glared through the rain mist and stared at me from across the intersection. As soon as I crossed the intersection, my lane was going to close and I would have to merge left (not an easy feat to do in Norman in the rain). I fretted for the duration of the red light on how to merge to the left, inwardly griping about my bad luck. The light turned green and I started to move. I turned on my left turn signal blinker hoping to catch the sympathy of the cars beside me when something caught the corner of my eye - my bank. I was so distracted by the construction signs and so worried about how to change lanes, I failed to notice that the bank was right beside me. I didn't have to merge left at all; I just had to turn right. It struck me then and there that I focus much of my energy on the orange construction signs of life. I fret and worry about obstacles that I may never have to face, and ignore the blessings that may be right beside me. I find that if I just keep my eyes on God, He is more than capable of navigating me through the road construction in my life.
When I found this paper again, I was feeling exhaustingly overwhelmed. Between teaching high school five days a week, teaching college one night week, and being a mom 24/7, I felt like I was drowning in an ocean with nothing to hold onto but an anchor. My own story reminded me not to worry about the future because it is God's control. "Give us THIS day our daily bread". And I remember to slow down, breathe, and take this journey one day at a time.
