A Slower Pace

Last Tuesday, I had a day I’ve been meaning to blog about. It started with a 5:30am wake up so I could exercise and get some cardio done. I was going to work out on the elliptical machine and watch the rest of the Monday Night Football Cowboys-Bears game that I am too old to stay up late to watch.

As I got down to the bottom of the stairs, I was greeted with a present the dog had left behind…..or should I say from its behind. And that wasn’t all. Around the corner was another, and another further on, and another. The dog poops numbered 8 or 10 and it took me about 20 minutes to mark them, pick them up, and clean the tile floor. Aren’t I lucky it was on the tile floor. I like silver linings.

Obviously that hosed my cardio workout. I flipped on the football game so at least I had something to watch while I was cleaning up crap. However, the same thing was on TV. The Cowboys were playing like crap and I had to endure watching their pathetic loss.

My time in the basement was wasted, so I went upstairs to have breakfast. I was looking forward to my croissants turning around my day. One of my favourite breakfasts is two croissants with strawberry jam and a tall glass of milk to go along with my Bible devotion reading. My daughter K was up getting ready for her day and she asked me about all the activity in the basement this morning. I explained both “craps” – dog and football – and used it as a teachable moment. Rather than complain, I was determined to not let determine my mood or day. While it is not how I wanted to start my day, I explained that while things may happen to us, it is under our control how we respond. I then reminded her of the Bible verse (paraphrased here) to “Be joyful in all things” — which is actually 1 Thessalonians 5:16 “Be joyful always”.

I then proceeded to fix my breakfast and sit down at the table with my devotions. I had it all arranged and proceeded with my prayers. As I said “Amen” and opened my eyes, I noticed spots on my croissants. These were the last two croissants and they both had mold on them. Ugh! I tossed them in the garbage and pathetically laughed wondering what was next but also trying to live out the example I had just told my daughter. “Be joyful always”.

I proceeded to make some oatmeal — probably a healthier alternative to my croissants. As I opened a new gallon of milk the safety seal on it broke and I had to use a knife to puncture the foil. Just one more thing — and by that time we were both chuckling.

My breakfast ready, I re-sat back up to the table and opened my Bible and devotional. It was from 1 Corinthians 10:1-10 which talks about warnings from Israel’s history – one of which was complaining or grumbling. K heard me say that and then excitedly said that the morning was a “God” moment. I had all these opportunities to complain or whine about how my day started but I was not. She thought the timing of my devotions was very neat, given all the hiccups from the morning.

I wasn’t as surprised as she was because I know God frequently shows up in times just like these. Not in the stained glass. Not in the quiet church. But in the challenges of our day and in the struggles — large or small.

Be joyful always!

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net