Monday, November 3, 2014

CRYING OVER SPILLED COFFEE


No, not milk.

COFFEE!

OK, so the other day I started things out with a visit to a certain fast food establishment (they just might decorate with golden arches…).  You see, there's this delicious Iced Coffee drink that I buy there.  I love it.  It's like a heavy-duty dose of adrenaline in a cup.  I'm not sure if it's the caffeine or the "liquid sugar" they use – but it's effective.

At least for about three hours.  

Then I crash off that caffeinated cliff into the abyssal chasm of low blood sugar.  And look for the nearest couch to doze off on.

So, after mumbling into the voice box order thing – and being helped by another mumbler – I finally drove off with my treasure.  For a while anyway. Until I turned a sharp corner, kinda fast.

It was then that I realized that I had placed the very large plastic cup in the wrong cup holder.  It was in the loose one, not the snug one.

Well, the walls came a-tumbling down.

Yup.

Coffee spilled all over my console, the side of the console, the passenger seat, the doormats, and all the way down to the nice carpet underneath the doormats.  Grrrr!  I'm not sure whether I was more upset over the spillage, or the loss of even one measly teaspoon of my liquid energy.

Since I was rather close to home, I decided to drive there to clean up the mess.

Several miles later, I arrived – only to see (finally) that I had driven the entire distance with my emergency brake on.  More grrrr…

Let me tell you, there is nothing finer than the odiferous smell of coffee, cream, liquid sugar, and burnt rubber to start your day!

OK, so I finally got everything cleaned up.

And then I was off again.

Of course, I dropped the keys before getting back (for the second time) into the driver's seat.  And, of course, they fell under the car so I had to crawl and maneuver myself under the chassis.  Boys and girls, my chassis isn't what it used to be, so this wasn't pretty.

Little did I know that this auspicious beginning was only the *warm-up* to a series of minor catastrophes.  (Is "minor catastrophe" an oxymoron? Or maybe I'm just stuck on the word moron here…)

Catastrophes like how I went to the bank the next day expecting them to open at 9:00 AM.  Only to find out that this particular branch opens at 10 AM.  Like how I went to another branch, only to find out that they also open at 10 AM.  What??  That whole phrase "banker's hours" is starting to make more sense to me.  Used to be that the bank was open from 9 AM – 6 PM.  Oh no, not anymore.  These two branches were only open from 10 AM – 4 PM.

What's next?  

Are they going to start charging us money to use our money??  Oh wait, they already do that…

Stand, stand for like 20 minutes.  Wait, wait for them to open the doors. Stand, stand inside.  Wait, wait for my turn.

Then off and running again.


I decided that I was going to need help to get through this day.  I was too far from my beloved golden arches, so I stopped at a certain coffee establishment(not mentioning any names, but they might just have something to do with astronomy and $$$).  

Well, as I drove up I happened to notice that ALL the employees were standing outsidewith a cop.  More waiting, and then the doors were opened again.  As I strolled by, I asked, "Were you guys robbed today?"  The guy answered, "No, someone left a suitcase."

What a world.

I ordered something to eat, which they were "all out of" – and then I ordered my drink.  OK, this drives me nuts.  NO ONE knows how to spell the name Sharon.  (Is my name really that old-fashioned, or is spelling just a lost art???)  I've had these versions:  Sheran, Sharron, Sharin, Cheran, etc.  Once I got so frustrated about this that I told them my name was Cindy. Which they spelled Cyndi.  So, this day I spelled my name out for them. And then claimed the drink that was made for Shannon.

I left.  I drove over the curb trying to get out of the parking lot.  (In my defense, a police car was in the way).


What other stuff has gone on?

I've lost my reading glasses.  Not just misplaced them, like I do at least 3 (23) times a week.  This time I really think they're gone for good.  Luckily, they were only store-bought cheapies.  But still.  I lost the case, and a nifty little cleaning cloth, and a super-duper little repair kit, too.

I've looked, and I've retraced my steps, and so far, no luck.

Call me Mrs. Magoo.

I bought another pair to replace them.  Otherwise I would not be able to read, or to write this diatribe about my recent travails.

I can hardly wait to see what the next 24-48 hours entails.  Because obviously, Murphy and his stupid law are hitching a ride with me!


But honestly, isn't this the way life goes?

Things like this happen…

ALL. THE. TIME.

The faucet leaks, the tire is flat, the power goes out, they discontinue your favorite lipstick color, you forget to put on your eyebrows, you run out of gas, an unexpected bill arrives, the post office is closed, the pen runs out of ink...

I know you know what I'm talking about.

Life.

Life throws a lot of big stuff at us, but more often than not, it's the little stuff that really drives us crazy.

Like my grandmother used to say – "It's the little foxes that spoil the vine."

(Did you know this came from the Bible?  I only recently found that out!!  It's from Song of Solomon 2:15, KJV)

Most days I'd be very glad indeed if the little foxes found another vineyard in which to perform their shenanigansjust sayin'.


Life.

Sometimes I wonder why I get so upset over all these things.  After all, in the whole scope of things they are really small stuff.  But like the steady drip-drip-drip of that aforementioned leaky faucet, they work their little incessant havoc on my nerves.

Until, if ONE more thing comes along…

I'M. GONNA. BLOW. UP.

Vesuvius, Kilauea, Mount St. Helen's, Krakatoa.

Livid lava, miffed magma, crater chaos.

Look out!

We've all been there, done this, hate it, and never seem to learn any lesson from it.

So, I'm determined to learn something here.

God, Your turn, speak.



I'm thinking the lesson is found in why these things are so upsetting.  I'm thinking of three reasons:


1) We get mad because we're in a hurry.

Yes, it seems that we are a people who are always on the go.  We've got places to go, people to see, things to do.  There isn't a lot of *wiggle room* in the average day for setbacks or snafus.  We are on a schedule, people.  And there is no time to waste.

Urgency has replaced importance.  But, if we're not careful, we can find ourselves constantly scurrying around putting out little sparks and embers, when in reality the whole forest might be ablaze.

(Charles E. Hummel wrote a great booklet about this very subject – "Tyranny of the Urgent").

But a hurried pace doesn't make up for intentional action.  And constant busyness is no cover-up for lack of goals and purpose.  After all, I can run really, really fast on a hamster wheel, but I'm not going to go anywhere.

Jesus counsels us that time is short.  But of course, He is talking about eternal missions and the desperate need for salvation.  I think He wants us to follow His example.  To take the time to notice people.  After all, you just don't know when an opportunity will come your way to speak the Good News into someone’s life.

Lesson #1:  Slow Down Your Pace

"[Go forth] with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace." (Ephesians 6:15, NIV)


2) We get mad because we have an agenda.

I've heard it said that if you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.

I always chuckle at this, but the truth of it kinda makes me cringe – (truth hurts).  We are a people who like to have an agenda.  We need schedules.  We have things we want to accomplish.  In our way, in our timing.

We are addicted to our planners, or our phones, or any number of other ways to keep track of the time and plan out our hours.

I think we come by it innocently at first.  After all, we all grew up listening to school bells, telling us where to be and when.  We had deadlines, and class schedules, and due dates, and homework outlines.

Then we may have graduated to the grown-up world of meetings, and lunches, and appointments, itineraries, flight schedules, and yes, perhaps more deadlines.

And everything was oh-so-neat-and-orderly.

But, the truth of the matter is this – life is most often NOT orderly.

And it certainly has no innate obligation to fit into our agenda.


Jesus has often been described as an itinerant person.  So, I looked that word up:

Itinerant: a person who travels from place to place.

I sorta like that Jesus was a wanderer.  He didn't hold to a schedule.  But, just because He didn't have appointments didn't mean that He didn't have purpose.  Every single day He came upon *God-appointed* moments.

They were there, just waiting for Him.

Jesus was certainly the most intentional person that has ever walked this planet.  But He didn't plan His days – He let the Father do that.  And His only agenda was to do what the Father told Him to do.  

Let us do likewise dedicating ourselves to the appointments God has for us, while always letting Him lead us through our days.

Lesson # Two:  Hold Your Schedule Loosely

"We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps." 
(Proverbs 16:9, NIV)


3) We get mad because we can't control things.

Ah, control.

I looked up the word in Sharon's Acrostic Dictionary.  This is what I found:

C ounting
O n
N ever
T urning over or
R eleasing
O wnership to the
L ord


Oh dear.

I hate to admit it, but control is really an issue with me.  It's taken a long time to come to that realization.  You know why?  Because in my mind, control freaks were always those "Type A" people with big ambitions, domineering personalities, and bossy attitudes.  I'm not really like that.  So, I thought that control wasn't really a "shortcoming" of mine.

Wrong.

The Lord has shown me that my incessant worrying also stems from the need to have control.  After all, the things that cause me to worry the most are really the things that I have the least control over.  The things that I can't influence or manipulate to work out the way I want them to.

So, when those *Murphy days* come along, I am highly irritated because the crazy distractions and annoyances and bugaboos have happened whether I wanted them to or not.  I have not yet figured out how to keep the *little foxes* in their place.

A dear friend of mine – (you know who you are) – recently had a lovely septic tank disaster.  My heart really went out to her.  This was an episode that literally uprooted their lives.

Talk about something out of our control!!


Pride, pride, pride will always strive to live life on our own terms.  With everything in its place (according to us), and working to make our lives comfortable, convenient, and calm.

But things just don't work that way.

Jesus knew this.  This is one reason why I find the Incarnation so utterly amazing.  Think on this – the One who created the entire universe, with all its physical laws and order – He chose to enter into the chaos of a broken and sin-filled world.  Why He even deigned to become one of the very humans He had made Himself!

Can you even wrap your head around what He had to experience?

Can you imagine the craziness of some of those crowds?  The shouting and wailing and pushing and shoving of people trying to get close to Him – or the uproar of dissenters and enemies.  Can you imagine the insanity of being tempted by a fallen angel that You had created so very long ago?  What about the limitations He chose to enter in an oh-so-very-human body?  A body that got hot and cold, tired and sore, hungry and thirsty.

Jesus left the perfect order of Heaven, and entered into a world where He was not in control.  A world in which He willingly, continually, and consistently chose to yield His life and His will to the omniscience and omnipotence of His Father.

Jesus worshiped the sovereignty of the Almighty God.

Even unto to death.

Lesson # Three:  Surrender to the Sovereignty of God

"Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD – that you alone are the Most High over all the earth." (Psalm 83:18, NIV)


So, *those days* are going to keep coming.  They're still going to drive us to distraction.  They're still going to make us mad.

It's inevitable.

But those of us who worship the Lord – well, we must dedicate ourselves to marching to another drummer and listening to another still, small voice.

Slow down, hold your schedule loosely, surrender to the sovereignty of the King.

You know why?

Because even on those terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days…

God is still there, still directing our paths, still sitting on His throne.

For He is the Author of our days – every single one of them.  Each day ordained and recorded in His book long before we were ever born.  Yes, before the very creation of anything – there was Godthe One who was and is and is to come.

From the beginning until the end of time…

…and forever.





What a day
It's been all wet,
And tomorrow will be
the same, I'll bet.

But if I focus
on the only One,
At the end of the day
He will have won!!










"Cease striving and know that I am God…" (Psalm 46:10, NASB)

"This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: 'Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved.  In quietness and confidence is your strength.'" (Isaiah 30:15, NLT)

"Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?  In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind." (Job 12:9-10, ESV)

"For in him we live, and move, and have our being…" (Acts 17:28, KJV)

"Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." (Revelation 4:11, ESV)

"For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared…the King of all the earth…God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne…For the shields of the earth belong to God; he is highly exalted!" (From Psalm 47, ESV)

"This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.  So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.  There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." (Hebrews 4:15-16, NLT)

"Commit everything you do to the LORD.  Trust him, and he will help you." (Psalm 37:5, NLT)

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)

"O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.  You know when I sit down or stand up.  You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.  You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.  You know everything I do.  You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. You go before me and follow me.  You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!  I can never escape from your Spirit!  I can never get away from your presence!

If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.  I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night – but even in darkness I cannot hide from you…You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb…You saw me before I was born.  Every day of my life was recorded in your book.  Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.  
They cannot be numbered!" 
(From Psalm 139, NLT)

"LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.  Remind me that my days are numbered – how fleeting my life is…We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing...And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?  My only hope is in you." (Psalm 39:4, 6-7, NLT)

"'I am the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the end,' says the Lord God.  'I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come – the Almighty One.'" (Revelation 1:8, NLT)

"…Jesus said, 'It is finished.'" (John 19:30, NIV)



What encourages you on "one of those days"?



Linked with:

SHARING HIS BEAUTY, PLAYDATES WITH GOD, UNFORCED RHYTHMS, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, SALT & LIGHT, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, SOLI DEO GLORIA, TITUS 2 TUESDAYS, GOOD MORNING MONDAYS, TESTIMONY TUESDAYS, WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAYS, WINSOME WEDNESDAY, CAPTURE YOUR JOURNEYWHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAYS, WOMEN HELPING WOMEN,  WEDNESDAY'S PRAYER GIRLS, WHAT YOU WISH WEDNESDAY, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAY, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, TELL HIS STORY, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, THRIVING THURSDAY, EVERYDAY JESUS, HEARTS FOR HOME, GRACE AT HOME, THANKFUL THURSDAYS, SO MUCH AT HOME, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, LIGHT FRIDAY HIT LIST, FAITH FILLED FRIDAYFELLOWSHIP FRIDAYS, THE FRIDAY FIVE, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, ESSENTIAL FRIDAYS, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, COUNTING MY BLESSINGS, FAITH AND FELLOWSHIP, STILL SATURDAYWEEKEND BREW, SATURDAY SOIREE, RECOMMENDATION SATURDAY, SUNDAY STILLNESS, GIVE ME GRACE



BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

50 comments:

  1. All because you drink coffee. You really ought to try Diet Dr Pepper or Dr Pepper 10. :) You make my day seem like a walk in the park or a ride on my bike.

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  2. Oh what trying day Sharon. I've never come to love coffee but we all have the need for our particular "fix". Great life lessons you pulled from your frantic day as usual. May the rest of the week be better.

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  3. Your post is spot on. The reasons you gave for why life's not so fun mishaps get us riled up are so true.

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  4. Life. It gets in my way too. :) I remember reading Hummel's little book years ago. I need to read it again. Hurry definitely causes me heartache and I need to kick him out. A great lesson here for me today. I hold my schedule way too tightly and need to loosen up. Thanks, Sharon!

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  5. Aw sweet Sharon. I am not even kidding. Every time I come here, it is like I am reading my own heart words.

    I struggle with ALL of these. Just last week (Tuesday, I think) I had one of "Those days." (which was reflected in my Thursday blog.) I KNOW I need to slow down, hold my schedule loosely and release control... But I really stink at it. I think it is going to take a lifetime of practice.

    Perhaps today is a good day to start? I am home with tiny human since she is getting over some gunky sick stuff... I want to just sit in the chair and stair at the wall (or the latest Disney movie-- all screen time rules go out the window when my tiny human is sick-ish) but my controlling, driven, fast self is like CLEAN! WRITE! WORK OUT! DO-GO-MOVE.

    But you know what? Just no. I am going to do what GOD wants me to do today... Even if it kills me. (Which, with my nature, it might get close.) Good thing I have already had my coffee. :-)

    Love you, lady.

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  6. Love, love, love you and your sense of humor Sharon, just how you write makes me marvel at the wonder of you, your words and the truth of God revealed in everyday turmoils. Only YOU, Sharon, could come up with all this from a spilled cup of coffee. And by the way, as I read and related to "one of those days", I really felt bad for you and hope that this is the end rather than a continuing sequel. Your lessons from God, are so true and speak to me (especially #3). Yep, something for all of us to take away from this ... and the photo with the coffee grounds (lol) ... You are one in a million and I do hope that this series of events also are just that... no more... finished ... ended ... won ... over and done!
    Since I'm not a coffee drinker (just 1 DP a day) maybe you might switch ... but it really bugs me when I spill even a drop of my DP too. They are hard to come by down here. So DP and the Lord are what encourage me and stopping by HERE or reading your comments (and some from a couple others too) make my day better. But when my day continues like the well described fiasco above and people don't even get "spelling" anymore ... well, for me, it's just time to go back to bed (and even that has its letdowns of not going the right way) so SMILE as you make me and hopefully it all will turn around or go away :)

    Love and hugs,
    Peggy
    (love your sweet prayers, but you don't have to be as faithful to this 30 as you were with the 60s--- just saying --- I'm sure you can use one less thing to do and I'll understand, once in awhile is enough or later in Dec.,OK?) 1 less to do and worry about if you know I don't expect it. I considered closing them again

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  7. Hi Sharon! How I laughed over the messing up of your name by Starbucks. Have you thought how many ways 'Ceil' can be goofed up? I especially like 'Seal'. I usually tell them I'm Mary.
    I did that at a dress shop recently. My husband came looking for me, but of course everyone knew there was a Mary in the dressing room. Certainly not a Seal. Too funny!
    Oh yes, I've had days that should have probably ended at about 8:30 am. Seems like nothing will ever go right. What a great thing to be able to sit back and reflect on all the shenanigans and try to make sense of it all. Even if it doesn't make any to begin with...
    Does your car smell good at least? I used to like their iced mocha drinks. They are like crack for coffee drinkers!
    Hope your day has been great!
    Ceil

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  8. There's nothing I can add to the previous comments...except a big AMEN. Love your heart, my friend!

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  9. This post really made me laugh out loud...not laughing at you, but at your amazing story telling! :) What a day!...but you are right. Things like this happen all the time. Just this past weekend I went on a trip, and it just so happened there was a huge wind storm there. My hotel did not have power. A year ago this would have made me so angry, but I just laughed it off. We must learn to traverse the obstacles in this life with humor and adaptability.

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  10. Oh my goodness....quite a few inconveniences to frustrate you day.....some made me giggle....of course I am not the one dropping keys or spilling coffee....that liquid energy you speak of. I don't drink it, but Joel does and it is very very important to him. Just this morning Holy Spirit spoke clearly to me..."You are not in control" I AM. Oh boy.....great thoughts here, Sharon. And Sharon is a common name!

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  11. Well put Sharon. Your conclusion is the one we all must come to more then once. As much as I say, God is in control of my life, my action speak otherwise at times. Trust is what helps us take our hands off our life, trust in the controller of all. I love the verses in Job that speak about Him controlling every aspect of the universe, our world. I have to chuckle when I hear a weather reported talking like they have control over the weather. One thing that I had to come to terms with about Him controlling my life was He would allow trials to come my way. He would not stop the storms for they are they very soil that grows my trust in Him. Great post as always.

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  12. I needed to read this, Sharon, before I started my work day and not after since I had a few things that came up that frustrated me and really in the long run at the end of the day didn't really mean that much. I liked your points. I need to study them and put some of them into practice. May you should change your name when ordering coffee to Ann. How much could they mess that one up?

    betty

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  13. I believe that slowing down would make such a huge difference in our society. I know it's really begun to change me as I've tried to be intentional in doing so. Sorry you're going through one of those seasons where the little things are piling up, but thanks for sharing your story with humor and lessons we all need reminded of. :)

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  14. At our place that is called one of those days.... They seem to happen often, when just everything goes wrong. Thank you for sharing your day in such a humorous way, although I'm sure it wasn't funny at the time. Blessings.
    Ps I would love it if you wanted to link up at good morning Mondays at darling downs diaries,

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  15. Great post, Cindi...I mean Cyndee...no wait - Sharin or Sharon? LOL "They" get my name wrong ALL THE TIME. How tough is it to spell J-O-A-N? Anyway, thanks for your humorous insight! You always make me smile. It's a good thing that God is right there to help us when we get ourselves all flustered! No matter how bad today is, tomorrow is another day full of grace, mercy and love!

    Blessings, Joan

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  16. I love your humor, it makes the days so much better when you can laugh a little even when crying over spilled coffee. Thank you for the reminder that no matter what life hands me daily, God is still in control and on the throne.

    Blessings,
    Misty

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  17. Such good lessons and you totally made me laugh out loud! So, I totally get that "mad because I can't control things." Last year before the SDG retreat, I took my car in for repair and they couldn't find ANYTHING wrong with it even though it wasn't starting consistently. I lost it because I couldn't control when my car would or wouldn't start -- yep. It was that very ugly kinda mad that smeared all over everyone in my house.

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  18. I could cry with you over your spilt coffee, and sorry but I had to laugh too as you wove your entire day before us. Your life lessons hit the spot and are so encouraging to us who spill coffee at times. Thank you for sharing with us here at "Tell Me a True Story."

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  19. HI Sharon, its weird how we have days/weeks/months like that! And it seems to keep happening until we turn to the Lord and surrender all that frustration to Him. Sigh, if only we (I) would learn to turn to Him quicker. We can be so stubborn sometimes. I pray you have a great peace-filled coffee and a relaxing and joy-filled day.
    God bless
    Tracy

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  20. I've had these kinds of days too! Loved the light-heartedness of your post. I'll try to think on it the next time my day is going wrong. It's always good to remember God's plans are above mine. : )

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  21. Thanks for taking the time to link up this great post at Good Morning Mondays. Blessings.

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  22. loved your story. I had a day like that last week. I won't bore you with the details. I think yours is funnier anyway. It's certainly not funny at the time, but when you read your blog later, don't you just want to chuckle? I love your humor, Sharren...or is it Cyndi? Love love love that! Can't do much to Mary, but they sure mess up the last name a lot. Flattery, Flannery, Flagerty, Flanningan.

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  23. Ah such a great post! For me it's #2 - I get upset because something is messing up MY agenda. I have to remind myself it's about God's agenda, not mine. :)

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  24. I thoroughly loved and related to this post. As I sit typing this my reading glasses are perched on my nose somewhat crooked as one of the sides has snapped off. I have 3 pairs that are this way, Could it be that I buy cheap glasses as I am ALWAYS losing mine? And then falling back on one of the broken pair to make due until I replace them for the umpteenth time? Who knows...lol. But you are soo right. There are DAYS like this...or sometimes WEEKS or even MONTHS like this. Where nothing much goes right and there is a fire somewhere of some sort requiring out attention and concern. But don't you just love that He is unshakable. And He controls our very breath? He holds the stars in the heavens and cause the sun to rise and set. We need only be still and KNOW that He is God? Great post! Glad I happened to stumble by. I'll be back. I know a kindred spirit when I read one. Enjoy! your day. Blessings, Debbie

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  25. Oh my goodness I too have had days like that. And it is something my hubs and I talk a lot about. He is a rather short fuse and when he has a plan and one thing is amiss - he gets so stressed and upset by it - then he gets mad at us - and so forth. I do wish we could somehow learn to live on God's sweet time.

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  26. We're on the same page this week, Cindy - I mean, Sharon! (pathetic attempt to be clever there).

    Pride and control… you hit the nail on the head. I'm guilty as charged, but I'm working on it. We have the amazing and very misunderstood gift of free will and tend to forget that we have the choice on how we see our world or the perspective from which we judge it. All because our Father is amazing…

    Spilling a drink inside the car is definitely a test though!!! Good job, sister.

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  27. Hi Sheran, Sharron, Sharin, Cheran ... SHARON. My name is Dian, Diane, Dyan ... DIANNE! And I am a fellow coffee lover ... and "Grrr-er." And I have cried over spilled coffee (literally) many times. This is a great post. I sooo get the crazy days that drive us mad ... and the beautiful reminder to ... slow-down ... and be still and know that God has a purpose for these days. visiting from Woman to Woman.

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  28. Ah, those days, yes, I know them well. And oh my, don't they teach us humility and grace?! (after a good bit of fuming, of course). Thanks for linking up Sharon :)

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  29. Thank you for sharing at Good Morning Mondays. Blessings

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  30. Why is it that we find relief in the fact that others have bad, crazy, mixed up, not good, terrible, awful days?

    Transparency mixed with amazing humor is a breath of fresh air! Thank you for being real and sharing your crazy day with us while still laughing at the fact that we all have the audacity to make plans without the Lord! how He must laugh at my planner!!

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  31. Sharon, this is such an encouraging word! On "those days" I turn to worship music, the book of psalms, and journaling. Hugs from my husband are pretty therapeutic as well. :)

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  32. I know... I am back again. Just wanted to let you know that this post really spoke to me and I have been thinking about it ALL week.

    Thanks again for sharing your heart, Sharon. #YouMakeMeSmile

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  33. I Laughed out loud at "Once I got so frustrated about this that I told them my name was Cindy. Which they spelled Cyndi. So, this day I spelled my name out for them. And then claimed the drink that was made for Shannon."

    I would be so tempted to do something like that but then not do it.
    Dropping in from Everyday Jesus

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  34. That gave me a good laugh! I have had days like that. We all have. I heard someone say that before you get out of bed, pray and mentally put on the whole armor of God as in Eph. 6:10-18. Thanks for sharing at So Much at Home. Have a blessed week....really. haha

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  35. Me again. I just had a thought. Have you recently prayed to have more patience. If so this could have been a test. How else can we develop Christian character other than going through trials.
    God bless.
    Chris

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  36. The acrostic you shared on Control is perfect, it sums it up so well. When I am hurrying and can't control the outcome, yes.. I get a little overwhelmed. I have a pokey child that I am confident is continually teaching me the providence of a meek and gentle spirit. :)
    Blessings,
    Dawn

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  37. You have such a great outlook, thank you for that!!!

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  38. I am so thankful that I am presently at a season in my life where I can take it slow.

    So good to see you at Spiritual Sundays!

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  39. Oh, my! Bless your dear heart! I am so sorry you had such a series of trials! And, yes, even though they may have been considered small things, after a while, and after several of them, those small things can add up to one big mountain of aggravation. Even though Mama may have warned us there would be days like this, that doesn't make the days any easier to get through!! LOL! So grateful for this wonderful, sound advice and the Scriptures you shared to guide us. How I I praise the dear Lord for you and for your consistent and precious encouragement! I am hoping things have calmed down and gone smoother for you. I pray for you often. Sending much love your way, dear, sweet friend!

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  40. Whew Sharon, I've had days like that. I think we all have. And the coffee . . . oh, that's hard. Thanks so much for linking at Counting My Blessings, sharing your story and your hope. Blessings and Hugs!

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  41. Ugh I hate those days Sharona. Oops I mean Sharon :) It really is all the little things adding up to an explosion. I think my favorite part is the reminder to hold my schedule loosely. I really struggle with that one!

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  42. I've had my share of awful messed up days too! It seems to always happen when we don't need it to. Stephen Covey calls this living in the urgent, always putting out fires, and running like a hamster but never making it to the important things. This story is a great reminder...like you said, "Those days will come, but we are marching to a different drummer." Yes, the Lord will get us through and help us react the right way. ---I'm stopping by from the Weekend Brew...Many Blessings Sharon!

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  43. Hi! First time visitor here from Saturday Soiree. This was a great post! I certainly identified with it! I was just telling one of my adult daughters how it's the little things that really push us over the edge!! :) My life seems to get busier and busier and I seem to go at a more frenzied pace. Oh to just slow down and savor our moments here on earth and to let our Father plan our days and direct our steps!!! Thanks for sharing about your day full of minor catastrophes! :)

    On a side note, I've found an amazing solution for low blood sugar woes! Message me at elizabeth@yestheyareallours.com if you'd like to know more! :)

    Blessings on your day!

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  44. Oh this was funny to read. Not to have happened but to read. Been there too. Totally relate. Reminds me of Viorsts book, no good, very bad day. Think I'll go live in "Australia. Also curious about your solution for low sugar woes....Hang tight Sharon, for every yuck day comes more of the good ones. Wishing you an amazing weekend.

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  45. Sorry for laughing at your misfortune...but LOL! I have had those kinda days myself, and at least you got a really good blog post out of it.
    Seriously, you are so right about getting angry when we are in a hurry...I am terrible with that.
    BTW that place where you get your coffee now has a white chocolate version of coffee or cocoa...YUM...I am hooked. :)
    Blessings and love~ Lisa

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  46. Spelling is a lost art. And I like how you point out that Jesus didn't have a schedule, but instead he had an appointment with God each day.

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  47. Oh,my, coffee in the car with sugar in it. Not good. Murphy is rather prevalent in our lives as well. The leader of the fox pack, so to speak. It's easy to roll with his spoils until they affect MY agenda. Ha - you are spot on there, my friend! I bet it felt really good to write this post, to get all of that out and then wrap it so beautifully in the lessons from our Lord. Nicely done. Have a blessed week - watch out for the foxes!

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  48. We get mad when we get hurt too because that's our body's mechanism of protecting ourselves from further abuse, for demanding respect and crying out in pain. But anger can poison us if we don't know how to let it go. Thanks for sharing these reminders and lessons. We surely need to take it slow sometimes.

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  49. You definitely need a BIG (((((H-U-G)))))

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"So [I] have been greatly encouraged in the midst of [my] troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith. It gives [me] new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord. How [I] thank God for you!" (1 Thessalonians 3:7-9)

Thanks for your comments - it is such a joy to be sharing my journey with friends like YOU!

(NOTE: Anonymous comments will be removed. Thank you for understanding.)