Have you ever had a day come upon you that convinces you that you are just too stupid to live? I had one of those this week. It was Tuesday to be exact. It all started innocently enough . . .
On my way to work I decided I needed gas, to I drove to my neighborhood QT along with every one else in the world to fill up. As luck would have it, I actually found an empty pump so I pulled in. I put the gas nozzle in my tank and turned it on, then I went inside to buy a coke. Stood in line, so it took a few minutes. Came back out and the pump was off so I shut it off took my receipt, got in the car, reset the mileage and off I went, secure in the fact that I now had a full tank of gas.
On my way home, my little fuel pump light comes on and dings at me, indicating that I am low on gas. What? I just filled up. Of course my brain went into hyper drive and I determined that I must have a leak in my fuel line somewhere and that I’m going to blow up any minute even though I didn’t smell gas, and should I get some gas before I have it checked just to watch it run out, but will I run out of gas before I can get somewhere to get it checked. Then I heard “STOP!” I took a breath and reached in my purse for the receipt. That would tell me exactly how much gas had leaked out. I pulled it out and looked. It was for 0.90. 90 cents! I only got 90 cents worth of gas? Then I started laughing. The pump must have shut off almost as I got into the store, but I didn’t check. I should have because my Jeep is really bad about shutting the pump off right after it starts, but I wasn’t standing there.
Sheepishly I drive back to QT and filled it up, standing there the whole time to make sure I actually got gas. I guess the 90 cents filled it up enough that the warning light went off. So there’s my Stupid is as Stupid Does story. And they gave me a license to drive!
The good news is I didn’t have a fuel leak and have to spend hundreds of dollars, the people at QT had changed shifts so they didn’t know I was back for the second time, and even if I was who says I didn’t drive it all out. Which technically I did. I drove the 90 cents worth out going to work, so all’s well that ends well.
Still laughing,
Stevie
Copywrite © 2010 Stevie Stevens, Fort Worth, TX. For information contact faithleap@sbcglobal.net
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Baby Steps
The last two weeks have been a chaotic jumble. If I were to add a soundtrack to it, it would be bass and kettle drums pounding out a beat with discordant piano notes in randomness floating throughout and throwing in the sounds of trumpets ever so often just to grab some attention. My plate was already full and overflowing with good works and then I got to throw in an unexpected last minute business trip. Add in a little work on my house and well, you can see why I have been absent from the blog world.
I have had a kaleidoscope of workers around my house for the last month, and while they are necessary and the improvements they have brought about are appreciated, I’m ready to stop having outsiders around. I was on four planes touching three states and ended the two weeks with two performances of a play I was involved with at church. The chaos ended with my great nephew K’s 1st birthday party. Well attended by loving grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, he celebrated in style with lots of icing on his face. He was the center of attention and while he wasn’t really sure why, he still loved it.
He’s got the wobbly legs of a first walker and plants himself face first on many occasions, but he is getting better. How much we encourage those first few steps, how terrifying to be the one who has to let go, even for something better. Uh oh, that’s sounding a little too close to home.
How many times have I felt God and Jesus encouraging me to let go so they can give me something better. And I don’t because it’s safe. Or it’s how it’s always been. Or I can’t possibly do that, I don’t have the skills, and on and on and on until he leaves and finds someone who will let go.
Come to me, and Peter did. Walking on rocky seas, eyes planted firmly on his savior until he glanced away, then he sank. I wonder what caught his eye that made him take his eyes off Jesus. A big fish? A giant wave? The devil? He’ll do anything to get our focus off Jesus, even for just a moment.
Yes, K is mobile and what a great big world is opened up for him. Places he can’t even imagine await his curiosity. What about me? What places await me? How safe is safe? To the point of growing roots because I’ve stood too long? Fear of failure? Well, that boat has sailed several times and I managed to live through them all. Next time I’m with K I’m going to watch him let go and walk with complete abandon, sure in the knowledge that if he falls, someone is there to kiss away the hurts, set him back on his feet and point him in the right direction. Who knows, maybe I’ll be right behind him.
Philosophically yours,
Stevie
Copywrite © 2010 Fort Worth, TX Stevie Stevens. For information contact faithleap@sbcglobal.net.
I have had a kaleidoscope of workers around my house for the last month, and while they are necessary and the improvements they have brought about are appreciated, I’m ready to stop having outsiders around. I was on four planes touching three states and ended the two weeks with two performances of a play I was involved with at church. The chaos ended with my great nephew K’s 1st birthday party. Well attended by loving grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, he celebrated in style with lots of icing on his face. He was the center of attention and while he wasn’t really sure why, he still loved it.
He’s got the wobbly legs of a first walker and plants himself face first on many occasions, but he is getting better. How much we encourage those first few steps, how terrifying to be the one who has to let go, even for something better. Uh oh, that’s sounding a little too close to home.
How many times have I felt God and Jesus encouraging me to let go so they can give me something better. And I don’t because it’s safe. Or it’s how it’s always been. Or I can’t possibly do that, I don’t have the skills, and on and on and on until he leaves and finds someone who will let go.
Come to me, and Peter did. Walking on rocky seas, eyes planted firmly on his savior until he glanced away, then he sank. I wonder what caught his eye that made him take his eyes off Jesus. A big fish? A giant wave? The devil? He’ll do anything to get our focus off Jesus, even for just a moment.
Yes, K is mobile and what a great big world is opened up for him. Places he can’t even imagine await his curiosity. What about me? What places await me? How safe is safe? To the point of growing roots because I’ve stood too long? Fear of failure? Well, that boat has sailed several times and I managed to live through them all. Next time I’m with K I’m going to watch him let go and walk with complete abandon, sure in the knowledge that if he falls, someone is there to kiss away the hurts, set him back on his feet and point him in the right direction. Who knows, maybe I’ll be right behind him.
Philosophically yours,
Stevie
Copywrite © 2010 Fort Worth, TX Stevie Stevens. For information contact faithleap@sbcglobal.net.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)