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Take a Break

I’m sure that most of us have heard, and more than likely repeated, the old axiom I’m having one of those days. We instantly know what the speaker means when we hear someone repeat those words. We have all experienced a day where nothing seems to go the way we had planned it, and certainly not how we wanted things to turn out. We climb into the driver’s seat early in the morning, planning on going to work, only to discover the car won’t start. Okay, it sounds like the battery is low. We simply call our spouse, if they are available, or a friend, asking for a jump start. When the battery cables are connected, we discover the battery is fine. It’s the starter that isn’t working. What next? You call work and tell them you’re going to be a little late. How late? Who knows? You’ll do your best…maybe an hour or two.

Now, you are faced with a different problem. You can call a tow truck to take your car to the garage, and hope they can get to repairing it before next Tuesday, or remove the starter yourself and walk two miles to the local parts store. Then, if they have it in stock, return home and install the new starter. You quickly decide that doing it yourself will be faster.

That’s when you discover you’re lucky, because a buddy happens by and seeing you lying under your vehicle, asks what’s wrong. After hearing your sad story, he offers to give you a ride to the parts store and waits while the guy behind the counter goes into the back and returns with a box containing your new starter. Your buddy then gives you and your now-lighter wallet a ride back home and offers to wait while you install the new starter. With the new starter installed, you wipe your hands and insert the key into the ignition and shout when the car starts perfectly. You dash into the house and wash up. You’re only two hours late for work.

Grabbing your work folder and another cup of coffee, you dash back out the door, start the car and head out of town. Only you don’t quite make it, because the car with the blinking red light behind you wants you to pull over. The problem? You’re doing 35 miles an hour in a 25-mile per hour zone. The officer agrees that nearly everyone and their cousin drives down that street at 35 miles an hour, but you just happened to get caught. He also agrees the speed limit should be changed, and soon will be, but the law is the law. He turns out to be a nice guy and lets you off with a warning, telling you to slow down. So off to work you go.

But you have a different problem now. The two or three dozen people passing your car know you got pulled over, and will tell all their friends, who will tell their friends. By 6:00 p.m. everyone in the small town you live in will know you’ve been arrested for bank robbery. You’ll spend the next two weeks explaining that you got pulled over for speeding and you’re not really a bandit who kicks his dog.

Being an author, I will admit to embellishing some of this, but much of it actually happened. So, now I will pass along some sage advice. When you’re having one of those days, slow down, don’t fight it. Maybe drink that extra cup of coffee I talked about. Reacting in anger will only make things worse. Also, learn what you can. You can learn something in each and every situation. The lessons may not be pleasant at the time, but reacting in anger and frustration will only make things worse.

Finally, remember Christ’s promise that he will never leave or forsake you. It will somehow give you a different outlook on things realizing that Jesus is right there with you, lying under a greasy car installing a new starter, or inside a hospital room visiting that loved one with you. Grab another cup of coffee and sit down. Discuss the problem with Him. You might be surprised at what you learn.

 

 

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