Have you ever noticed that the work week before a long holiday weekend seems to last forever? This has been one of those weeks! If I didn’t know better, I’d swear that it had been a “week of Mondays!” Every day – a little harder than the the previous one. I’ve been getting home a little later as the week goes on. But, today was a “funny day!”. You see, the “Change Oil Soon” light has been on in my car all week. I finally remembered to text Steve, who made an appointment to get it changed today. So, one of the last things he said to me last night before I went to bed was, “Don’t forget that I need your car tomorrow – take the truck.” Now, I don’t mind driving his truck – I don’t love it, but it’s okay. I got in it this morning and started down the road, when I thought, “What’s that smell?” Now, as wonderful as my husband is, driving around in a clean truck is not one of his priorities. (If you’ve seen his truck, you know what I’m mean.) Honestly, I haven’t seen the floorboard in the back seat in years! Who knows what grows there? but, I’ve never smelled a smell quite like this one in his truck.
Anyway, I drove on to work, and I parked in my usual spot – right there across from the office on Main Street. When I went to close the door, I got so tickled that I laughed out loud. No wonder there was a “sweet aroma” in the truck – there was manure in the bed of it! Steve had picked up a load of aged manure to put in the garden beds. Most of it had been used, but there was probably a sixth or so of it still in the bed of the truck. How I pitied the person who parked behind me! But you know what – every time the phone rang, or someone walked in my office needing something, or no matter how many emails I got, all I could think was – what could be worse that starting out your day coming to work in a truck with manure in it? I had nowhere to go, but up! As the beloved children’s book written by Judith Viorst declares, anyone can have a “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day – even in Australia!”
God’s Word doesn’t promise that life will be a “bed of roses”. Instead, He plainly states, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (II Timothy 3:12) James told the early church, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. (James 1:2-4) Even when Paul was chained to a Roman guard in prison, he was able to encourage others to “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4) No, life here on earth won’t necessarily be easy, (sometimes it may even stink!), but it will be worth it! Hang in there, for we are all simply blessed, Courtney
ps. . .Maybe something beautiful will come from this – right?
Had to laugh at this one!! TRUE, true, true!!