I’m Not Supposed to Have That!

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I have one of the most interesting jobs now that I am back in customer service, and it never ceases to surprise, touch, and amaze me – especially when God uses those encounters to remind me of His truths and His ways.  The other day was no exception.  I had a customer come in with a biscuit in her hand, and she said, “Is this pork??”  I asked her for the biscuit, and she said that she had just been through the drive thru, and had to know if it was PORK.  I turned the biscuit over in my hand, and it clearly stated “sausage” on the front of it.  I replied, “Yes ma’am, this is pork.”

“I CAN’T have that!” she immediately yelled back, “it’s too much on there!” So I asked her if she ordered a sausage biscuit, thinking maybe we gave her the wrong one.  “Yes, I ordered sausage.”  And I said, “And you got sausage??”  At this point my supervisor came over and I explained that the lady did indeed order a sausage biscuit, and received a sausage biscuit – at which point the lady yelled again, “I ordered that, but I CAN’T have that much!  I’m not even supposed to HAVE pork!”

After we gave the customer a chicken biscuit instead and sent her out the door, we all spent a lot of time trying to figure out WHY she had ordered a sausage biscuit if she wasn’t supposed to have pork.  And then I remembered her stating at first, “there’s too much on here”.  So the bottom line was that she was trying to CHEAT, and have sausage, but NOT get in trouble by having too much.  As if it was ok to cheat just a little.

As I was shaking my head and laughing at her, God spoke to me loud and clear…LOUD and clear.  He reminded me that we are just like that with His commandments and desires for our lives!  He says “no”, and we say ok – but then the next time an issue comes up, we are like, “well, maybe just a little bit”.  Or “maybe just this once – what could that hurt?”  We hope that we can get by with a little cheating.

And you know what?  Sometimes it seems we do!  Sometimes God lets us get the sausage biscuit (our way) to teach us better..and we find ourselves, just like my customer, with WAY more than we bargained for!  And unlike my customer, we can say “I’m not supposed to do that/have that!” but God doesn’t always let us give it back!  Sometimes He lets us experience just where our desires can take us, and we can be overwhelmed by the result.

So, next time you are tempted to sideswipe, detour, or cheat on what God has told you, remember – He may give you just what you think you want, and you may be surprised!

Plowed Under!

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Living here in the deep south of Georgia, we are blessed by being in the middle of farm country.  I hate the heat and the gnats of summer, but I LOVE the abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables available at roadside stands and the farmer’s market.  Having a pastor for a hubby is also nice, because some church members and other friends feel compelled to give from their own gardens….which is VERY nice!

The other day I had a good friend and ChickFilA customer bring me some fresh corn..as in, divine, just picked that morning corn!  It was fabulous, and I offered to even pay him for some more the next day, since he was going back to the field.  He told me there was no need to pay, because the farmer he was getting it from had overplanted and was glad to get rid of it.

The next day, he came in and said, “it’s too late.  He plowed the rest under last night”.  I could NOT believe it.  I was aware that sometimes that happened when crops failed, or drought hit, but NEVER with perfecty wonderful, delicious, healthy corn!  It was too expensive for him to pay his workers to pick it for the price he would get at the market.  I was so upset, because even in our county, our community, our church, there are people that I know that do not have enough to eat!  And here good fresh food had been WASTED – PLOWED UNDER – because of a farmer’s wrong perspective about what was in it for him.

I spent the rest of the day wondering how this could have happened, and what the truly hungry would have done for that food.  I wondered how the farmer could appear so callous.  And then God spoke…and what He said made me stop in my tracks, and repent.  Because you see, we have the best food of all – the Gospel and God’s Word and the story of salvation – and we hear it over and over, can see it on television, internet, books….we have an abundance!  And what do we mostly do?  We grow from what we “eat”, and share some with others, but the majority gets “plowed under” by our lack of willingness to “pay the price” to feed others!  Our country is experiencing all the effects of SPIRITUALLY starving people all around us..the most recent the SCOTUS decision about gay marriage…and yet we keep the knowledge we have to ourselves!  We sit Sunday after Sunday after Wednesday night receiving spiritual food, and we are NOT sharing!  We say it is easier to “plow it under” – to get enough for ourselves, and our fellow church members, but it is too costly to share.  And therefore we have the world we live in today.

I am preparing to quit feeding just myself and my friends and family.  I hope you will join me in taking the very precious food God has entrusted to us, and feed it to all those who need it most!

Truly Fatherless

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Father’s Day became a not so favorite day of mine in 2004 after my father lost his battle with heart disease that March.  The first year, of course, was the hardest.  And while it gets easier each year, there’s still a void..no one will ever take his place.  And while being without him is permanent here, I will see him again one day in Heaven.

There is also some comfort here, among my family and friends, in knowing that I am not the only one without a father.  Many have lost theirs to death, some to alzheimers, some have had to “lose” their fathers to escape abuse.  And so we band together on this day in our loss.

But there is a far, far worse state of being fatherless!  And that is among the lost..those who have not accepted Jesus’ death and payment for their sins.  They have no HEAVENLY father, and that has eternal consequences!  They struggle through this life, with the only guide for their lives and their destinies here, in whatever the world has to offer.  They have no hope, and no future.  And while the fatherless here on earth can comfort one another, that too changes for those without Jesus.  There is no comfort..only eternal separation from God and others, and anguish.

So whatever your position is on Father’s Day, let it remind you of this, as it does me…there are far too many people without God, and there is far too little time for many of them if we don’t get busy!  So the next time someone asks your about your earthly father, don’t neglect to tell them about your Heavenly One!

A Shoe Story

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unnamed[1] (8)We’ve had an 11 year old with us this past week, and to say it has been amazing is an understatement!  Robert’s grandson has stayed with us while his older sister had to have back surgery, and we have re-learned a lot about the joys of having children around!  He is a carbon copy of his dad, and cute as a button, with incredible manners and grace.

As I left the house today, however, I saw these shoes and just stopped to take it in.  Our grandson is a neatnik – always has been – and is VERY particular about where his stuff is at all times.  But here they were, his outside shoes strategically beside PawPaw’s outside shoes…snuggled up together for any immediate needs that Robert might have for a helper!

God spoke to me SO vividly through this that it caught my breath and I grabbed my camera before I missed the opportunity.  Conner’s shoes represented in every way his love and devotion for Robert.  He wanted to be ready for anything Robert was going to do, he wanted to be anywhere Robert was going to be, and he was willing to relinquish his normal control over their location so that they could be where Robert’s were.

My heart jumped with joy as I realized that is what I too so desperately want!  Not in physical shoes, but with my spiritual ones!  And not with Robert, but with my Heavenly Father!  I want to be so in love with the Lord, and so devoted to Him, that if a picture were taken of my spiritual shoes it would look just like this!  I want to be ready to go, desiring to go, and ready to relinquish any control I think I may have over where those shoes are, so that I can be available at a moment’s notice to do His will!  And I want people to be able to see that I am that close!

Isn’t that an amazing thought?  Any idea where your shoes are today in comparison to your Father’s?  Where will they be tomorrow?  It is my desire and prayer that we can ALL look at this picture and changed our shoe locations!

Whose Identity is it Anyway?

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My sweet Mom has a thing for purses, and another thing for purses being constantly with her.  As in, she almost takes hers to bed and sleeps with it.  Where she is, the purse is – and not just with her, but on her arm.  We have had many laughs over the fact that she would NEVER have her purse stolen unless they took her too!

However.  That all came to a crashing halt on Wednesday.  She was taking two of her friends to see an elderly woman in a nursing home.  Mind you, my Mom is 75, and her friends are 78 and 81, respectively – but they were there to see “an elderly” friend!  Anyway one of the friends was in the passenger seat with Mom driving, and she needed help getting out.  My mom, in her haste to keep her friend from falling, threw her keys into her purse, shoved it into the floorboard, and ran to the passenger side to help….and, you guessed it, forgot about her purse.  First time ever.  And 15 minutes – just 15 minutes – later, she rushed to the car, and it was gone. Totally, 100%, stolen, and of course, her entire identity with it.  Checkbook, phone, credit/debit cards, house keys, car keys, EVERYTHING.

So the rest of this week has been an unending saga of anxiety, frustration, guilt, depression, anger, you name it, we’ve been there.  And as we slowly repair all the damage, she is feeling a little better – but we have miles of red tape, etc. to go.  Her one constant comment through all this has been, “that was ALSO in my purse!!” as she inventories stuff she’s missing.

As we have been sorting through all this, the Lord reminded me that there is a much bigger identity theft happening in this world….and no, it’s not the one you are probably thinking of.  There is only ONE thief involved, and his name is satan.  He is ruthless, as I Peter 5:8 says, “…your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”  From lost people, he steals the ability to recognize their sin and their need for a Savior.  From the children of God, he steals joy, peace, happiness, freedom, and the ability to recognize the true power and promise they have through the blood of Jesus.  And the consequences of both those thefts is far above and beyond what my Mom has faced this week.

The point of this?  As we live in this crazy, mad world, we should definitely do our best to protect our “earthly” identity and not make ourselves vulnerable to being a statistic.  HOWEVER…we should do MORE to protect our spiritual identities – and maybe for a lot of us, it’s time we took an inventory to see what’s missing!

Our Persistent God

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IMG_0863As odd as it may seem, one of my favorite chores at work is doing the parking lot sweep!  A chore that most people dread is my time to get out of the building for a while, and to sing and praise the Lord as I go.  It’s awesome!

Most days I find cigarette butts, plastic bottles, etc but occasionally there sre interesting items.  The marble pictured above is one of those.  I found it one day and swept it up, then dumped my bucket into the trash inside.  The next morning, I was surprised to see it again, in the same place, but figured it had rolled under the bucket and not really been swept up.

Two days later ANOTHER marble was just down from the other spot, and I was intrigued but swept it up again.  The very next day, another marble, which I swept up, and then on the opposite side of the building, there was yet ANOTHER one!

I do not believe in coincidence, so I searched the entire grounds..shrubs, flowers, etc for a discarded bag where the marbles must have been, or some clue as to how they got there, and there was nothing!  And then God spoke to me and told me I was witnessing His character and His determination through those simple objects.  He will not stop pursuing the lost..they may try to “sweep” Him away, but He will continue to show up and call them to Himself.  He will also never stop working in this world.  Our government and leaders may try to discard Him, and “sweep out” His laws, but they will still be there!  And He will never stop pursuing holiness in His children..we may try to deny His right to be Lord of our lives, but He will constantly reappear and remind us tht we are HIS, and He will accomplish His plan in our lives!

So the next time you are tempted to “sweep” something past God, or “sweep” His laws under a rug to avoid them, remember…He is a persistent God, and He will keep showing up until you give in!

Grace Moments

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God’s grace is huge and full and free and overwhelming…no doubt and I am so grateful for those times when I am overcome by it.  But His grace is also dispensed in tiny, tiny moments that we can miss if we re truly alert.

I’ve been blessed with some of those lately.  A regular customer who was 75 when I left ChickFilA, and who used to drive me crazy, that I now count it a privilege to serve in his 80’s. Another regular customer who lives in his car, and always smells, but I’ve learned his name and have a tray ready when he comes in because he uses a cane now and can’t carry his coffee, creamer, and book to the table without it.  Two days ago it  was a customer shaking with pain from a month old knee replacement surgery, who had a carryout order I took to her car and got a hug for.  Yesterday an elderly homeless man with a buggy who greatly appreciated the biscuit and hot coffee I provided for him, instead of the pack of mini donuts he had for his whole day’s nutrition.

And in ALL these, I am not the one to be praised..I am the one most grateful and praising God for the fact that He chose me for those moments!

And you know what?  I am NOT special or part of some exclusive club.  HE has those moments ALL His children and HE doesn’t want ANY of us to miss any of them!  To Him be the glory!

NO substitutions!

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I had a fascinating discussion with a customer the other day that God used to answer a prayer.  The customer approached my register, ordered his meal and asked for lemonade to drink.  A few minutes later, he was back with the lemonade to complain.  “This doesn’t taste right..it’s sour.  Let me try the diet lemonade (made with Splenda) and see if it’s any sweeter.”  So I poured him a small bit of the diet in another cup, he tried it, and made an awful face, declaring, “this is too sour too!  Do you have any other kind?”

The answer, of course, was no.  We fresh squeeze our lemons, and the lemonade containers are clearly marked with their ingredients..either “lemons, water, sugar” or “water, lemons, Splenda”.  There is no prepackaged lemon stuff involved…its all from lemons just the way God made them!  So he went away with diet Coke in his hand.

After work, I was mulling over how ridiculous it was that he would turn down the real thing because he liked the fake better!  And then I realized..a struggle that I had been praying about in my own life was the same way!  I was asking God to bless what I wanted, that I really knew was not “the best” but was an acceptable (to me) 2nd choice..and I was just like my customer!  I almost insisted on the “fake” (my choice) instead of the “real”, His choice, if I was just willing to wait!

Lesson learned!  And next time YOU have a choice or decision, remember this story..and accept no substitutions!

Apologies @ $.42

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Being in customer service for a living has its ups and downs, but very few extremes either way.  Yesterday, however, was one of those.  I had a customer, who between a language barrier and a misunderstanding of her order, had a total meltdown in front of me while we were 5 deep in each line at lunch.  Finally with the help of two supervisors we were able to almost make her happy..but she was still very angry and would not even let us carry her order to her table.  Sigh.

About 30 minutes later, she approached my register and waited until I was free, and haltingly apologized and told me that she wanted to order one more thing.  So I rang up her order, took her money, and handed her the change..which she immediately waved away and said, “you keep!  I was ugly..you keep!”

She walked away while I stood there openmouthed and counted the change..it was $.42.  I thought about the fuss, my splitting headache, and the delay other customers experienced..and she was giving me $.42 to make up for it.  Now, i did appreciate the apology, especially since she didn’t have to.  Yet I was left feeling a little shortchanged in the whole process.

AND YET!  Just as I was feeling a little self-righteous about the whole thing, God stopped me in my tracks by this thought and this verse…Isaiah 64:6..which calls OUR righteousness in God’s eyes filthy rags.  In other words, any attempt on our part to apologize to God for ANY of our sin is just like that $.42…totally ineffective and a totally unrealistic of the impact of that sin!  I took a quick minute to express to my Savior once again the gratitude I have for His totally undeserved grace.  And I now have a permanent reminder for every time I feel self righteous..I’ll just remember forty-two cents!

No Looking Back!

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The past three weeks at work have been fascinating, hard, and hilarious at times.  The end of the school year brings SO many “extras” at work here.  There have been field days, field trips, contest winners, high school seniors leaving school early, honors day celebrations for the younger students, preschool graduations, you name it, we’ve had them at Chick!  And the sheer giddiness of a school year ending and summer beginning has captured the hearts of everyone, parents included.  It is a fun time and I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of it again.

However.  It is also a time, when the restaurant is crowded, to hear the inevitable phrases from those not involved – i.e. older than 30 – such as “I wish I could go back to that time” or “I wish I had enjoyed it more” or “it must be nice to feel/look/move that good”.  But that is the world’s view…not the Biblical one.  While all of us may wish we had better physical health, or hadn’t done some of the really dumb things we did in our pasts, we cannot look at the next generations and make that statement.  Because we see a narrow vision of them right now – the best one.  But the truth is  that they will have their own mistakes, fight their own battles, and face their own hurdles in this life.  They are just “fresh” right now, and not tested and tried, and while we should celebrate that for them, we should also thank the Lord that we do NOT have to repeat those years. I am grateful for the lessons I have learned, and grateful that the Lord has helped me remember them.

I have also heard the statement “I would go back if I could take with me what I know now”.  Um…no.  Because that just means we wouldn’t make the same mistakes, BUT!  We would just make new ones – because we are sinful people by nature, and we could never go back and be perfect.

So how should we approach this time?  Just the way the Apostle Paul did – “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Jesus Christ.”  (Philippians 32:13-14)  May we all press on and live our lives to His glory!