Bee has been gone for nearly three weeks. She has been with my daughter and her family. One member of my daughter’s family is her dog Maddie who can be seen in this picture doing what she does well, jumping. Bee, on the other hand, is waiting for the door to open so she can come in and have her dinner.
Just the other day, after we had gotten off a cruise ship, my husband and I were taken by bus to the airport where we were corralled into a check in line. As we all waited patiently, people were coming off buses and stepping in front of us, disregarding the lines of people off to the left.
I could feel my anger building up and the need to call out to the service attendants about the unfairness of the situation. My husband told me to calm down which only caused me to become angrier. Why had I become so annoyed in only a matter of minutes? What was it about my own nature that precipitated these emotions?
“The Israelites said to them, “’If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.’” Exodus 16:3
We all have a tendency to judge the Israelites for their negative attitude as they were shuffled out of Egypt and led through the wilderness. But if I can’t keep a positive attitude for thirty minutes in an airport line, why would I think that I could stay cool wondering in the desert without food or water?
And if I struggled over such a minor issue, how can I get through the major calamities of life? There is only one way that I know of. Remembering who God is. If we can only take the focus off of our present circumstances and place it on who God is, our feelings will follow.
Bee finally got inside and has eaten not only that meal but many others while being with my daughter’s family. She has added an inch or two around her waist and doesn’t seem to be missing me. But none the less, I am looking forward to having her home and our family all together again.
The lesson of keeping our Eyes on Jesus can be hard in the moment. I feel I need to Express my feelings right then and there! But understanding that Jesus has shown me patience and will bring me through this particular rough moment has helped me look to Him for help and strength to change. Thank you Cora for this message! Have a Family Fun Time this Thanksgiving!
I pray that you will also have a Thanksgiving worth remembering…
I am so much like the Israelites on so many days. It’s just so easy to complain and grumble! Even though I sit in a wheelchair, I have so much technology and support at my fingertips. Thanks for helping me remember it’s about praising God and not about looking at our little annoying circumstances.
Thanks Terri for your perspective. I hope life has some normalcy for you these days.