Wordy Wednesday: Recognizing God in Your "Everyday"

I pray off and on throughout the day.  Some days more than others.  When my days are full and busy, I have running dialogue with myself and overthink every single decision.  Yesterday, I was a little high strung, trying to figure out which store or stores to go to.  I just needed a couple things, but I needed them before dinner.  And I didn't even think to pray, I just worried myself into a slight panic.

This picture wasn't actually taken yesterday during our frenzy, but I  thought it captured the sentiment.

Dilemma #1: My kids were with me.

I shop often, almost always in the evenings, when Doug is home.  My kids act fairly well at the store, but they ask questions and want to know about things, and I get easily overwhelmed.  I like to look at every row, and again, I overthink every decision, and end up going back and forth on what to buy and how many.  I also talk to myself in the store.  I'm a crazy person.


Dilemma #2:  I basically had the lunch hour to run to the store, and my kids were hungry.


Consideration #1:  I normally go to three different stores, getting the best price for each and every item. I only needed 3 things, but the best price for each, is at 3 different stores.

I'm such penny pinching hoarder.  And, notice the trend, I tend to overanalyze, obsessing about getting the best deal. Then have trouble feeling guilty and disappointed in myself if I don't get the very best price for everything.

Consideration #2: I felt like my time was more valuable on this day, since I was feeling scattered and had lots to do.

With all these things in mind, I reluctantly decided to just run in to Winco, it's closest to my house.  And they have decent prices for stuff, but it is so difficult for me to buy tortillas for $1.50, when I know I can get them for $1 somewhere else.  As we were pulling up to the store, I was still feeling frustrated that I hadn't planned better and bought the few items I needed ahead of time.  I wasn't confident in my choice at all, but I felt like, I guess I just have to do what I have to do.

And then wouldn't you know, I had three wonderful things happen.  First, I parked next to a cart corral (is that what you call them?), and there was a double cart for my kids to sit in.  Last time we came to the store, 7 eons ago, we couldn't find one, and Kees was so sad.  SCORE!  Next, as I was walking to the check out, I thought I heard a lady speaking Thai to her friend.  I wasn't sure because it was muffled, and a few times, I've thought I heard Thai, listened closer and it was a different Asian language.  Every other time, it has just been wishful thinking.  I kept walking, got 5 steps away, and thought, "Did God bring me to this store, on this day, so I could meet these ladies?"  But, I was trying to decide if I should go back and talk to them or not, and then I heard one of them say, "Pa".  Which I KNEW was Thai!  And that gave me the courage to turn around and ask where they were from.  Finally, when I was checking out, the cashier applied coupons, I didn't even have, and it more than made up for the "savings" I thought I would have by going to two more stores.

That's what God can do.  He can take the crummy decision you wish you didn't have to make, and show you that He's in control, and He can make great things happen.  Oh, how silly I felt for stressing over where to shop.  If I had been stubborn and tried to force what I was comfortable with, I would have been more stressed, had less time, and I wouldn't have met my two new Thai friends.  Next time, when I'm feeling like I'm "settling" because I'm doing something unexpected.  I hope I remember how God provided for me yesterday.  How he had this amazing, far-above-my-dreams plan.  I posted on Facebook, about how excited I was to meet these ladies.  I almost burst into tears when they said they were from Thailand.  And fought the urge to hug them three different times.  I just couldn't believe it!  I fumbled with my Thai, but used a little.  Told them how much I missed Thailand and would love to practice my Thai, and of course eat more Thai food.  One of the ladies already friended me on Facebook and invited me to eat with her and a friend, next week.  I offered to bring the sticky rice.

Stop today, thank God for the little and big plans that haven't gone your way. Maybe those were the ones that went HIS way, and let me tell you, that's always good news!  And if you're in the midst, take a deep breath, and pray that God will show you his hand at work.  I could have saved myself some wrinkle lines yesterday if I would have just prayed through that decision and rested in HIM.  Love to all of you, hope your day is blessed, and you see how God is going and has gone ahead of you.