Off-Track

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Have you ever been on a course throughout your day and one unexpected event hijacked your thinking and got you completely off-track? My personality is to plan out my day, my route of errands, and the time frame to accomplish what is on my mental list. A few days ago I left work knowing I was meeting my family at Best Buy, taking my son to his piano lesson, meeting back up with my husband and other son at Chik-Fil-A (for a 30 minute meal),getting a to-go order to take to my son for after his lesson, then heading to church. I made it through my list to Chik-Fil-A, and upon entering, noticed that an employee was hosting BINGO for a local retirement community and the other guests. Jonathan was already playing, so I got a card and began playing BINGO while slurping (!) my soup. After a couple of rounds, I got 4 corners and jumped up hollering, “BINGO!” I won a free chicken sandwich, of which Jonathan promptly took advantage! When I looked at my watch, I realized it was time to get Marcus from his lesson, so Jon and I took off to get him. I was almost back to the piano teacher’s house when I remembered that I didn’t order his food. Do I go back . . . do I keep going . . . I went on because he might be standing outside waiting. Only, he wasn’t . . . his teacher is wonderful to give him extra time, so she kept him quite a while longer than usual. So, once we left, there was a limited time to go through another drive-thru and get to church. This time limit was something I had placed on myself . . . I was still going to be quite early to church and didn’t have to meet with anyone in particular. We went through another unnamed drive-thru (taco-chicken) and waited over 20 minutes before we got the order . . . I was stressing about time.

In reflecting on where I got “off-track,” I would have to say it was the unexpected BINGO game. But, it was so fun! So, where did I get frustrated . . . that would have to be when I realized I didn’t get Marcus’ food. That frustration affected my attitude while waiting for his lesson to be over, while following slow traffic to another drive-thru, while impatiently waiting in a long line for his food and upon entering church being bombarded with great questions and wonderful suggestions. I had to quickly get myself in check so that I could truly appreciate what our volunteers were saying. The Holy Spirit had been nudging me to pause, slow down, and enjoy the moment . . . all of them. I realized that I’m quite rigid and I don’t like my nice, little schedule to get interrupted. Playing BINGO was great, but only if I would have remembered to order Marcus’ food. . . then all would have been well in my little world. But, life isn’t like that. We need to have a plan, but the plan must include flexibility. I’ve always prided myself on being flexible, but He showed me I have a ways to go! Blessed are the flexible, for they shall bend and not break. Oh, that’s not a Beatitude! But, it is a gift. Anyway, the Lord reminded me that we need to have spontaneity in our routine, patience and peace exude from our presence and joy in the journey. So, go off-track . . . a little . . . sometime . . .