Thank you Greg. This was great and I needed something like this today. Laurie --- Greg <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Does God Dance on Your Potato Chips? > This is an inspiring little story that is sure to > change the outlook of your day.... > > > > Not too long ago I had "one of those days". I was > feeling pressure from a writing deadline. I had > company arriving in a couple days and the toilet was > clogged. I went to the bank, and the trainee teller > processing my deposit had to start over three times. > I swung by the supermarket to pick up a few things > and the lines were serpentine. By the time I got > home, I was frazzled and sweaty and in a hurry to > get something on the table for dinner. > > Deciding on Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup, I > grabbed a can opener, cranked open the can, then > remembered I had forgotten to buy milk at the store. > Nix the soup idea. Setting the can aside, I went to > plan B, which was leftover baked beans.I grabbed a > Tupperware from the fridge, popped the seal, took a > look and groaned. > > My husband isn't a picky eater, but even HE won't > eat baked beans that look like caterpillars. Really > frustrated, now, I decided on a menu that promised > to be as foolproof as it is nutrition-free: hot dogs > and potato chips. Retrieving a brand new bag of > chips from the cupboard, I grabbed the cellophane > and gave a hearty pull. The bag didn't open. I tried > again. > > Nothing happened. I took a breath, doubled my > muscle, and gave the bag a hearty wrestle. With a > loud pop, the cellophane suddenly gave way, ripping > wide from top to bottom. Chips flew sky high. I was > left holding the bag, and it was empty. > > It was the final straw. I let out a blood curdling > scream. "I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!" > > My husband heard my unorthodox cry for help. Within > minutes he was standing at the doorway to the > kitchen, where he surveyed the damage: > > An opened can of soup, melting groceries, moldy > baked beans, and one quivering wife standing ankle > deep in potato chips. My husband did the most > helpful thing he could think of at the moment. He > took a flying leap, landing flat-footed in the pile > of chips. And then he began to stomp and dance and > twirl, grinding those chips into my linoleum in the > process! I stared. I fumed. Pretty soon I was > working to stifle a smile. > > Eventually I had to laugh. And finally I decided to > join him. I, too, took a leap onto the chips. And > then I danced. > > Now I'll be the first to admit that my husband's > response wasn't the one I was looking for. But the > truth is, it was exactly what I needed. I didn't > need a cleanup crew as much as I needed an attitude > adjustment, and the laughter from that rather funky > moment provided just that. > > So now I have a question for you, and it's simply > this: Has God ever stomped on your chips? I know > that, in my life, there have been plenty of times > when I've gotten myself into frustrating situations > and I've cried out for help, all the while hoping > God would show up with a celestial broom and clean > up the mess I've made of things. > > What often happens instead is that God dances on my > chips, answering my prayer in a completely different > manner than I had expected, but in the manner that > is best for me after all. Sometimes I can see right > away that God's response was the best one after all. > Sometimes I have to wait weeks or months before I > begin to understand how and why God answered a > particular prayer the way he did. There are even > some situations that, years later, I'm still trying > to understand. I figure God will fill me in sooner > or later, either this side of Heaven or beyond. > > Do I trust Him? Even when He's answering my prayers > in a way that is completely different from my > expectations? Even when He's dancing and stomping > instead of sweeping and mopping? Can I embrace what > He's offering? Can I let His joy adjust my attitude? > Am I going to stand on the sidelines and sulk, or am > I willing to learn the steps of the dance He's > dancin' with my needs in mind? > > I'll be honest with you: Sometimes I sulk. Sometimes > I dance. I'm working on doing more of the latter > than the former. I guess the older I get the more I > realize that He really does know what He's doing. He > loves me and I can trust Him. Even when the chips > are down. > > > > _______________________________________________ > Sndbox mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://sandboxmail.net/mailman/listinfo/sndbox_sandboxmail.net >
===== I wanted a perfect ending... Now, I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment, and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity. --Gilda Radner __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Protect your identity with Yahoo! Mail AddressGuard http://antispam.yahoo.com/whatsnewfree _______________________________________________ Sndbox mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://sandboxmail.net/mailman/listinfo/sndbox_sandboxmail.net
