Emails from Angels

There are days you wake up and think, "This is going to be a good day!" and then there are the days you wake up and your thinking, "Well, not so much". This past Thursday morning, I really thought it was starting out pretty okay. I needed to leave the house a little early to drop by the church and so I actually ended up at work 10 minutes early. 10 minutes to get started without the phone ringing and the normal ins and outs of my day, I would really like to get in the habit of going in an hour early everyday, or at least a half hour, that normally makes the day go smoother. Thursday, it didn't matter at all that I was there early.

We have days when stupid things just happen. When several stupid things happen at once, it isn't good, and to me, it is frustrating. This day, we were already having some issues with some of the applications that had been brought to our office, I had just been informed that I had totally dropped the ball on getting a new computer set up for one of the other ladies in the office, and then, our new payroll clerk's accounting software wasn't working correctly. It is Thursday and payday is Friday......Not many people know this, anyway they didn't until now. Because of a mistake I made on the payroll clerk's computer, one time everyone in the agency's paychecks were wrong, and it wasn't in favor of the employee. Needless to say, working on that particular computer automatically sends the anxiety up a notch. All of that being said, this one was nothing major, but in my mind, it was.

I also had it in my head that I was going to the nursing home during my lunch hour and visit a dear family friend. This friend is not doing well at all and I had that awful pull between, "I want him to know I care" and "I don't want to see him like this". That didn't get better even after I was there. It was as bad as I expected, I had been out several other times since he had been in there and he was weak, but still himself. Anyway, back to Thursday morning.

I always, always, try to be the nice person, the one that just because I am having a bad day, doesn't mean my testimony for Jesus should be having a bad day. Thursday morning, I let that slip. I received a phone call, while sitting in the payroll clerk's office and I was short with the coworker on the other end. I knew it and felt bad about it the minute I hung up. So, I sent an email a few minutes later apologizing for my actions.

Then I get this in an email in return......

I’m in one of my spiritual moods today.  So here goes….  You said I’m being pulled in many directions today and it’s gonna be a “Bad day”..

For some reason that bothered me that YOU would say that.  What if God said to his angels I have someone I want to show to you.  I have put many things on her plate but I know she can handle it.  Let’s see how it’s going…and you said, It’s gonna be a bad day.  Mindy you have always managed to get done the things that need done.  No you are not without fault or feelings but you were chosen to do what you do.  HIS hand is on your shoulder and he walks beside you. 

It’s not a bad day it’s a …..hurdle jumping day. 

Okay…I’m done.  I think he wanted me to tell you that.  Have a great day.

This is the point where it is a great thing I am having eye problems and have to put tear drops in my eyes, when they are running down my face, everyone can just assume I have just doused my eyes with drops.

When I got this email I thought immediately of a sermon Ted Rhodes preached at a revival years ago. He was telling us that if we keep dealing with the same problems, the same tribulations, that God is giving you a chance for a do-over. He equated this to going around a mountain, it seems like you are traveling a long way, until you realize you are right back where you started. This is something that stuck with me and Andrew both so over the years, we have discussed "going around the mountain" many times. I realized this morning God was sending me around the mountain and giving me a very big lesson on not taking my tribulations out on others, or Him. 

So, now I am anxiously (okay not really anxiously, but it might as well be) awaiting the next "hurdle jumping day", to see if I can handle it differently. 

I had several verses come to mind, such as "count it all joy....." but I think I used that one just a few weeks ago.

Proverbs 3:5-6 also popped in my head, "

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
⁶ In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

And when it all comes down to it, that was what I was missing, Trusting in God with all my heart. I have to tell you, more computers have been prayed over in our agency than probably anyplace else, and a lot of those times, I fix them without even knowing how, EXCEPT for the fact, that I am truly trusting God to lead me in the right direction.

So, the next time you are having a bad day, I challenge you too, to proclaim it a hurdle jumping day, tie on those running shoes and just get at it, and give God the glory.

So, I leave you with an oldie but a goody,  Amy Grant's In a Little While.

Have a great week!