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The other day I stood in the children’s section at Macy’s waiting for a salesclerk to assist me with my purchases. There was no one at the counter. I had the twins with me, so the longer I was forced to wait while speaking commands such as, “Stand still. No! I said don’t do that. Do not wander away!” I started to become agitated and impatient.
After a couple minutes of waiting, an elderly woman came to stand in line behind me. She looked to be in her middle eighties. She quickly became inquisitive about my twins and asked me all kinds of questions. She then told me that her grandmother was a twin, her sister had twins, and with a downcast spirit she told me she was glad to have been spared the blessing of two little ones at once. Her husband passed away from cancer when she was only 37 years of age and twins would have been too difficult to manage alone. As she recounted the event that broke her heart I could see the pain in her eyes. It is almost 50 years later, and she is still grieving the love of her life along with all that could have been. Along with all that wasn’t…
Before the sales attendant came to assist me, I was able to take a minute to tell her I was sorry for her loss and provide a listening ear. As I walked away, I began to pray for the sweet woman. And then, I was convicted about my earlier feelings of agitation and impatience. God had a plan far different from my own. I wanted to check-out and go home. He wanted me to show kindness to a sweet soul and have a new face to remember in my prayers.
We rush around in this life. We have tasks to cross off our lists, and only the Lord can help the person who makes us wait. We don’t have time to slow down, so sometimes God insists upon it. He puts us in department store lines absent of sales attendants as a reminder that it isn’t about us…
It isn’t about me… No, it never was. It is only about Him. The tasks on my list aren’t nearly as important as the tasks on His. It’s His plan, His time, His way.
Your will be done, Lord.
Psalm 25:4
Show me your ways, Oh Lord; teach me your paths. (N.K.J.V.)
Has there ever been a time the Lord forced you to slow down to accomplish His agenda?
“It isn’t about me… No, it never was. It is only about Him. The tasks on my list aren’t nearly as important as the tasks on His. It’s His plan, His time, His way.”
I have failed to realize these points for a very long time. I am beginning to accept these truths and step aside so that His plan is carried out. Our lives and our selves really are not as important as Him and His agenda. Thank you for sharing this, I took it as a powerful reminder of my place.
Hello. These are sometimes very hard lessons to learn. We all have to fight the flesh to understand the power of allowing Him to work in His time. I’m glad the post spoke to you. Enjoy your day. I just said a prayer for you.
Beautiful story to lend a listening ear to this woman. I know it’s hard to wait with little ones.
Thank you:).
“I wanted to check-out and go home. He wanted me to show kindness to a sweet soul…” Love this post Jennifer!
Thank you, Eileen!
Creating a new list, a new to do right along with you.
Kinda of liking our momma notes. I do hope you’ll join us again and link up. Wanna join us? Slip your fave recipe, notes of encouragement, birthday pics, all things gloriously mom, into the link up. Just moms. Sharing our notes. Creating a melody.
http://justsarahdawn.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-new-to-do.html
Be blessed bunches,
Sarah
So often I am so busy thinking about the next thing on my to do list I don’t take the time to notice or reach out to those around me. Thank you reminding me how important it is to see with God’s eyes.
Hi Amy. Thanks for reading today:).