We had a little park day on Saturday afternoon. It was nice to lay on a blanket in the sun and watch Duke in his element. It was an especially windy day, which he prefers.
After Duke's afternoon nap on Saturday, we sat on the couch together for snack time. He fed me Cheerios and it was the sweetest thing.
Saturday night we went to OBU to see Karlie in Harvest Court. She was up for Best All-Around and carried on the family tradition by losing. We were all so proud!
(Harvest Court Best All-Around Losers: Mark, 2005-2006; Karlie, 2012-2013; Claire, 2007-2008; Colt, 2007-2008)
She fake cried the entire drive and told me a million sob stories. In the process, Duke decided to start crying. Loudly. So it was just a tad bit stressful. I pulled up to the apartment complex and she asked me if I had any money to help with her messed up car, one of her sob stories. I had no cash. She got out, seemingly frustrated at me. I said, "Well, I hope it helps that I at least got you where you needed to be," prodding for a "thank you" or anything resembling thankfulness. She said, "Well, I need to be in Okarche," (where her kids supposedly were) and slammed the car door.
I sat there for a moment in shock. Then I loudly pulled out of the complex and said a few things to myself aloud. I called Colt and told him I would obviously be later than planned.
I like to believe people, I really do. But the lack of tears and gratefulness from this lady made me feel otherwise. However, it's not my job to decide whether or not someone is telling the truth or not. Or to decide whether or not they're worthy of help.
I got to church all flustered and mad. On top of that, they didn't have decaf coffee that morning - the first morning ever in the history of the church to not have decaf. Well, maybe not, but it felt like it. I told Colt I might just stand in the back of the sanctuary and cry.
This lady had really gotten to me. And why? I've helped random people on the side of the road before with a couple bucks and they've never gushed "thank yous" at me. But this time was different. I had been inconvenienced, taken a risk with my child in the car, and received absolutely no gratitude. Not even a generic, "God bless you."
Later that evening Colt said he felt like that story had a lot of significance for us. How many times do we say, "Well, I need to be in Okarche," and then slam the door on God? Probably more times than we'd like to admit. Well, I need a little more money each month. Well, I need a bigger house. Well, I need to be healed from my anxiety. After He gives us one thing, we respond with something else that He forgot. The truth is, we have more than what we need. We just have to take a second and realize it.
Wow, I would have been frustrated too. Gah! But I love your's and Colt's perspective on it - asking yourself what you can learn is so important, but sometimes that's just not what you want to do, ya know?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I can be in a loser category with your awesome family :)
Glad you're a loser with us! ;)
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