Whining and eventually ...Listening!

I didn't make it to the mall to walk before volleyball practice yesterday afternoon.

Why didn't you make it before volleyball, you ask? Well, it wasn't because I went over my alloted 3 1/2 minutes posting on Lonesome Pine!

When Bex got in the car to start it -- it wouldn't start! Arrrggggghhhh.... No problemo (I couldn't say 'No Sweat' because I was sweating profusely!) -- I'll just call Mr. Fix-It and let him come home and jump it off because my van has had this electrical problem for over a YEAR!!!! and he hasn't FIXED it! Arrrggggh!

(Did I forget to mention that he's been kind of busy...replacing the transmission in my van and in his truck? Or that he works extremely hard to provide for us? No, I guess not...I was too busy whining...)

So, I pull out my trusty phone and call. Mr. Fix-It tells me that there is some sort of machine there under the carport, ready and waiting to jump-start the battery. He's prepared for this --because he KNEW this day would come!!!! Okay...I'm calm....deep breaths here....

So after a bit of instruction on the phone, me and Bex move the little machine in front of the car, find a long, orange cord, and plug it in. After we hook up the red thingy to the red post on the battery and the black thingy to the other post, I turn it on and we wait.

...Try the ignition. Nope. We wait.

...Try the ignition. Nope. We wait.

...Try the ignition. Nope. We wait...

At this point, we turn the dial on the machine to SUPER-CHARGE BLOW-IT-UP mode!!! (Not really, we just put it on another setting that is supposed to be a stronger charge.)

After a couple more tries, the car starts. Great! Let's go. I smile and explain to Bex that so many times in life we have to just go to Plan B. Not a problem. Don't I have such wisdom? Just passing on the love, here--and not whining (out loud!).

I drop Bex at practice and head to the mall to walk...alone. This isn't fun--it's too much like work. You see, walking with Bex is MUCH more enjoyable and do-able than walking by myself. Yes, she's a tough coach and pushes me --but she is such a delightful girl, it's so much better than me dragging my Plus size body through the mall alone.

If Bex isn't available, I've learned that it is much more enjoyable to be-bop through the mall listening to say... Josh Turner asking me if I'll go with him...or Casting Crowns reminding me that God forgives as far as the east is from the west...or various other music Bex has on her handy-dandy iPod. Thus, not having to think about the drudgery of walking.

When I walk and think-- I start making excuses with myself to stop walking. Or I start thinking about our finances, or how my mouth keeps getting me in trouble, or various other hard things to think about. Then I start feeling sorry for myself and things just go south from there... I'm just so pitiful!!!

So, I'm there at the mall...backed into the parking space to make it easier to jump-start in case the battery is too weak... and I start looking for Bex's iPod (that she had assured me WAS in the car). IT WAS NOT THERE! She must have left it in her purse. Oh, no!!!

I feel desperate! Surely, I can't walk without my props! So, I debate on whether to leave the mall and NOT walk. Can you believe that? I'm actually sitting in the parking lot and debating with myself about whether I should walk --just because I don't have the iPod!!! I am just so pitiful -AND- weak.

So, I tell myself..."Self, if you will just walk for 15 minutes that will be better than nothing...this is an EXTRA day, after all!" Now you know another of my secrets, I lie to myself too! But I step away from the car anyway and head inside.

Now I'm really in whiny mode. You spell that wh.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.I.n.e.e.e.e.e.e.e! First, my car won't start which changes my best laid plans, my husband hasn't fixed my car, it's hot, gas costs too much, MCS is soooo far away, and THEN I don't have an iPod to listen to...poor pitiful ME!

Do you get like this? Or is it just me?

Okay...here is the gist of my story (finally). I'm walking through the mall. For some reason my feet are hurting --my back is hurting --so I'll just walk the Belk end...then quit. 15 minutes, tops! I probably breathed a little prayer like "Lord, please help me get through this..." or something to that effect.

Then it happened.

I looked in front of me and saw a young man walking with crutches. He only had one leg. Hmmmm...Lord, I'M whining when I have two basically good legs? So, I start praying for him and thinking...

Ummm...what about my young friend Rachel who is in the hospital facing many surgeries on her leg (she was tubing yesterday and hit a dock pole with her leg--had to be Life-Flighted to the hospital)? Why am I whining? Hmmmm...what about my friend, Mary D. who had surgery on her foot last week and can't walk for another 6 weeks? I go ahead and lift them up in prayer to the Father....

Worse yet, I see Mrs. Becky several times a week, who is suffering in her lift-chair every day and can't even move her hands to scratch her nose sometimes??? What do I have to whine about? Am I just a crazy, ungrateful, pitiful wretch, or what?

I'm still walking.

Then, I look over and there is a lady in a wheelchair being pushed by her husband...she'd probably like to walk, too!

I'm still walking.

A few minutes later, I passed an older gentleman with stooped shoulders who was working hard to put one foot in front of the other. But he was walking.

Do you think I'm embarrassed enough here, Lord? Apparently, not.

I'm still walking.

By this time, I've gotten the message loud and clear and have made it through the entire mall and feel just fine...counting my blessings! But God wasn't finished with me yet.

On my way to the restroom I passed an older lady sitting at a table with an oxygen machine. If I DON'T walk--this is probably in my future. Yes, Lord. I'm walking!!!!

Thank you, Lord, for reminding me that I am an incredibly blessed woman --whether I have an iPod or not. I have two legs that tend to get me to the Food Court okay, so they can probably go other places too! Forgive me for all that whiny stuff...I'm listening!




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