Truths in little things

The alarm went off at 3:15 a.m. this morning. A strange sound was coming from my phone, as it has for the last two years become my wake-up. I usually roll over and hit the snooze button at least one to five times depending on how tired I am and how much time I think I need that morning. Today however, is Wednesday and there is lots to do before departing at 4:10. I jump up slowly and allow my feet to hit the cold wood flooring. Yes, I know it is summer but I am particularly fond of the two blankets, five pillows, and numerus stuffed animals in my bed so I keep the air a bit cooler in there. Up I go out of bed to where the surprisingly joyful melody is coming from and turn it off quickly before it no longer sounds joyful. (This is when I have decided not to get out of bed to turn it off. I have learned that after about a minute of its incessant singing it will turn itself off.)

I head down my stairs and grab an apple and some tea while I try to shake off the grogginess and get motivated for the day. Next it is off to shower and wardrobe choice. I try to turn the shower radio on but not too loudly so I don't wake anyone else up. Sad, mostly static and I don't feel like going upstairs again yet to grab a CD. I love music and it makes me happy so I suffer through it. Next, outfit selection, which is made rather simple since I work at Starbucks. Black pants so not to get them dirty and a black shirt as I have learned it is difficult to hide any tattoos through white shirts. (Should of thought of that when I got those things permanently pushed beneath my skin. I like art and I probably would have gotten them anyway. Hmmm. Should have thought the art through better.)

Now I have about twenty minutes (like I have any sense of time that early in the morning. Oh, did I mention I sometimes loose twenty minutes just walking through the doorway) to put it all together. Hair wet I quickly pull it back into a pony and now I begin the search for socks. This seems to be quit a problem for me as I never have enough and I change them once or twice a day. I run back down my stairs and am lucky to find some in my laundry basket. I think they are clean but really don't have time to figure it out or wash any. So I do the smell check. (This is kinda gross but I work at a place I leave covered in coffee smells, syrup, and whipped cream anyway so I get away with throwing it together quickly. Besides, I have never been a morning person by any definition so I am lucky to make it out of the house that early wearing everything necessary to be presentable in public. Let me tell you there have been many an occasion my shirt was buttoned inside out and my hair was literally dripping wet not to mention the times I have left without shoes and other misc. things.)

Next I have to figure out what day it is so that I know what I need when I leave the house. Last night was college group so that makes today Wednesday, at least I think. So my next plan of action is to find something to change into after work and then remember my gym clothes. This is not easy as I am still struggling to think clearly. I am not in a bad mood by any means, just a bit sleepy. So I find pants, belt, shirt, make sure to have tank top in case shirt is too short, pull out a jacket, track down sandals and hope it all matches later. Then, I grab something to wear at the gym and tennis shoes to go with it. Now I am headed back down my stairs with a pile of stuff. I get to the bottom and realized I did not have a belt on. So after a trip up and down again I think all is well. Nope. My apron is upstairs so I go to retrieve it. The cutest thing in the world, my ferret Bear, distracts me. She wants to give kisses and play and since I can't resist I chase her all around my bed with my hand. This takes about four or five minutes but her snuggling is so worth it. Back down the stairs again. Back up again as I forgot my cellphone (life and death : ) . Finally the up and down game is done.

Next I must find something to bring to eat so I don't have to make any stops. This takes another 3 or four minutes. I am ready to leave. Oh, wait. I need more socks for the gym. I go on a search and somehow track down a pair I must have borrowed from Amy. (I assume this because they are white and I only own black) Ok, out the door I go and I am risking my life as I balance a pile of stuff. Clothes, food, bag, planner, shoes, and keys in hand and water bottle in mouth. I work my way out the door and manage to lock it. Then my kitty Tomi wants to say good morning. She only likes to hang out when I am home and is very good at making sure to greet me hello, follow me in the house, and give me a goodbye walk to my car as I leave. You should see her hop as I come home when I have been gone all day. Animals are so cute. I drive away. Are you tired yet because at this point in the morning I have already begun winding back down?

I arrive about ten minutes before I am scheduled and must wait in my car until a co-worker shows up. They usually run right to the minute so this is the point of my morning that the music gets a little louder so can I stay awake. This is a bit easier now, but in the winter when I am bundled up and have the heat going seems impossible. So she arrives and it is time to set up the store. The co-worker who closed the night before thought it would be funny to hide two of the four coffee spouts and place notes all over the store to send us on a scavenger hunt. At 4:30 a.m. this is not very funny though it still amuses me. I will have to deal with it later and do my best now as I have about twenty minutes to get the store prepped for open.

Finally the day is going and I am running the shift and floating the line as the crowd begins. Aces in their places and by 7ish I am wound up enough to do what I need to do. I run around and get the store ready and prepared, as I want it so we are ready for the line that will be to the door. Now, it is time to plan out the rest of the day. The major line is gone there are lunches, breaks, a deposit to do, and cleaning and restocking. After an hour or so it is my breaktime. I sit down and borrow my friends IPod while on my lunch break. This is when I am so thankful there is a believer at my job (one with an IPod). I spend my lunch listening to some Chris Tomlin, reading the Word and thinking. The day has really only begun still and it is about 10:15. So I sit and reflect on what I want to read, the lyrics to the songs, and the little things in life that remind me of spiritual lessens or truths.

The first life lesson that really amused me during my early morning break at Starbucks one morning was learned over a cup of hot cereal. I don't know if things just seem simpler at that time of day or if I just am really easily amused. (Well, let's just say I really am easily amused by myself. I often crack myself up and laugh about it outloud. I find I often have to explain my seemingly random laughter to others as it is brought up completely because what I am thinking about. Have you ever had to pretend like you are talking to someone on the phone just because a thought of yours cracks you up that bad? Yep, that totally happens to me a little too often. Oh, especially in the car but I have already told you some of my car experiences.) So back to the truths my hot Kashi cereal will reveal. I took a small cup and put the oatmeal like substance in the bottom. Then I added really hot water say about 190'F. Then I stir. Seems like a super simple task right. Sure. I then sit in the quiet and eat. The cereal is OK but really does not seem to be the greatest ever. I have never tried this flavor before so assume that I just don't care too terribly much for it.

So I am sitting and thinking. I wonder what the ingredients are in this cereal. Yes, I am silly sometimes but I really like details I guess and so pull the wrapper out from the trash as it is still sitting on top. I looked around to find the ingredients and instead was distracted by the cooking instructions. I obviously thought I was smart enough to cook oatmeal. Wrong, definitely wrong. The label says...Cooking Directions....... Just adding boiling water will not cook the whole grains. Umm.... that is really funny because this is like day three or four of eating uncooked hot cereal now. Yep, I laughed. Then I laughed because once I microwaved it I found it was actually pretty tasty. That is what remained of it in the cup as I had now microwaved very hot water for too long. It left half of the cereal on the bottom of the microwave. My only excuse, it was very early and I usually average about 3 to 4 hours of sleep a night. It reminded me of many things.

First off I thought about how much I trust in myself and my own knowledge and experience to base my actions from. Let me tell you how great a comparison this is for my walk with God. I so often just do things because I think that is how it should be. I trust my knowledge and my strength to get it done. So I was reading and came across Proverbs 3:5-7

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

Yeah, I love spiritual truths in little things. I love knowing God's word is His instruction manual for our lives. And without it life will never be the same. Think of the mistakes we make and how things turn out. Think about when we sin and we know we are doing it and the earthly consequences that occur because of our sin.

I though back farther to a point when I was very young and decided to bake some cookies. I never have been much for following directions if I can help it and so just looked up the list of ingredients. I added them as they were listed and then mixed them all together in one big bowl. I then measured them out and baked them only to find out something had gone wrong. The entire batch was ruined and each cookie was as heavy as a rock. I had missed many steps when adding the ingredients and the only thing left to do was toss them and start again. That my friend, is how I see God working in my life sometimes. Well, sort of.

I realized at that point how God can and does take the mess and fix it. It is called refinement and I am thankful for it. I can not fix a messed up batch of anything but He really can. And I am thankful He gives us an instruction manual completed with ingredients and all. Take a little Jesus, some Holy Spirit, and God our Father and you get a complete person. That is exciting and encouraging all rolled into one. I love learning things and I love it when God teaches me these things through simple life examples.

I really would explain this more but it makes sense to me. My example really runs much deeper in my mind but I am really, really, tired and am to the point I won't be making any logical discussion soon. So, hopefully you can find your own examples of God. When we see how big He is and how in control our view of Him gets bigger. We become more dependent and more trusting and that is exactly where I want to be. I want to be in His arms and let Him carry me through all things at all times. Yep, what an AWESOME God and loving Father we have.