Tuesday, November 11, 2008

attitude vs gratitude

Driving brings out the worst in me.
Sunday, I drove down to Georgia for an important meeting.
I hadn't even been driving an hour when I came up on a traffic jam around mile marker 60 on I-75 (still in KY). For three hours I sat still, no movement other than moving forward about 10 feet whenever a car would get tired of waiting and cross the median to go back north. During that time I rotated between studying hebrew words, calling people, and getting frustrated (grinding my teeth). I had no information about why we were stopped, nor could I see the accident, leading to my indecision about trying to find another route or staying where I was. This only served to increase my anger at being held up.
Flashback about an hour and a half to when I was leading the elementary children's church during the 11:00 service and talking about gratitude (our theme for the month). Gratitude was the farthest thing from my mind in those moments. I think getting away from gratitude is pretty much when I'm at my worst. I focus on a problem - I forget what I've been given and those who have given it to me.
I checked tonight to find out why I had been delayed 3 hours.
http://www.wlextv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9319298
Life. I have it. Unfortunately, two young college students do not.
And I sat fuming. When will I stop letting a bad attitude spoil my gratitude.
God bring comfort to the families of these young men as they mourn their death.

1 comment:

mandy said...

Wow. great and painful story... but that's how it is. That's how it is...

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