A parking ticket reminder

     I know what you're thinking--this girl has totally lost her mind!  Tell me that is not a picture of her computer with a parking ticket taped to the top?!
     Yep, that's pretty much what it is.  But let me explain--
     My morning had gone from bad to worse...or at least from disorganized (my usual) to chaotic to totally falling apart.  Nothing major, I'm happy (and also embarrassed) to say--just the usual minutia and busyness of life that suddenly seemed to overwhelm me.  It was just one of those days where I had waaaaaay too much to do,  not enough time to do it, and constant interruptions and minor emergencies that threatened to send me off the deep end.  Even as I write this, I'm thinking, "Get a grip, girl!  Are you kidding?"  But at the time, I pretty much lost all perspective and felt, well, discouraged and defeated.
     I rushed in the house after running to do a chore for my husband that he really needed done right then, and it was fairly apparent I was at the end of my rope.  He didn't say anything at first--just handed me that ticket.  Words were unnecessary.
     The previous afternoon, we had my car cleaned for the first time since the earth's surface cooled, and the car cleaner guys (who were fabulous, incidentally!) put a couple of things on my car seat that they had unearthed from the deep recesses of my dirty car.  One of them was this little ticket.  I had paid no attention to it the day before but just threw it on the counter with the other stuff when I came in the house.
     But Richard had looked at it a little more closely and immediately recognized it: one of the parking lot ticket stubs from the hospital at ECU when Janie was in ICU a year ago.  We looked at the date on the ticket.  Sure enough, it was one of the really long, tough days when Janie was not only still unconscious and unresponsive, but also the day when her lungs suddenly became a huge problem.  In fact, that was a day we had felt particularly frightened because the doctors had to perform an emergency bronchoscopy to clear out one of her lungs so she could breathe.
     And here's all my husband had to say to me: "If you could go back to that day, what would you think about your 'problems' today?  Don't you think you would have been thrilled to trade these worries today with what you were facing then?"
     And he quietly taped the ticket on top of my computer as a reminder of God's goodness and grace.  God's utterly underserved graciousness and kindness that I, inexplicably, seemed to have completely forgotten with my present concerns.  His remarkable power displayed that I seemed to have completely discounted with my pressing chores.  His love and care and provision...that I, in my ingratitude and self-absorption, seemed to have completely disregarded.
     O forgive me, Father.  Forgive me for so frequently adopting the selfish attitude of "what have You done for me lately."  Forgive me for forgetting.  Forgive me for failing to live a life devoted to praising and thanking You constantly--in good times and bad.  In moments of joy and of disappointment.  In times of fulfillment and frustration.
     Thank You, Lord, for reminding me--You are good all the time...even when we can't see it.  Whenever the clouds shroud the sun, the sun is still there.  Our view is just momentarily blocked.  So too, help us to trust in You and Your love and Your goodness and Your grace even when our circumstances momentarily block our understanding.  Our circumstances change.  You do not.
     And so, might we all remember--our  God is forever faithful.  If you need a little help recalling, take a few minutes and list His gifts to you this past week.  List them all--from the lovely fall weather to the solace of friendship to the strength He gives to endure some hard, dark place.
     And then list the greatness of the Gift-Giver.  His love.  Grace.  Power.  Joy.  Forgiveness.  Kindness.  Strength.  Holiness.  Glory... and on and on...
     "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer" (Rom.12:12)--our memory verse for this week's Bible study.  Yep, that pretty much covers it, Lord!  Keep us rejoicing, give us patient endurance in our trials and help us to pray without ceasing.
     For You are faithful and good...all the time.   Thanks for using a parking ticket to remind me.
     To God be the glory.