Object Lessons and Perspective

Here's why it's good to have time with the Lord first thing in the morning:  you never know what's going to happen that day...and God does!

This morning I woke up feeling rested.  Kris brought me coffee in bed, saWEEEEET!  Time with the Lord, priceless.  I got up and wandered into the living room.  Kris was relaxed on his recliner.  It is Sunday morning and he is looking forward to preaching at a house church fellowship and then coming home to a relaxing afternoon.  I hear the kids in the kitchen eating breakfast.  They remembered the pancakes from last night and are eating the leftovers for breakfast.  Looks to be an easy day!  But the kitchen smells bad.  I look in the kitty litter box...kitty missed the box!  I clean it up.  Now to throw the trash out.  I unlock the front door, or at least try to.  The key is stuck.  I go to the store room to get the WD40.  The store room is flooded by a broken pipe from an air conditioner.  OK, that's for later, but I go ahead and tell Kris about it.  WD40 doesn't work for the key because...the lock is broken...we can't get out of the door.  This one can't wait because we gotta go to church!  Kris tries all sorts of things but the cheap lock has crumbled and there isn't much to be done in the half hour we have before church.

At our worship time, Kris' sermon is very appropriate.  It's about our light and momentary troubles!  We all decide to go out to eat together.  We have four cars.  One car is hit by a motorcycle on the way. We arrive at the restaurant who says they aren't serving until 2 O'clock.  We pile back into our cars.  One car won't start, needs a new battery!  We leave it behind and go to the next restaurant!  Today feels like trying to run through mud: we are all working hard, but not getting anywhere very fast!  Today is a day of object lessons.

After lunch Kris brings the boys and I home and goes to help get a new battery for our friends' car.  Then our friend helps Kris fix the door.  When they left to go buy a new door handle, I went to take a picture.  And then it hit me...perspective!  Take a look at this picture.  What do you see?  A broken door leaning against the wall?

Well, that's what I was taking a picture of.  But as I looked at the picture I realized there are so many things that are "right" about this picture and only one thing that is "wrong."  At first I saw our front door...off it's hinges...leaning against the wall...that's WRONG!  But then I saw...a Christmas tree: we found one for sale here! ...and I saw our family picture on the wall:  we have a fun, loving, healthy family ...and I saw the grass outside:  the rains came and have refreshed us and made everything look so green and pretty ...and I saw our neighbor's house across the street: we have kind neighbors, who need to hear about Christ ...and I saw our furniture: the Lord has blessed us with beautiful furniture for our home...our home...God has provided that too.  There is so much to be thankful for.  I could spend my time sighing about the broken door, or I could look at the blessings all around me.  It's all about object lessons and perspective!