A Case of the Blahs
/I was wondering just where my life was going, and maybe if it was going anywhere at all.
I know we have all had this experience. Life has become blah, there does not seem to be anything new on the horizon, friends are busy, someone has hurt us, everything you like on TV is a repeat, the same food is in the refrigerator, and the list goes on. Something has to knock us over the head or we wander through our daily routines, blind to the world around us.
Then, when at the grocery store buying what we always buy for the week, a stranger asks you to try a sample of some ethnic dipping sauce. Inside you cringe, not wanting something spicy, wild, or different. The stranger compliments you on the shoes you have on, and you strike up a conversation.
She has three kids and her parents and grandparents live with her. She came here to escape the horrors of war in her country and has spent the last year learning English, finding a one-bedroom apartment to live in, learning to drive, figuring out our local customs, getting her kids in school, supporting her husband who was in an accident at work and is recovering from multiple injuries.
Suddenly you are not only tasting a sample of her dipping sauce but inviting this woman and her family to dinner at you house. You are thanking her for sharing her time with you and you continue shopping, standing taller, and filled with gratitude for all of the blessings in your life.
Now I know that this is an exaggeration, but this is a great example of how God reaches out to us. It does not happen only in a church, during private prayer, or only in quiet moments. God is always reaching out to us, and all that we need to do is pay attention to everything around us, even in the midst of a bad case of the blahs.
“Candid Camera” used to say, “…when you least expect it, Smile, you’re on Candid Camera.” This is how God deals with us. If we continue to smile, you will recognize God and your life will change when you least expect it.
I made a pact with myself to smile at everyone I encounter. It has improved my days and me as well. So, I’m smiling at each of you and praying that you each pass it on. - Chris L.
