God has a sense of humor...

The other morning, one of my co-workers came rushing into my office, quickly shutting the door.  "I thought that I could get here early so we could spend time in prayer before work started and the day would start out good."  She turned around and there attached to the lace on her blouse was her sparkly, beaded bracelet.  While she was driving to work, some how the bracelet had become securely attached to her blouse.  Not only was there a bracelet attached to her blouse, but the bracelet was right over her breast drawing even more attention.  She and I both laughed about the dilemma as she sat down and struggled with the bracelet and she referred to the "look" as the new Bohemian look. 

The more she struggled, the more it just wanted to burrow itself deeper into the lace.  She said she was too close to it and couldn't see what she needed to do to fix it and the glasses she put on didn't make the solution any more clear. I said I wasn't a patient person and that if it was me, I would have just yanked it out of the lace by then, tearing the lace, but nonetheless the bangle would be dislodged.  She was being very patient and meticulous with her quest to dislodge the pretty from her blouse. 

This is where it gets good.  In God's infinite wisdom, He used this situation to teach a lesson, such as He did when His son walked on this earth.  Although I had just admitted to my friend that I was the impatient one, God made it very clear to help her.  So, I asked if she would mind if I helped.  Of course, she didn't mind.  Who wants to walk around all day with a bracelet attached to the bodice of their blouse?  I immediately had the vantage point that she didn't have.  I could very clearly see that tiny piece of the lace needed to be pushed down and through a very small opening in a loop on the bracelet.  Within 15 seconds, I placed the bracelet in her hand and she very promptly put it back on her wrist where it belonged.

Do you see the lesson?  Sometimes we are too close to a situation to see what He wants to do to fix the problem.  Sometimes we struggle and twist and tug and the problem is still there and maybe even more tangled up than when we first started to "try" our fix.  When it may just take someone else to quietly see the struggle and have the answer that God wants us to "hear".  

We immediately thanked God for the lesson that was taught out of a very awkward but funny situation.  Tears in our eyes and laughter on our lips, we found the sparkle in the moment.  Just when she wanted to give up and tear the blouse to get the bracelet off (and I was all for that solution), God intervened.  He used the bracelet to teach us.  He taught us that He is with us all of the time and He will use the smallest of circumstances as an opportunity to teach His children.  He taught us that if we listen for His direction - instead of struggling with our fix - the answer is always there.  Shhhhh listen.

Isaiah 40:27-31 (The Message)
Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,
   or, whine, Israel, saying,
"God has lost track of me.
   He doesn't care what happens to me"?
Don't you know anything? Haven't you been listening?
God doesn't come and go. God lasts.
   He's Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath.
   And he knows everything, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired,
   gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out,
   young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
   They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don't get tired,
   they walk and don't lag behind.

God as I go about my day, be with me.   Help me to listen.  Help me to be patient with the wait.  Help me to see the lessons You are teaching and to learn from those lessons.  I love you so much and I am so grateful for ALL that you do.  Thank you for helping me to see the sparkles.