There's no place like home...

I sometimes forget that this world is not my home. I try to make this world as comfortable as possible. I get upset when little things happen because in my mind this world should be great.

I went shopping for tomato plants this weekend. I chose to go when it was pouring down rain. I forgot that all the plants were outside. I also needed potting soil, which was also outside in the rain. Instead of realizing it wasn't a good day to go shopping, I found myself starting to get upset that I had to shop in the rain. What kind of place is this that makes their customers shop in the rain? (Of course I also forgot my umbrella, and instead of using common sense to shop on a different day, I pressed on, and as a result was soaking wet. My hair looked like I just stepped out of the shower.)

I got the plants I wanted, and then went to get the soil. Of course the soil was in the rain, and the plastic bag was slippery and very heavy because the rain had soaked the soil. I tried to pick up the bag and dropped it. I could have laughed at myself then. I could have realized how crazy I was for thinking it was a good day to shop for plants and for not bringing an umbrella, and laughed at myself because I was now soaking wet. Instead I continued to get mad, I stomped away from the soil and grumbled to myself, "Forget it. If these are the conditions I have to shop under, I will go somewhere else."

What a fool I am. I am just grateful I wasn't rude to the salesperson. She was sweet enough to hand me a paper towel to dry off and not laugh at my foolishness. I have this crazy belief that everything should go my way, and when it doesn't, it must be someone else's fault. I am expecting this world to be perfect, and it will never measure up. This world is not our home. There will always be disappointments, and rainy days.

Later that same day I decided it would be a good day to paint a metal chair I got. I knew that there was paint in the basement that would match the porch swing. I have a tendency to jump right into things, and in my impatience I don't take time to get all the information.

I scrapped off the old paint, and started to paint the chair. I was really excited because I got the chair for free and had been looking for a similar chair for a while. I couldn't wait to sit in it. I finally finished the chair, and went in to wash up. I had quite a bit of paint on my hands because I kept forgetting the chair was wet, and when I went to move it to paint at a different angle, I would get more paint on me. As I was washing my hands I realized that something was wrong with the paint. It wasn't washing off. I remember years ago someone using some kind of paint that was hard to get off. I had forgotten there were different kinds of paint. After scrubbing my hands with fingernail polish remover for three hours, I finally got most of the paint off.

Then it was time to check on my chair. Well it is over 30 hours later, and the chair still isn't dry. I also failed to realize that rainy days are not just bad days to buy outside plants, but also not a good day to paint. Maybe by next week I will be able to sit in my chair.

I can laugh at myself now and thank the Lord for his unending patience with me. I believe the Lord allows little lessons like this to remind us that this is not our home. There is a place where these frustrations don't exist, and that is the place I long for... that place will soon be here... that place is my real home.