This photo is from my recent trip to Israel – right at the foot of the Mount of Temptation. Having my photo taken on a camel was a “must” but little did I realize that the little boy (about 10 years old) that was leading the camel would say “let’s go” and that camel started to gallop. And he was holding the reins -- not me! I must say, “My life flashed before my eyes!” LOL! I yelled "Slow down!" and the boy quickly brought him to a slow trot! That memory will stay with me forever. The other photo is my bestie, Sheila, and I standing firmly on solid ground again!
I thought about that camel and the idiom, "the straw that broke the camel's back". Have you ever had one of those days when, in spite of all your good deeds, good thoughts, and good intentions, when -- out of nowhere -- you experience the final "straw that broke the camel's back"? That phrase describes an irritation that causes a large reaction, because of so many small actions that led up to it.. To put it plainly, it's like Popeye's famous words: "That's all I can stands, I can't stands no more!"
Case in point. Coming to grips with living in a city that has tons of traffic in it, you have to be a defensive driver because of the drivers who think they are in the Indy 500. I experienced that yesterday, as I left Dallas in the early morning and later, drove into Austin. When I started to change lanes, a car that was a good distance back, pressed his accelerator to keep me from getting in front of him. He blared his horn so loudly and proudly gave me a “hand gesture”, and rather than taking it as a grain of salt, I put up my arms and yelled “REALLY?” I'm sure he's still beaming that he nearly scared the living daylights out of me and, obviously, I'm still thinking about that dude who seemed to define "road rage".
I typically say, "In the light of eternity, does it really matter?" But it does matter when we feel mistreated, betrayed, rejected, and disappointed. We can take it and take it and take it some more, and while we'd love to know we had attained the character of Jesus, sometimes, one time too often, we face that "final straw that broke the camel's back". As I type this post, I hear that still, small voice, clearly say "Love is patient, love is kind. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A5s2feN6Yk
As long as we're in these earth suits, we have the ability to fail, make mistakes, and just "lose it". But the more we strive to be like Him who was without fault, the more of Him we'll possess. How thankful I am, that He who I desire to be like the most, so quickly forgives me when I falter, and is WHO I want to emulate when I need to forgive. How sweet this life is.....when each time we fall, we can get back up again and become better than before. Donnie McClurkin wrote a song that said, "We fall down, but we get up. We fall down, but we get up. For a Saint, is just a Sinner who fell down....and got up!" I love this song -- listen and feel what I feel -- when I fall down and get back up!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A5s2feN6Yk
