The Straw That Broke the Camel's Back

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

We Fall Down But We Get Up

There's no one that amuses me more, than ME! I'm so glad that I can laugh at my mistakes AND learn from them, because this girl has made a lot of mistakes, blunders AND bloopers, but I just keep on keeping on.

While at Brennan's baseball tournament last weekend, I was holding a tall styrofoam cup of ice and water in my lap. Brennan hit the ball so hard -- 3 runners came in. I was so excited I squeezed the cup so hard it broke and burst all over me and my chair. I jumped up out of that seat like a Jack in the Box. I gave the people behind me a really good laugh. You're welcome!
Needless to say, I looked like I had serious personal "plumbing" issues. But....I dried....and so did my chair!

You may know how Facebook provides "On this day" posts and photos each day of what we posted a year ago, 2 years, 3 years and even more -- forever how long we've been posting. BTW, if you don't know how to check that out and you'd like to see your archives, just type in www.facebook.com/onthisday/ on your own search engine, and it will populate all your Facebook Memories for that day. I make that a priority each day, because I laugh at some of my posts, cherish the photos and I even get inspired enough to repost what I posted, but with a new twist, based on what I've come to know since the last time I posted.

On May 6th (from 2012), a memory popped up from my Half Marathon in Vancouver BC. Sometimes memories remind us also of PAIN! Yes, I finished my run and I beat my best time, but what I read reminded me of how we sometimes fall down.....but we get back up again. I had run my first mile and felt so good, but then, a little lady carrying groceries, stepped out off the curb, right in front of me and I went tumbling. It didn't break her stride at all -- just kept on going across the runners paths. But, me? Scrapes and cuts on elbows, knees, hands. Runners helped me up and pointed me the direction of the medical tent, but I wasn't about to let pain keep me from my "best time" goal. Best laid plans sometimes go awry. What do we do about it? Deal with it. Get back on task. We fall down, but we get up!

Because I drove back to Austin from Frisco (after Brennan's baseball tournament) with the Wuerch's to keep the boys a few days while their mom and dad were in New York, I flew home, yesterday, instead of my usual drive. Everything was going as planned. I even had TSA Pre-Check on my boarding pass. Yay! No need to take off my shoes or deal with other standard class procedures! But, NOT! As it turned out when I checked in at security, all I had was the paper "temporary" Texas Drivers License that I recently received. That isn't good enough for security. He asked if I had my passport, and then I remembered looking at my passport before leaving home and thought "Naw -- I don't need my passport!" That being the case, I had to go through more screening than I've ever seen before, a pat down (like none other), and every single item in my carry on case, purse and computer had to be scanned.... individually! Twenty minutes later, I was cleared and went to my gate. I'm so thankful I was at the airport early enough to deal with this unexpected delay! What do we do about it? Deal with it, then get back on task and target! (When I got home today, in my mail was my permanent Texas Drivers License -- timing is everything! LOL!)

There are just times when we life happens, stuff happens, mistakes and inconveniences happen -- for whatever the reason -- maybe just from a lack of focus and/or simple carelessness and/or from not paying attention to God's Spirit in us -- warning us (i.e., me, not getting my passport). We could really get down on ourselves if we focused on the mistakes rather than the victories. I'm so glad that God forgives us time and time again, and just maybe, we should follow His lead and forgive ourselves for some of those crazy things we get ourselves into! We fall down, but we get back up again and again.

In times of uncertainty and upheaval, let's remember that God is our constant. He doesn't change. No matter what the circumstance, God is above it. When we fall down and we get back up again, we, too, rise above our circumstances and encourage ourselves. Yes, we may fall down, but we get up again and again!

Ever Have a Day When the Last Straw Broke the Camel's Back?

Ever have one of those days when, in spite of all your good deeds, good thoughts, good intentions.....that -- out of nowhere -- you just blow it?

I may give the impression that I'm Pollyannaish (that word is from "Pollyanna," the heroine of the famous 1913 novel "Pollyanna", whose outlook on life was one of absolute optimism and whose problems were always straightened out in the end). And, being Pollyannaish is what I strive to be. Actually, that's not it -- I desire to be a FULLY devoted follower of Christ -- which means I strive to be like HIM!

But on Thursday.....I really blew it. I have had challenges and concerns regarding my home's construction. I've conceded to many things that should have been done, but weren't, and closed my eyes to other issues that I just gave to God. I typically say, "In the light of eternity.....does it really matter?" But, having been promised a specific, important thing and waiting for over a year to get it done, it was finally done on Thursday -- but completely incorrectly. It was "the final straw that broke the camel's back" to me. I totally shocked myself as I went into a tirade -- ranting and raving about this misdeed. I drove off, and immediately, I heard that still, small, but loud and clear, voice 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." Aargh! I knew I had to get a grip and apologize..... and I did. While I was saying, "I apologize for exposing my last straw", the other person. who is also a Christian, quickly apologized back to me, and within just a short while had the situation, I had waited on for over a year....completely corrected and completed.

Why did I tell you this story? As long as we're in these earth suits, we have the ability to fail, make mistakes, miss the mark, and just "lose it". But the more we strive to be like Him who was without fault, the more of His characteristics 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 immulate when I need to forgive. How sweet this life is.....when each time we fall, we can get back up again and be 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 chorus -- listen and feel what I felt....when I fell down and got back up!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3ewPHaPBfA