U J R, are the first three letters I see on the license plate of a car directly in front of me as I concentrate to merge onto a traffic-choked highway. Sigh. I had thought leaving the house extra early this morning would help me avoid a lot of this crush. To no avail. I remind myself not to grumble: “God just loves this city, Crystal! Just look! It’s saturated with people! Coming and going, all headed to some place together! Talk about opportunities! Who knows what kinds of wonder-filled moments God has planned for this day! So how about we avoid getting cranky! Name some of the things you can see and be thankful for!”
1. My truck is in great working order! It’s all filled up and ready to go!
2. These new tires that my husband purchased make such a cool sound!
They really hug the road and make a difference!
3. How thankful I am for the good health I enjoy!
For eyes that can see clearly! For ears that can hear noises!
4. Thank You, God! My brain can process!
5. Thank You for the water I remembered to bring!
6. Thank You for keeping me safe! And in this crush surrounding me with grace!
6. Wow, wait! What a neat license plate! UJR! An incredible reminder!
7. Jesus, You’re the very core of who I am! That makes me a highly favored person!
The Waze App interrupts my soliloquy to insert a report that I’ll be sitting for fourteen minutes in traffic. “An excellent prompt to continue on!”
1. I’m glad I left in plenty of time!
2. I’m glad I’ve got my VapoInhalor in my purse!
3. The smell of Camphor and Menthol are so soothing!
4. How ‘bout I take a whiff right now while I’m sitting in all this traffic!
I immediately proceed to do just that. Reaching over and into my purse, I search it out in the blind, and with my eyes still fixed on the road, clasp it tight in my left hand, with my right give a twist. Now, for those of you are aren’t familiar with one of these, it’s a little chapstick sized thingee that gets opened upside down and held up to your nostril to sniff.
Imagine my surprise when I felt a great gush of oil! NOT the camphor I expected with its cooling menthol combo! The quickest glance ever confirmed it was, indeed, anointing oil! In a flash I flipped it right side up!
Whew! Yay, still some left in its container! (The above pic was taken once I was able to safely stop.)
Until this very moment I’d never noticed both caps possessed similar ridges!
So multi-tasking while weaving in and out of rush hour traffic, I grab some napkins out of the glove compartment and begin sopping up oil that’s splashed all along one side of the steering wheel, covered both of my hands, and soaked a spot on the cushion I’m sitting on. I can see it’s splattered on both legs of my britches, drizzling down the driver’s side door, and shaped a small puddle on the floor mat.
I just can’t help myself! I’m bursting out with laughter! Because before leaving the house my husband and I were talking about God’s sense of humor! We’ve seen how He operates with a deep sense of irony.
A few more pics taken after it was safe to do so…and the atmosphere inside my truck the entire time?Yup! You guess it! It was all about The Gratitude! The list could go on and on and on…
…as it genuinely does!
“He anoints my head with oil; my cup, it overfloweth!”
He died for me…so now I live for Him!
Amen.