Saving the Soup

So Tuesday morning was like many in the Harmon household. I didn't set my alarm so Cindy assumed the responsibility of getting everyone out of bed (which is unfair, by the way, and I am working on it, ok). As is fairly typical, we were running "right on time"--not early, not really late either. There was certainly a sense of urgency in our demeanor (at least in mine and Cindy's, the kids are oblivious--or are they????). Cindy doesn't always handle this type of pressure very well (and especially since she was righteously displeased with me for not setting my alarm), so I volunteered to take Maggie to the sitter's house.

Before going any further in this story, let's properly set the stage with this bulleted list of items you need to know to fully appreciate this story:

• Tuesdays are sales meeting days for me--must be in Green Hills by 9:30
• The weather on this particular day was not optimal and I was unsure of the actual conditions
• It was 8:05 or so when I finally realized I was not in Cindy's good graces at the moment
• I like to be on the road to the office no later than 8:30
• The sitter is approximately 8 minutes away from my home
• Did I mention the weather was terrible?

One other very important part of this story is that I had planned to make a wonderful vegetable beef soup in the crock pot this morning for our culinary delight this evening. I pre-cut all the veggies on Monday night and just needed to assemble, turn on the pot and depart. By the time I realized that it was in my best interest to take the kid to the sitter, I had already assembled and turned on the pot. If I left at 8:10, I would get her there before 8:20. I would chit chat for a few minutes and be on the road by 8:33 at the LATEST. That would still give me almost an hour for the half hour trip--should be no problem.

So I volunteer. I pack the kid and all her accessories into the car and check the clock--8:08--fantastic. I drive to the sitter's house. I get there at about 8:15--awesome--must have been speeding a bit. I take her in and chit chat a little extra--check the clock--8:21--still ok. As I am headed out, the sitter asks for the milk I was supposed to bring. Crap. I have to make a decision. I decide I do want Maggie to be hydrated and nourished. I check the clock and see 8:23. If I go home and come back, I can still be on my way by 8:40 or 8:45. Acceptable. I head back to the house agitated that my good deed has been "punished" by this avoidable inconvenience. Talk about a bad attitude!!!

I roll back into the driveway and head up the stairs. I find the milk cup and get the milk carton out of the fridge. I can't resist peeking at the completely full crock pot on the counter next to the fridge. That's when I notice that the pot full of veggies, stew beef and seasonings is still as cold as it was when I left. I had combined the ingredients and turned the pot on but never PLUGGED IT IN.

That's when it hit me. My spiritual lesson of the day. God saved the soup because he loves me and loves my family. He will sometimes intercede even in the small stuff because of his love. He turned my frustration at being slightly inconvenienced by the milk into thankfulness for saving me the tremendous inconvenience of spoiled meat, no dinner and an emergency back up plan after a long day. I was immediately humbled as I thought about how worked up we get over little stuff and how God sees the small stuff and helps us through it because he cares. In reality, both of these "problems" are minuscule when considering the overall state of the world. I know that. Frankly, that fact is what makes this so humbling and at the same time so empowering. My tiny-insignificant-in-the-grand-scheme-of-things issue was enough for God to intervene. He took a 10 minute adjustment to my made up schedule that had become a huge burr in my saddle and used that to avert what would have been a much, much bigger annoyance. All I could say at the time was "thank you."

As you go through the day, take a fresh look at the annoyances in your life. What pot of soup might God be trying to save with your 10 minute, unplanned, inconvenient milk run?

P.S.--The soup was DELICIOUS