God's ironic

Typically Sundays are a somewhat relaxing day for me. Church is followed by an afternoon at home, getting a few things ready for the next week, doing a bit of crafting, and watching some TV. On a really wonderful Sunday, I take a nap. (Oh naps, how I took you for granted when I was young! I didn't truly understand what "tired" was then.)

Today was not typical. I had a few more run-around things that needed to be taken care of. I don't like to venture out to stores on the weekends. The population of the store is doubled from a regular weekday. 

And, because of the nature of my purchases, I chose to go to Wal-Mart. 

With my kids.

On a Sunday.

Not one of my wisest decisions.

I was a bit on edge on the drive to the store, probably because I was a bit stressed from all that I wanted to accomplish before my husband got home from his trip down south this weekend. (He ran a Spartan Race this weekend and I'm really proud of him. If you don't know what that is, it's okay. I just needed to brag on him a bit because, although he'll downplay it, I think it's pretty rad!) Anyway, I like to have the house in order when he gets home. Not because he demands it, but because I like to provide a place that is comfortable and somewhat free of chaos for him. 

So we arrive at Wal-Mart and the place is full of people. And for some reason all these little tables have been set up with random clearance items on them. It's like a giant obstacle course that I have to weave a cart and two children through. And nobody there smiles. Which might seem normal, but I hate that people don't smile very often. Finally, we get in line with our stuff and I soon discover that there is a hold up and I should move. So the next line I chose was more HORRIBLER (yeah, that's a word for today). I think we waited in line for at least 25 minutes. At this point my own children are telling me that they will never come back to Wal-Mart. I can't even look at what's going on ahead of me in line because it is so chaotic that I suddenly understand why NO ONE IS SMILING!! 

Wal-Mart, why do you hate me so? 

So at this point, my patience is gone. However, I strive to maintain my composure in front of my kids because I think patience is such an important thing for them to learn and what better way to learn than by example, right? 

But then we drive home. Country roads. Slow cars. No room to pass. Our 15 minute drive took 25 minutes. Not the end of the world, but at this point my kids are teasing me because they know my struggle with patience is over. I have lost. I am groaning and complaining! I still have another couple of errands to do and clean up that has to happen at home and....AUGH!!

My daughter says to me, "God is sure funny about how he teaches you patience at the times when He knows you don't really have much, huh?!" 

Nail on the head, sister. Nail. On. The. Head.

I learned a few valuable lessons today.

First of all: No Wal-Mart visits ever on Sunday again.

Secondly: Children are wiser than we give them credit for.

Third: God teaches what He wants, when He wants. Deal with it.

Lesson(s) learned.

KC