Nothing frustrates me more than car troubles. Why is it that I allow so much anger, frustration and hatred creep into my heart over nothing more than a pile of plastic and metal? Two Friday's ago we dropped our van off at a local auto shop. We knew it needed some serious work because it is continuing to leak coolant and overheat. After keeping our car all day, I called at 5:00pm (closing time, on Friday, remember?) and asked if it was ready to be picked up. The gentleman explained to me the problem and told me it was at least a 6 hour job and that they wouldn't be able fix it that day. I told him I needed the car as it is the only vehicle we have that our entire family can ride in. We went to pick it up and were going to return it the following week.Our schedules didn't allow us to drop it back off yesterday (Monday). They worked on it all day yesterday (never called me, not once) and when I called at 5:15pm to see if it was ready, they told me that the needed to keep it until the morning. The gentleman assured me it would be done 1st thing this morning.
Elizabeth also had a dentist appointment this morning. So, the plan was for Luke to take her to the dentist (which is literally 10 min from his work) and I would go get the van and meet him there to pick her up, hopefully eliminating the need for him to drive all the way back home, then back to work (roughly 1 hours worth of driving). I called the auto shop at 8:15am, only to be told it would be at least 1 1/2 hours. Great. I took a shower and loaded the twins in the stroller, I was determined to be there promptly at 9:30, hoping my presence would light a fire underneath them.
I left my house a little after 9:00am and walked, yes you read that right, walked the almost 2 miles to the auto shop. We get there just after 9:30. I wait patiently...only to be told it that there was a new problem w/ our car and it would be another 30-45 minutes. Uuuuugggggghhhhhh!!!!!!
Luckily, there is a coffee shop just around the corner. The twins and I head there, hoping to grab a quick snack.
TWO HOURS LATER, I call the auto shop, where I am told that my vehicle is finally ready. In those 2 hours, I got no phone call explaining that it is taking longer than expected, telling me that the job had to be pushed back, nothing. As the twins, Elizabeth (b/c Luke had dropped her off at this point, so he could go to work) are walking from the coffee shop back to the auto shop I am praying that my blood will stop boiling. I am asking God for peace. I know that the owner of the shop is a Christian b/c of previous interactions. I know that I do not need to be rude, but accept this misfortune with grace, showing Christ's love for everyone in my actions.
What I wanted to say was, "This is ridiculous! Can't you see that I have been waiting for this car for almost 36 hours? My family can't go anywhere! I WALKED here w/ my two 2-year olds and you didn't even have the decency to speed things up?"
However, I asked all three kids to thank the man for fixing our car. I knew that this poor guy had lost his teenage son just over a year ago. I heard him talking about his children to other people in the shop, and I knew that the LAST thing he needed was a piece of my mind.
Trust me, I wanted to let him have it, but by there sheer grace of God, I held my tounge. It made me realize that the next time, I may not know the background of the person I'm dealing with . Instead of being so critical, I should accept things for what they are, and try to show Christ's love thru my actions.
You know, I REALLY love God, but sometimes, being His servant is so hard. Now, if I could only erase the anger in my heart I'll be moving in the right direction.