The Pet Store

Hello friends! It is so good to be back! I have missed this place – and YOU! I thought about you almost every single day.

For those of you wondering, the conference was a success by mine and Jamie’s standards. No one took a tumble down the stairs. There were no wardrobe malfunctions. No one threw her bible on the ground and went stomping out of the room.

It was good.

And I am blessed and humbled not only by the sweet comments we received but that God would choose to use me at all.

Last week, however, was a bit more of a roller coaster than I expected as I shifted gears to go back to work. Remember those cartoon characters who would run full force into a cement wall and then slowly slide flat-faced to the ground? That was me last week! But all is well. God gave me a few surprises to keep me motivated.

Speaking of surprises, let’s get to the point of the post.

Yesterday, I went to buy Ellie (my adorable, sweet and TEETHING labrador retriever) some chew toys at the local pet store. I chatted for a few minutes with the lady behind the counter as she rang up my items.

It was a normal transaction by every definition of the word. I slid my debit card through the thingy, entered my PIN, and waited to be “approved” by my bank. (By the way, does anyone else want to scream “I’m approved! I’m approved! I’m approved!” every time you go through a checkout lane? Nah, it’s probably just me.)

Anyway, while I was waiting to be “approved,” I looked up, smiled at the lady and then things started to get weird. Out of NOWHERE, y’all, this large rat came crawling out from under her hair and onto her shoulder!!! Ummmm. Ewww!

Realizing that I was in a pet store, I decided to play it cool and said, “Oh, you have a cute hamster on your collar. I wasn’t expecting that, but it’s cool” or something equally as lame and headed out the door.

My spiritual lesson for today? Expect the unexpected. God loves to surprise us.

He surprised…
Abraham and Sarah with a baby;
Moses with a burning bush;
Jacob and Daniel with angels;
Elijah with bread and water;
and the disciples with an empty tomb.

And he can certainly surprise you.