Always With The Bats In The Belfry

Please excuse the terrible writing...

You know those stories you always here about how people's days just go all wrong and they get all frustrated and angry and never want to make plans ever again because they might get ruined like that one time? Well, I don't, but I think if I was anyone else the beginning of my week would have felt similar.

It all began as a normal Monday. I could not find a ride to Portland for college group so I was to ride the bus. (I cannot wait to move out there.) So I waited for Whit to get the directions for me. Unfortunately, her spelling skills were soon to make it very difficult to plan the trip. She could not find the stop next to my house, so I had to do some guessing. I told her what time the schedule said the bus would pass by her and we were all set to go. We can do this I thought.

So I board the bus on my own. As we near the stop where Whitney was supposed to get on I saw someone standing out there. Relief came over me as the bus began to slow to pick up the girl. The person stepped on, the bus doors closed, and we went on our way. Bein as tired as I already was, all I could do was stare at the doors. Whitney missed the bus. Then there was a call. I answered......Did you just miss the bus? I asked.

After getting a few crazy looks from those around me due to my wordage on the phone, I sat quietly while studying my trip. My internal compass isn't just off, it plain flat just doesn't exist, so going places I am not familiar with on my own is never a good idea. Three transfers later I was dropped near the guy's house. One of the few things that went right that day. As I approached the door I noticed it was open and it looked dark inside. Strange... I began up the steps and Luke stepped out. "Hi. There is no college group tonight," he said. I felt my eyes widen a little. Really. There isn't? "No. I sent out an email." Of course, I do not really have access to my email...but Whitney didn't check hers all weekend?

They offered for me to sit inside while I figured out what I was doing. Grateful for their offer I sat with Brandon in the living room while I spoke with Whit. We decided I would wait in Starbucks until she got there. I really wasn't upset, but I was tired, so I just wanted to get somewhere and stay put.

Since my throat was a little sore, I decided to get some hot tea. I let it cool while I sat. Apparently I didn't let it sit long enough though. My mouth is still feeling the effects of that first drink. There were visible raw spots on my tongue. It is OK. It is Ok. I thought just as I found myself laughing at my misfortune with a slight eye twitch.

Really believing it was no big deal I waited right up until Starbuck's closed for Whitney to get out there. That equaled about an hour and a half. So we began our treck for food. She asked me if Subway sounded OK. I said yeah. Unbeknownst to us, but knownst to the store, they would be closed when we got there. After walking all the way back to Safeway we got dinner and then proceeded back to Whit's.

The next morning my bus home would leave at 10:46. Oh, wait! They were just kidding. It actually left at 10:42. Guess who misses the bus? And then guess who is told to get on the wrong bus? And guess who ends Up in Terwilliger? Yep.

To make a long story short, instead of making one transfer I made four and instead of being home at 1:00 I was home at 3:00. All the buses were screwed up that day, at least if you planned your trip on Trimet. Oh yeah, by the by, the whole time all of this passed it managed to pour every time I was off the bus and let up every time I was on it...

I think the one thing that happened that was good was this: I got to speak with a street preacher and the bus driver that sees him every day. The preacher called everyone losers and told them that if they hardened their hearts now they were lost forever and that they may never hear the gospel again. I knew I needed to say something so I went and sat on the bench next to him where no one else dared to sit. I waited a little and then tried to speak with him about his methods through a story. To my dismay he had no wish to hear the message that is so important, only he wanted to sell his books to me, even though I already expressed I was a follower of Christ. My bus pulled up and I knew I had done what I could without becoming spiteful. "Did he call you a loser?" the bus driver asked as I got on. So there began a pretty neat conversation about the message of Christ and Christ Himself.

Overall, I almost went crazy (ask my friends, that is no over exaggeration), whatever cold I had is now set into my lungs, I wasted almost and entire 24 hours, spent money I didn't have to, and burnt almost an entire layer of skin off of my tongue. But you know what? Not once the whole time did I get angry or frustrated (which is actually kinda normal) and I was able to speak with some new people.

In the end, this is what I believe God was reminding me of: Even when I call you places, wait for My direction when you arrive. Keep finding joy in the little things when the storm is raging and continue to trust me in your trial. I know it seems as though everything in your life is like these past couple of days right now, but I will always get you home and find you rest. Rest in Me always.

For those of you that were curious, that was my eventful past couple of days. May God keep your life simpler than mine is at the present. ; )