Thoughts in Traffic

Things are pretty slow-movin around these parts. Houston, Texas, a city of 4 million people, hasn't moved at this slow of a pace since the day it was established. Hurricane Ike has come and gone, but the after effects are still very much here.

The traffic has been the worst I've ever seen in this city, largely due to the fact that many stoplights are blinking, turning each intersection into a four-way stop sign. You are moving rush hour traffic through one car at a time. In the evenings, it usually takes Grant about 25 minutes to get home from work because we live so close. This week, it has been taking him about 2 hours to get home.

There is a part of me that is so over it, it's not even funny. I am ready for things to be back up and running. I am ready for Houston to get back to its usual hustle and bustle where we move so fast that we are breathing like a chain smoker by the time we get home from work.

But there is another part of me that has learned alot in the past few weeks. Pastor Gregg said it best Sunday morning when he said that "to most Houstonians, they will look back on Ike and see it as nothing more than a big hassle. We can choose to see it as more than that". And I have to say, we really have learned alot. We have come together as a city, as neighbors, as families, as friends. Churches are reaching out to other churches. We are talking to the people in our grocery store, asking them if they have power, or if their kids are back in school yet. I met a woman the other day who told me that she had no electricity and had 3 small children at home under the age of five. And I found myself asking this woman if she would like for me to bring her family a hot meal. I had never met this woman before in my life, and she didn't know me from Adam, but she hugged me and told me thank you, but that her mom was taking care of their food.

God really is showing us how to "love your neighbor as yourself". I am so thankful for the Lord and His constant reminder of how good we actually have it. All of these things, A/C, electricity, hot water, they are luxuries and things that we really should not take for granted.

This morning, as I was kissing Grant goodbye as we headed off to work, knowing that some awful traffic was waiting for us, I said to him "Let's have a good attitude today!". We both kinda chuckled, but he knew what I meant. We can CHOOSE to be positive about this situation, no matter how inconvenient it may be.

My heart hurts for those who lost their homes entirely. I think we can all learn to deal with some traffic for a few more weeks. Atleast we have somewhere to go home too...

I know not all my readers are in the Houston area, but everyone goes through things that make you wanna scream. We have to deal with some really aggravating, frustrating stuff sometimes. However, keeping your thoughts on things ABOVE and not on things of this world will suddenly put everything in perfect perspective. All that we are going through is a blessing. Praise Him even in the difficult times. The Lord gave me this thought this morning as I was on my way to work: We are not worthy of all that He has given us, and He is so much more than worthy of everything we have to give.

I may cross-stitch that on a pillow. Who am I kidding, I can't cross-stitch. I can't even stitch. Maybe I'll have Lindsee write it on a plate...