What a Deal

One of the benefits of being an "at-home" type is that I am free-er to choose when I do my grocery shopping. I love NOT having to go to the store on the weekend. It is so much more peaceful during the week. Ahhhhhh.
But last Friday something went terribly wrong on my shopping trip.
Because it took me nearly two hours to complete the task.
Granted, I saw a friend in the soup aisle and chatted for a minute or two with her - and then I saw her again in produce and chatted some more. But there is NO WAY those conversations were the cause of my extremely long grocery run.
No, I believe my extended stay at the store must be attributed to the length of time it took me to get through the check-out lane.
You see, there were a lot of people at the store Friday morning. Which meant a lot of people had to go through the check-out lanes. And I did a very silly thing when it was my turn to pick a lane. I stood in line for one lane and looked to my left, which allowed me to see a shorter line. So I did what any hungry, impatient person does when they want to be done shopping.

I switched lanes!

What I didn't realize at the time was the lady at the front of my "new" lane was purchasing nearly half the store and it was going to take a very long time for the cashier to ring her up. As in, I think I was in line for at least half an hour. And while I waited, I got to watch the man who "took my place" in my original line check out and leave just as I was finally starting to put my groceries on the belt. *ahem*

I don't suppose it will come as a shock to find out I was grumbling to myself about my long wait. Whining in my heart that "they" should open up another check-out lane, or two. And invite me to be first in line. Because - clearly - I had better things to do than stand in line waiting to pay for groceries.
And, I trust it won't be a surprise to learn that God met me there.
In the check-out lane.
In the midst of my grumbling.
I was looking at one of the several boxes of cereal in my cart and realized I did nothing to get it there, except take it off the shelf. Somebody else grew the wheat, and harvested it, and made it into cereal.
Likewise, I didn't milk the cows, or collect eggs from the chickens, or grind the beef, or grow the broccoli or lettuce or carrots or apples or potatoes or lemons or... Or anything else.
I thought about the hours and hours and hours of work other people put into producing my groceries, getting them to the store, and putting them on the shelves. And I realized my two hours spent at the store to get all that - was quite a bargain.

I just love it when God fixes my focus. How has HE helped you to see things more clearly?