Though I truly believe that you can learn something new every day, I never expected a gas pump to be my teacher. But, that’s just what happened as I stopped at my usual station and found the new pumps serving up a vocabulary lesson along with my gas. The word of the day, according to my unconventional teacher, was odious. Odious means extremely unpleasant or revolting.
How fitting because I find stopping for gas to be quite the odious task!
It never fails that the little red light signals my lack of fuel at the worst possible times! Driving to work. Rushing to an appointment. In a torrential rain shower. Then there’s the gas smell that will be on my hands for hours. And it’s inevitable that the paper will jam before I can get a receipt. Who can relate?!
On this day, I was late for a meeting and feeling a bit impatient while the slowest gas pump in the world trickled gas into my car so I propped up against the trunk, crossed my arms and feet and did the only thing I could do…. wait. As I felt the cool breeze ruffle my hair, I relaxed just a bit and looked around to take the scene in. The scent of flowers blooming nearby tickled my nose. I heard the giggle of the attendants’ children and smiled at their innocent joy. When I looked at the beautiful day around me I was suddenly glad for the interruption I found so revolting just moments before.
Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Before I knew Jesus, I wasn’t such a positive thinker. Worry and negativity could quickly seep in when worry or aggravation flooded my soul. But Jesus makes things different.
In the midst of the mundane
Jesus is there.
In the tears of your tragedy
Jesus cares
The weight of you worry
Jesus will bare
When just looking for joy
Jesus will share
Everywhere we go we have a choice to make. We can obsess over the odious or we can delight in the day. We can think on the positive or we can let aggravations steal our joy away. It can be hard to be a glass half full girl all the time, but if we stick close to Jesus, our ultimate Teacher, He will point out the positive and help us restore our happy!
Think truth. Think pure. Think praise. Think joy!
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