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Blogs by Helen Swift
Think on these things...
11/5/2007 2:27:26 PM
Devotional for week 5 (11.5.07)
November 5, 2007
There is a way that seems right to a man---- (Proverbs 14:12) NIV
Choices, choices, choices. Decisions, decisions, decisions. What to do?????
Due to the modern convenience of the internet, believe it or not I prefer to do my shopping online and not always in the store that I have written about. I prefer to have the time to decide, change my mind and browse for as long as I choose.J
Well very recently I monitored a blouse until it had been marked down to $19.90 on one of my favorite shopping web sites. Yes I know the downside of online shopping is, WILL IT FIT WHEN I GET IT!!!! And the hassle of sending the item or items back however, I still prefer to try my things on in the comfort of my home.
The package arrived with the blouse I ordered. Well, the package arrived, but inside was a brown sweater!!! I ordered a white, gypsy style blouse!!!! I looked at the packing receipt and it did have the item that I ordered but somehow, the wrong item had been shipped to me. I thought, well I’ll try it on anyway. Wow!!!! Absolutely gorgeous!!!!!! The look, the feel of the material (like butter to the skin). It was a perfect fit, perfect color. Did I say perfect????!!!!!
Well the wheels in my brain began to turn. Let me investigate on that web site to see if I can find this sweater and if it’s the same price then great. I searched and searched. Finally there it was. My perfect sweater. FOR $69.90???? Hum, wow, this has to be a blessing from God. It has to be. I ordered one thing, I got another item that fit me like a glove and I must say was flattering (hides all the flaws). My emotions said, Thank you God for this blessing!!!!!!!!!!
Excited (and overriding that feeling in the pit of my stomach) I called a couple of people to tell them what happened. I needed them to be excited. I needed agreement that God had blessed me and that I should keep it. Especially after I told them with all enthusiasm how perfect it fit. It had to be just for me. They were kind of well… in partial agreement. (One of them always says, “What’s the right answer?”).
Hum did I call people who I knew possibly would agree with me? Or did I call people who would tell me the truth no matter what I said or how I said it. One thing sure, I didn’t call Willis. Because he would have so nicely said to me, “Well, how much did it cost? I’ll give you the difference.”
I wanted and needed people who would understand it was a blessing!!!!! Have you ever chosen the list of people who you hoped would be in agreement with what you wanted to do or did do?
II Chronicles 1:8, King Jehoshaphat was going to join forces with King Ahab to attack Ramoth-gilead. But Jehoshaphat said, first let’s find out what the Lord has to say. So Ahab called his prophets together who all told them what they wanted to hear. Jehoshaphat said, isn’t there a prophet of the Lord around, too?
18:7, King Ahab replied, “There is still one prophet of the Lord, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything but bad news for me!! His name is Micaiah son of Imlah. (Take the time to read chapter 18, as it addresses that Micaiah only said what God said and not what the king wanted to hear.) Basically, he never tells me what I want to hear (even though it’s the truth.)
Well, I finally decided, um, this probably isn’t a blessing. It’s probably a test!!! So I reluctantly packaged it up and asked Lonja to “Please take my TEST, to UPS!” She lives as we use to say, a hop, skip and a jump from UPS.
Did I want her to take it? NO!!!! But I wasn’t willing to pay the full price.
A few days later, I went into our wholesale grocery store. Grabbed my wallet and keys. No need to take my purse. I was only going for two small items. I didn’t need a shopping cart. As I was walking briskly down the aisle I noticed a case of tea that was a great price, so off I went to get a cart. I was talking on my cell phone, with the blue tooth in my ear. I went through the self-checkout line with 3 items and proceeded to my car. The cart return was directly behind my vehicle. I returned the cart, took about 5 steps and thought, oh my cell phone. I turned around and looked in the carts. No cell phone. Okay, perhaps I put it in the trunk? No cell phone. Back to the carts. No cell phone!!!! Hum, I stopped talking to Lonja when I was checking out; perhaps I left it at the check out. So quickly I ran back into the store. I asked the ladies at the service counter if someone had turned in a cell phone. They said no, but asked which line I checked out in. I said I believe number 9.
There was a very nice lady checking out who helped us look for my phone. Did I mention it was a phone I had bought from my son who upgraded. It is a Treo 650. Now, I can’t figure out all it does but it was not cheap!!!!! If I’m not mistaken they now run about $400.
No cell phone!!!!! The lady who was checking out said, what is your phone number, let me call it for you. My mind went blank. I had no idea what my number was. Finally it came to me. She dialed it. No ring, no sound. I was so upset I almost started crying. The customer service lady just walked away. Actually she just seemed to forget I was there. I turned to walk out of the store and she then said, is this it!!!!!!!!! She said “I heard it ringing, and ma’am this is an expensive phone!!!!!” There was an older woman who looked like we might have been accusing her. She apparently had grabbed my cart as soon as I put it up; not noticing in the far, far corner of the cart was a cell phone!!!!!!!!!
I was so grateful (my license plate says GREATFL). I thanked all of the ladies who helped me and yes I thanked God. But immediately my mind went back to my test. That sweater!!!!!!!!!! What if I hadn’t sent it back? Would I then own a $400 sweater that I no doubt would hate, but would serve as a reminder to stop looking for agreement instead of truth and honesty when I know I’m wrong!!!!!!!!!
When people come to talk to me, I often say, do you want me to listen or do you want the truth!!!! Truth can be powerful and sometimes painful. But it’s truth that makes us free.
As always, it sure is something to think about….
PS. I looked online that afternoon and guess what?? My test, my sweater, was marked down to $30.00!!!!!!!!
Until the next time...Think on these things…
Helen L. Swift
www.houseofrefugeministry.com
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More Blogs by Helen Swift
• Think on these things... - Monday, November 05, 2007
• Think on these things... - Monday, November 05, 2007
• Think on these things... - Monday, October 22, 2007
• Think on these things... - Thursday, October 18, 2007
• Think on these things... - Thursday, October 18, 2007
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