A "Normal" Sunday
- by: Katie Hodas 07/01/08
This past Sunday started like many other Sundays in my life with preparation for worship. Everything went as planned until I plopped down in the driver's seat to leave my house and realized my car would not start. I quickly became frustrated because my car is relatively new and this same exact scenario had just occurred two Sundays ago. The fact that my brother called it "operator error" before and he wasn't around to witness this happening again only added to my annoyance. Thankfully, my mom was gracious enough to loan me her car, so that I was able to make it to church on time.
Later that morning in Sunday school, a couple came to speak to our class about their mission work overseas. The more they talked the more I remembered what it was like when I was living in the Philippines and the exciting adventures that awaited me each day there. Apparently, I wasn't paying attention when my life suddenly became dull and routine; this reality really bummed me out! I was longing for the days when I didn't have such a strict schedule.
A little later I headed over to our Annual Church Picnic at a local park. I hung out with friends, talked, watched kids play on inflatables and ate great food. I was no longer really focused on my disappointment from earlier that day. In the meantime, the sky grew darker and darker, and we all knew that the afternoon rainfall was heading toward us. While many people packed up and put their kids in the car, others of us decided we would wait for it to pass under the pavillion.
It began to rain, and I didn't think much about it until everyone started shrieking. Rain was coming in sideways and soaking everyone to the core. The wind was gusting, and we all huddled on the right side of the pavillion to try to stay as dry as possible. The wind was so powerful that most of us were still getting wet except some of the little children who were lucky to be covered with blankets or surrounded by everyone else. Suddenly, the wind shifted directions as we scrambled to the other side of the pavillion to avoid the new direction of the rain.
In the middle of all this chaos, I realized that I was overjoyed. Here in this chaos was my adventure that I so desperately wanted back in my life, and it reminded me that God is always listening-even to my complaints.
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