A Friend in Need

September 17, 2009

Ever opened your planner and found a week jammed packed of things to do??? That is what happened to me this past weekend. I had something to do or somewhere to be for each little column in my week’s view planner. I had some wonderful adventurous activities plus I was going to spend a day with a friend with twin newborns and a friend who had surgery. Both had called and wanted me over this week. I had it all laid out in my head and it was going to be a well oiled machine of a week.

Thinking everything was working out great, I checked off my daily plans one by one with confidence that all my bases were covered. Then the phone rang. My dear friend recovering from surgery called upset and well… very angry with me. She thought I was coming over on Monday or Tuesday and I had her down the list for Thursday. I felt horrible. I had not listened to her request when she asked me to come over. I found a slot for her in my schedule and penciled her in without realizing she needed me over at the beginning of the week. I had allowed convenience for me to come first. I had juggled a thousand balls and a really important one dropped. Even though I had scheduled an entire day to be with her, it didn’t matter . I had placed someone I love on a check list….. and it.. no, I, hurt her. No matter what I said, I couldn’t relieve the feeling of not having been loved by a friend.

And do you know what I realized?? I just humanly witnessed how God feels when He is an item on my to do list. Disappointing isn’t it. I am full of guilt and shame. And when all this was happening with my friend, I cried out in Mark’s arms, “Why do I stretch myself so much that I allow things like this to happen??” And to think I thought I had it all together…. HA! So why do we put anyone but especially God on a check list? Read my Bible… check. Pray….. check…. do laundry… check….Thank God for a dishwasher…… check…. scrub toilets…. check…. get my point???
Regina