So Tom's tractor buddy, Al, told him there was a swap meet (flea market) on Saturday, an annual one at the county fairgrounds. Tom and I drove there, each of us envisioning tables and miles of cool, flea market type stuff.
Well. We had to pay $6 each to get in (hmm...) and the first few tables held Man Stuff. You know, tools, hubcaps, car repair magazines, tools, old car parts, tools, diecast cars, rusty metal things and did I mention tools?
I told Tom, "We must be in the automotive section, so tell me which way you're heading and I'll search for the good stuff and find you again soon."
So in the sun, I walked up and down three more aisles, scanned table after table, and here is what I saw:
tools, hubcaps,
car repair magazines, tools,
old car parts, tools, die cast cars,
rusty metal things and did I mention tools?
Oh my goodness! Though I spied a few token items which women would appreciate, I realized we'd landed at some kind of Manly Men's Swap Meet.
Sigh.
So I went and found Tom, who appeared as though he'd been beamed-up to Heaven, what with the stars in his eyes. And you know? The old Debra would have been all, "This is pathetic! There's nothing in this whole place for me." (Me! What about meee?) Yet the new Debra, the one God is re-creating (after I messed-up the first one), felt such peace, perhaps even supernaturally-so. I felt happy for Tom, even, that this was the flea market of his dreams.
So I told him (while his eyes darted everywhere, trying to absorb it all), "I'll go out to the car and get my book, then I'll sit and read in the food court area and you can find me when you're ready."
He loved that idea. What's more? I did, too. I loved sitting at a picnic table with a root beer and a spiffy yard-sale-found book while also watching and listening to people. Oh, it was sunny and hot and I felt myself frying, but sometimes a cool breeze wafted through us. Besides, I love those fairgrounds, for the happiness of people feels so palpable there. If only the lambs and baby pigs and chickens were inside the barns, it would have been perfect.
But then, hey! There was a classic car show and both Tom and I adore those. So after we ate lunch at my table, we wandered down to waxed, gorgeous cars and named our favorite--a beautiful sea-foam green and white Oldsmobile from around 1957. Oh my. We stood before her and swooned and agreed if we ever get into the classic show car thing, we'd buy a car exactly like that one.
Anyway, the hours we spent there were fun for both of us. And I'm so thankful that God is changing me day by day. I'm grateful He's replacing my tendency to moan and whine when I don't get my way and --in its place--He's putting contentment and joy, powerful things when they've come from Him.
Life is downright pleasant when I let God change me rather than trying to change myself. It's usually not fun during the changes (uh, heavens no), but afterward, oh the peace!
*****
Well. We had to pay $6 each to get in (hmm...) and the first few tables held Man Stuff. You know, tools, hubcaps, car repair magazines, tools, old car parts, tools, diecast cars, rusty metal things and did I mention tools?
I told Tom, "We must be in the automotive section, so tell me which way you're heading and I'll search for the good stuff and find you again soon."
So in the sun, I walked up and down three more aisles, scanned table after table, and here is what I saw:
tools, hubcaps,
car repair magazines, tools,
old car parts, tools, die cast cars,
rusty metal things and did I mention tools?
Oh my goodness! Though I spied a few token items which women would appreciate, I realized we'd landed at some kind of Manly Men's Swap Meet.
Sigh.
So I went and found Tom, who appeared as though he'd been beamed-up to Heaven, what with the stars in his eyes. And you know? The old Debra would have been all, "This is pathetic! There's nothing in this whole place for me." (Me! What about meee?) Yet the new Debra, the one God is re-creating (after I messed-up the first one), felt such peace, perhaps even supernaturally-so. I felt happy for Tom, even, that this was the flea market of his dreams.
So I told him (while his eyes darted everywhere, trying to absorb it all), "I'll go out to the car and get my book, then I'll sit and read in the food court area and you can find me when you're ready."
He loved that idea. What's more? I did, too. I loved sitting at a picnic table with a root beer and a spiffy yard-sale-found book while also watching and listening to people. Oh, it was sunny and hot and I felt myself frying, but sometimes a cool breeze wafted through us. Besides, I love those fairgrounds, for the happiness of people feels so palpable there. If only the lambs and baby pigs and chickens were inside the barns, it would have been perfect.
But then, hey! There was a classic car show and both Tom and I adore those. So after we ate lunch at my table, we wandered down to waxed, gorgeous cars and named our favorite--a beautiful sea-foam green and white Oldsmobile from around 1957. Oh my. We stood before her and swooned and agreed if we ever get into the classic show car thing, we'd buy a car exactly like that one.
Anyway, the hours we spent there were fun for both of us. And I'm so thankful that God is changing me day by day. I'm grateful He's replacing my tendency to moan and whine when I don't get my way and --in its place--He's putting contentment and joy, powerful things when they've come from Him.
Life is downright pleasant when I let God change me rather than trying to change myself. It's usually not fun during the changes (uh, heavens no), but afterward, oh the peace!
*****
Good for you-making the choice for contentment, which then is rewarded by joy, I've found. But it STILL all comes down to making choices and how wonderful when you find you are making better choices more often!
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