Does God have a smit button?

I saw a bumper sticker today that said “Caution in case of rapture this car will be empty”. Since I was a little kid I have heard talk about the “Rapture”. That it will happen in the twinkling of an eye. Two will be working in the field and then there will be one. When I was young the thought of the “rapture” scared the bee juice out of me. The threat of the rapture along with the tomb stone in our little county church that read – Enoch walked with God then he was no more - gave a kid a lot to ponder. The best I could figure it out when the “rapture” hit all the Godly folks would float up to heaven leaving those not so Godly people here on earth. I knew those left behind would be busy for a few days getting all the cars off the roads and cleaning up the airplanes that crashed so I would have time to put my plan into action. I knew that God had been keeping score since the day I was born and I was a bit short in the Godly department I would be one of the ones left behind. I had a dog named Skipper that I tried to keep with me at all times. Remember we lived in the country and I was free to wander without supervision. My thought was that Skipper was the best dog in the whole wide world and if the “rapture” occurred while I was out walking in the woods or going down the road to visit family Skipper would suddenly disappear and I would know that the “rapture” had hit. I knew that my Dad would be taken up but figured it was a pretty safe bet that Mother and I would be left behind. My plan was: as soon as Skipper hit the wind I would run home and Mother and I would take out looking for my cousins – I knew for a fact they would be left behind! If for no other reason than for all the things they had done to me. Together we would form our own little city and take care of each other. My plan did not go much further than uniting with my Mom and my derelict cousins. I have no idea what I felt I had done at age 8 or so that was so bad that I would forfeit my right to leave on the rapture express. But in my little pea brain I figured God was looking down from heaven and keeping up with every single little bad thing I did and I always had to keep the score even. In my mind’s eye I knew God’s scale was not tipped in my favor. Not sure how this notion formed, I guess something I heard at church got kind ‘a twisted in my young mind.
I would like to report that around the age of 12 or so I came to the realization that God did not have a smite button He was subject to push at any moment. Unfortunately it was much later in life before I understood and accepted the love and grace of my Heavenly Father. Trying to balance God’s scales followed me well into my adult life. I just could not imagine myself worthy of God unconditional love. Trust me I was not a bad person, for the most part I was a very loving and caring person. Just never caring or loving enough to balance the scale in my favor.
Now liberating it was when I finally realized that I was worthy of God’s love and grace. The realization that God was not out “to get me” but wanted the very best that life had to offer literally brought me to my knees. To know and understand that I could ask for forgiveness and receive was an awesome feeling.
I know longer believe that the “rapture” will leave empty cars and airplanes. My Mom and Dad have both died and I know they are BOTH in heaven enjoying every moment in God total presence. I also know I will be there with them one day – although I might not make it on the express elevator a stop in purgatory won't be a bad thing!
As for Enoch walking with God and then he was not more – when I was a kid I made sure God was never where I walked! Now I pray that He is with me every step I take.

Hitch in my get-a-long!

Have you ever been sailing along thinking life is good and all of a sudden out of nowhere you get a hitch in your get along? Well, this week I received such a hitch! I have been with the same company for almost 10 years. Tuesday a meeting was called. The beginning of the email sounded like a jury summons. You know the one - setting all business aside. There were to be no excuses accepted you would be there. In all the years I have been with the company that has never happened so I had enough sense to know something was up. Speculation ran ramped among those that had been summoned to the Ivory Tower. None of us ever suspected what we were to learn at 1:45 Tuesday afternoon. The owners of the company have made the decision that they are going to sell the management company. AND they had the new guys there to say Hello. Where did this come from, had we all been asleep and missed the signs that this was about to happen? Who knows! All I know is I will soon be working for a company that I did not apply to.
I think overall it will be a good thing especially for the younger employees. Some have advanced as far as possible with the company. Having new owners that plan to grow the company will open new areas of opportunity for current employees that were not available before. Let me be the first to say God Bless all of those that want to climb the corporate ladder – but it ain’t me babe.
I am just not up to the task of climbing, I am real happy sitting on my little rung. Just too dang old! I was in great hopes that I would be able to ride out my final years of employment with the current company and fade quietly into the sunset and becoming the greeter at Wal-Mart. Being the Greeter at Wal-Mart has long been a dream of mine. To stand at the door and simply smile and wave at people has to be the greatest gig going. No one ever yells at the Greeter. No one ever expects the Greeter to make decisions that may impact a person for the rest of their life. No one ever ask to borrow money from the Greeter. The greeter does not have a To Do List that never gets done. The Greeter never looks at his watch and realizes that it is 3 pm and he has not had lunch or gone to the bathroom all day. The Greeter simply greets. Yeah, that the job for me!
So, here I am at almost 60 standing at yet another crossroads. OK God, I hear you laughing! Glad to be of entertainment value for you again. I know that if God has brought me to it He will bring me through it. I know that God’s will in my life is so much better for me than I could ever imagine. So, I will let go and let God. That does not mean that I will not work hard, I firmly believe that God helps those that help themselves. I will work hard to make the acquisition go smoothly and will continue to work hard for the new owner’s. Just hope they don’t ask this old crippled up woman to jump too high.
Don’t ever take anything or anyone for granted. Things can change with a blink of an eye or the shake of a hand.

When I am an old lady!

When I'm an old lady, I'll live with each kid, And bring so much happiness...just as they did. I want to pay back all the joy they've provided. Returning each deed! Oh, they'll be so excited! (When I'm an old lady and live with my kids) I'll write on the wall with reds, whites and blues, And I'll bounce on the furniture...wearing my shoes. I'll drink from the carton and then leave it out. I'll stuff all the toilets and oh, how they'll shout! (When I'm an old lady and live with my kids) When they're on the phone and just out of reach, I'll get into things like sugar and bleach. Oh, they'll snap their fingers and then shake their head, (When I'm an old lady and live with my kids) When they cook dinner and call me to eat, I'll not eat my green beans or salad or meat, I'll gag on my okra, spill milk on the table, And when they get angry...I'll run...if I'm able! (When I'm an old lady and live with my kids) I'll sit close to the TV, through the channels I'll click, I'll cross both eyes just to see if they stick. I'll take off my socks and throw one away, And play in the mud 'til the end of the day! (When I'm an old lady and live with my kids) And later in bed, I'll lay back and sigh, I'll thank God in prayer and then close my eyes. My kids will look down with a smile slowly creeping, And say with a groan, "She's so sweet when she's sleeping!" God Bless All Moms and Grandmas and Greatgrandmas Everywhere!