Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Have You Ever Had One of Those Days?

Have you ever had one of those days..? I have. I had "one of those days" today.


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Early Start Aborted

I planned to get an early start so I could get to the airport on time for an 6:20 AM flight. I loaded my suitcase on the back of my motorbike, only to find that I couldn't find my keys. I took the suitcase off the bike and did a quick search. Nothing. I tied it back on. I took everything out of my purse and backpack. Nothing. So I took the suitcase off the bike again for a second investigation. After searching for twenty minutes, I found the keys in the bag that holds my various chargers...in the suitcase, of course.


I had put the keys there the night before specifically so I wouldn't forget to pack my Kindle and charger. Unfortunately, I had woken up in the middle of the night when the Kindle had finished charging and packed it away, forgetting the keys were in the bag. 

Parking Lot Run-Around

When I got to the airport, I found they had renovated the parking area into unrecognizability. Consequently, I spent half an hour driving around the airport, sometimes unavoidably going the wrong way on one-way roads before finally finding a parking space. I really, truly, dislike the airport in Denpasar, Bali.


Miserable Flight

My flight to Singapore was not really all that bad in and of itself. The problem was with me. I still have not recovered completely from flu that I wrote about two days ago. Thankfully, though, my earache was gone, and the stuffy nose had developed into a bad cough. Although nasty, a cough is a lot easier to handle on a plane. Even so, I was still miserable and dozed for most of the flight.

A Seat on the Train

Once in Singapore, I had an hour and a half ride the subway system (MRT) I had to take to get to the place where I was staying. I dreaded the likelihood of having to stand on the trains, so it was a very pleasant surprise when a couple school boys actually got up to give me a seat. That should be common practice, but in actuality, it rarely happens. Twenty-something Indian men giving up their seat, yes. Junior high school boys, not so much. This was truly a gift when I most needed it as I was still feeling pretty awful.

No One Home

I got to my friend's house where I was staying an hour earlier than I was expected, only to find no one was at home. This was not a huge problem as I needed to go back out and look for a sewing machine that a friend back in Indonesia asked me to pick up. So, even though I was still not feeling well, I left my carry on suitcase at the house inside the gate and dragged myself back to the MRT.

Sewing Machine Sought and Found

In the city, I went to the Court's store in the area I am most familiar with. They didn't have either of the sewing machine models I was looking for, so I had to go to another store in an area I did not know. After a bit of a run-around, I finally found what I needed. 
Things Look Up
I also met a delightful Singaporean woman who went to great lengths to demonstrate all the different stitches the machine could do. She didn't need to sell me on the machine. I came knowing I wanted that model. But that extensive demonstration did something for me. 
Teresa was like a breath of fresh air. She was just doing her job. It was nothing extraordinary. But she obviously loves what she does. By doing her job, she gave me a chance to sit down and rest in a cool building. She gave me a chance to think about something other than feeling hot, and tired, and sick, and miserable.God used this woman's kindness and enthusiasm to lift my spirits.

Back at the House

When I returned to my friends' home, I was welcomed warmly, as always, and I enjoyed a low-key evening with some amazing people. God used them as well to bring refreshing when I particularly needed it.

And Now...
As I write this, I still have a cough. I am really looking forward to getting to bed.  But I am no longer miserable. God has brought me through this day. He has given me His strength in the middle of my weakness. I look forward to seeing what He will do tomorrow.


4 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed this piece. I often have to stop myself when it seems like the world is out to get me and say, this is the day that the Lord has made... It's only then that I feel like there's a paradigm shift. Although sometimes, like you wrote, it is the random kindness of strangers that can also smack us back into reality.

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    Replies
    1. That random kindness of strangers is always a special treat. But it is good to remember that we don't have to depend on that. Like you said, no matter what is happening, this is still the day that the Lord has made.

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  2. Hi Julie

    That sure sound like one of those miserable days! I remember that nagging cough when I was seeing you in Singapore - is that cough better yet?

    By the way, I love the design of this blog and it's layout - it's clean, easy to read, and most of all, the way you write - it's easy reading and easy for my soul =)

    Keep writing


    Nigel

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    Replies
    1. Hi Nigel,

      Yes, the cough is still hanging around. Of course, it didn't help that I got rained on as I loaded my motorbike up at the airport for the 2 hour trip home. But i made it safely and have no plans for longer trips for the next week. I should be able to take some time to recover.

      Thanks for the encouragement about the blog. You told me you have a blog. What's the URL?

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