You have GOT to be kidding me...

Lesson #8,751 in patience and bad attitudes:

I didn't want to go. Anywhere this week. I just wanted to stay with my sister and her two children here at home.

But I had commitments. Dang it!

Early morning. Dad takes me to the airport 2 hours away. I go to check in and my confirmation number doesn't work. The bar code doesn't work. The flight number doesn't work. I start freaking out on the inside. The nice man takes my itinerary behind the counter and says he does not understand what's going on. Then, he finds it.

"What day did they say you were flying?"
"Sunday."
"Yeah, well, the date says the 13th. Today is the 12th, right?"
"I have no idea." I stood there dumbly and then said, "oh my gosh."
I grabbed my ID and itinerary, thanked him for his help and dashed to the door I had entered 5 minutes before.

"Dad?"
"Yes?"
"Come get me. My flight is tomorrow."

Four hours wasted. Dad didn't mind. Thankfully. I only minded my stupidity.

And this is the lesson I learned, courtesy of God:
Bad attitudes get you nowhere, literally. I didn't want to go. I packed my suitcase with building spite and dread. I was angry. My chest was tight with self-pity. And it took me two hours away and some humiliation to discover that fulfilling obligations is part of life. Doing it with grace and joy relfects God. Ok, I get the message. Sorry.

Plans change. Pay attention to your own responsibilities.