Shopping Fiasco

Shopping Fiasco

I don't usually mind shopping. Every girl loves a day out and it’s especially nice if we actually have cash in our wallets. But this shopping trip had my son’s name written all over it. We were overjoyed about his ten day trip to a third world country and ready to gather the items he needed. Of course, the guys in the house didn’t mind sending me out to tackle the shopping list alone. I didn’t mind either and was actually excited.  


I glanced at the writing on the double sided sheet of paper and thought, “Piece of cake! I’ve got this.” The race was on. I knew it would take some time, but had no idea of the hurdles I would face. The first store was sold out of a few things I needed. On top of that, one important item cost almost half my budget. My heart palpitated and I could feel the tension rise in my forehead. It was then I realized the journey wasn’t going to be as easy as I predicted. After three hours in another store of, gathering, sorting, thinking, and pondering, my eyes blurred and feet swelled. The list overwhelmed me. I never thought I would tire of shopping, but this experience was kicking me to the curve.

I called my husband and shared my “freeking out” moment (I thought he needed to experience that).  His comfort was, “come home.” Thank goodness, a friend called in the middle of my anxiety attack (yeah for girlfriends!) She encouraged, spurred me onward, and jumped right into “helping” mode. After a while, I finally put the list away (without finishing it), checked out, tossed my one hundred items into the back, and then sank into the front seat of the car. I didn’t want to move – ever - again. Thank goodness for cars that start by pushing a button because that’s all I could do at the moment. Miraculously I found my way home. Like a zombie, I entered the room and dropped into the recliner. My family excitedly greeted, “How was it!” All I could say was, “Lord help me.”

 
Sometimes we face journeys filled with difficult tasks, overwhelming agendas, and time limits. We had a few days to gather the items my son needed for his trip. I have no idea why we waited until the last minute (lesson learned). Planning, gathering a few items at a time, and working on a section of the list at a time would have been a better plan. We can’t always plan our days, sometimes things happen, and issues rise that we need to take care of right then.


I guess for me, the words I said at the end of the day are what I needed to focus on at the beginning of my journey – “Lord help me.”  Those words should have been my focus before, during, and after my shopping experience. God promises to walk with us every step of the way. We can choose to plunge into the chaos of our day without him - understanding it may not end well, or we can choose to allow God to go first and walk with Him as He leads.


I can think of so many instances where I would prefer someone else go before me. For example, trained guides that help you when caving, scuba diving, and sky diving. Skilled soldiers going into battle, mountain guides, and those traveling in other countries through the jungle. If the task appeared dangerous and risky, we would most likely find someone skilled in that area to guide us through it. The question is, "Why not choose God to help us through our day?"  Our journey may not seem as daring or adventurous, but God is our perfect guide for any day of our life. Psalm 23 promises that God will refresh our souls and guide us along the right paths.


How would having God as my leader have helped me on my shopping spree? I would have walked in his spiritual and emotional well-being rather than anxiety and frustration. His peace and serenity would have comforted me. Listening to the Holy Spirit, I would have been directed to the appropriate stores. He would have refreshed my soul, strengthened my journey, and given clarity.


At the end of the day, with my feet reclined, I sank deeper into the comfort of my chair and announced to God, “Next time you go first.”  

“For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.” Psalm 48:14