Two weeks ago, I had a horrid internet connection crisis. It first started out as intermittent connection but then it got worse. I'd only have suspicious patches of connection. Suspicious because there seemed to be a "schedule". I'd only be connected at around 10am, lose connection after lunch and then connection gets back around 3 pm. This weird internet connection schedule recurred for a week in spite of repeated calls to my ISP's customer service. The temptation to rant and rave was great but since I used to work in a call center, I knew those reps there didn't really know what was going on. They are given a set of spiels for the day or week depending on what's going on with the company that hired them. And so I resigned myself to filing a no connection report almost everyday. And as expected, they always promised some sort of action within 24 hours. (eyeroll)
Anyways, my connection crisis persisted for another week getting worse each day until I had no connection at all. Of course my boss had to call me, on a Saturday morning yet! And I found myself at the receiving end of another corporate version of ranting and raving. I think it's my third within my almost four years with the company. Hmm...I'm averaging one per year, aren't I.
What with my crummy internet connection, my work was lagging and my make up schedules were piling up. Not a very good impression on management or the client I was assigned to. I was fully aware of that. But my home-office situation is kinda complicated. Too long to explain here so I'll leave it at that--kinda complicated. Which meant I could not readily go out to some internet shop and continue my work there.
So the pressure was on and I resented the time limit. I had no control over my internet connection. It was my ISP's problem. I thought they ought to cut me some slack. Now I wanted to rant and rave about my ISP and boss.
And suddenly perspective hits. My personal crisis gets swallowed by Japan's earthquake-cum-tsunami disaster. Talk about crisis! Have they got a biggie in their hands! And I'm suddenly thinking, hey ho! compared to theirs, my internet crisis doesn't even register on the crisis scale.
While I got annoyed over intermittent/zilch internet in my home, imagine how a lot of Japanese were not only annoyed over the sight of their cars and neighborhood being swept away by an angry rush of water. While I sulked over my boss' irate phone call, too many Japanese people were too numbed to discover they no longer had jobs or sources of income.
Even if I can argue that a crisis can be relative and any one's crisis can be real as real can be no matter how small it may seem to others, still you have to get the right perspective. See the bigger picture. Only then can you shut up and be grateful. =)
Who would've thought I'd find refuge in the most unlikely place--the wall fronting my kitchen sink! I was surprised myself, come to think of it.
Today just wasn't my day. It didn't start out right and it didn't go well. The kids were having a field day all over the house while I had to meet my quota of processed mall links for the day. Aggravatingly enough, no matter how many times I mentally pep-talked myself that "attitude is altitude", I honestly could not muster enough motivation to turn things around.
Did I hear someone ask, "Have you tried praying?" Yes, I did. But it was more like frantic 911 calls every hour to the heavens to have mercy on me and grant some divine intervention. I was thinking about being bodily whisked away to some far flung island with white-sand beach, a hammock between two palm trees, soft sea breeze and quietness. NOT!
Divine intervention came in the form of my on-autopilot-body pouring hot water into a mug of instant coffee+milk+sugar, pulling up a chair against the wall facing my kitchen sink and clinging on to the steaming mug for dear life. The wall was a surprisingly comforting buffer that partially separated the kitchen from the rest of the house. I could still hear the kids but they couldn't see me and vice versa. I even put up my feet on the counter top and watched the slow trickle of water from the leaky faucet.
Miraculously not one of my spawns decided to take a peek and see where I had disappeared to. And for a few minutes I had some me-time. Not what I exactly had in mind every time I craved for some me-time but pleasantly surprising that it did the job to settle me.
Hey, my God is the God of the impossible so He could've easily taken me to my dream me-time spot on the beach at the blink of an eye. However, that divinely sponsored vanishing act would've frightened the kids so He gave me the most practical spot available. *sigh* Okay, maybe next time...
Yes, I actually jumped for joy (and relief) when I got my period last month...and early this month as well. Why the woohoo and jump-for-joy number? Well, having my period means I AM NOT PREGNANT! Okay okay. With all due respect and sensitivity to all women out there wishing their period wouldn't show up because they'd rather that a baby turns up in it's place, I WISH YOU THE BEST BABY EVER!
May you have all the babies you've always wanted. Really. Honest.
It's just that with me, well, I consider my quiver full with four kids. Three sons and one daughter. Great mix and interesting personalities enough for me to handle for a lifetime. (Broad smile) But seriously, to be entrusted with co-shaping and co-mentoring the lives of four uniquely created persons is already a God-size responsibility. I am humbled. I am blessed. And I am definitely honored.
This situation with my monthly period wasn't punctuated with joy in the past. I'd be grumpy and always rant that I should've been a guy. I've even gone to the point of saying that when the world is over and I get to see Eve in the great yonder, the first thing I'd do is slap her. Yeah, I know. I'm crazy. But God sure has a way of handing out an eye opener. I never thought I'd be so happy to welcome my period. Another lesson in giving thanks in all situations.
And now on to the other woohoos! I've been assigned to mentor and disciple three women leaders in our church. Humbling. It's actually a challenge to step up in my daily walk with God so as to set a good example. Our weekly meetings are not only fun but encouraging and uplifting.
Another woohoo! is the fact that my firstborn will be graduating from elementary school this year. Yup, I'm on my way to having a teenager. God help me! Challenging as well as exciting at the same time.
And a final woohoo! Our church fam is celebrating its 7th year anniversary this month. Jubilee year! This year's theme is "Reaching Your Generation." It's time to snap out of our comfort zones and get moving with the Great Commission!
And there you have it...my major WooHoo! moment and other woohoos!
