Life's Lessons Learned

So I learned a valuable life lesson today: The ONE HOUR Dry Cleaners does NOT offer one hour dry cleaning. Let me explain: I took Ernie's suit coat to a business called One Hour Dry Cleaning. I show up there at 3:15 to drop it off. The cheery lady asked when I wanted to pick it up and I said "tonight". Her whole expression changed and she said "Well, stuff for pick up today needed to be in before 1." I felt confused, because this is a ONE HOUR dry cleaners. So I said "Is this not a one hour cleaners?" And she answered, "Well we don't clean clothes ALL day!" Shame on me for thinking they cleaned clothes during business hours at the ONE HOUR dry cleaners?! So then I said "Ummm...ok...so can I pick it up in the morning?" She got all cheery again and said "Sure!" I asked what time they opened and she said 7, so I said I would be there at 7. That twisted facial expression came back and she said, "Well, it won't be ready until 9." Puzzled, I asked "Is the name of your business not ONE HOUR Dry Cleaning?!" and with a exaggeratedly-loud sigh I walked out the door. What a trip. Thank goodness the rest of the world doesn't operate like a the one hour cleaners. Can you imagine going to the grocery store and them saying "Well we don't sell groceries ALL day"?! And then them looking at you like you're nuts for even asking in the first place! Like how dare you think you could just stroll into the grocery store and by groceries during regular business hours.HAahahAHahahH. It's laughable. But today, I wasn't really laughing. It was REALLY unnerving. Not to mention the look on the ladies face about put me over the edge...kinda' like she got some smug satisfaction from turning me away. After I left I lost my temper. I vented to Ernie, and to my friend Kasey. And then I pulled in the driveway and I was STILL simmering over it. I walked in the house with Sophia (because Angelina is at a friend's house) and got her all settled, and then I sat down and continued stewing on my anger. And then it hit me...this morning, when I woke up, for the first time in a LONG time I asked God to shine through me today...through my words and actions. But, I can say with near certainty that Ms.-We-Are-A-One-Hour-Cleaners-That-Does-Not-Offer-One-Hour-Cleaning did NOT see Jesus in me. In all fairness, I do think the name of that business is extremely misleading and they should at least offer one hour cleaning. But that's still not an excuse. This is just one more thing about Jesus that I simply cannot wrap my head around- He would have smiled and probably blessed her before turning on his heel and heading out the door still holding his dirty suit coat, no matter WHAT the sign above the door read. I am SO glad Jesus doesn't turn his back on is when we don't live up to our names. And I don't mean our literal names...I mean our names in Christ. I love how God can take these little moments and use them as teaching tools. The same God who created the Heavens and the Earth also cares enough about the mundane, minute happenings of our every day lives, and uses them to teach us life's lessons. Powerful stuff! Praise be to God...and praise also be to my mother who just happened to buy us a professional grade steamer for Christmas so I can attempt to "clean" Ernie's suit coat myself! :)