When Life Throws A Stinkbomb

For those of you who are NASCAR fans, I live about 10 miles from the Atlanta International Raceway.....to the south. I work about 30 miles from the Atlanta International Raceway to the north. That means on big race weekends, like this one, I have to leave work and sit in traffic for almost two hours to get home since I have to pass the main exit to the Raceway. Or, I can wiggle through the backroads with everybody else avoiding the expressway and still take two hours to get home, but at least that way I can stop at Shane's Rib Shack here in McDonough for the best BBQ and buffalo chicken tenders you'll ever eat. So, then as I inch closer and closer to home, at least I have a good meal to munch on in the car.

So, anyway, after sitting in various degrees of traffic for two hours, balancing a meal on my lap and glancing at the newspaper on the other seat, I was not in the best of humor when I finally got home. I know how Scarlett O'Hara felt when she was coming home to Tara during THE war and saw that it was the only house still standing and knew she was finally home. Home! What a wonderful word. So, I came in and took Murphy out for a nice walk while trying to calm down and look forward to a week of vacation ahead.

Coming back in the house, I called my parents and found out that my brother had been laid off his job today. My brother has had an extremely rough few years and just in the last seven months began to pull his life back together again and look forward to the future with a degree of hope. And now this....no reason given, just no more job. Naturally, he was discouraged and upset, but he had a rather optimistic attitude about it. As for me, I went through all the Kubler-Ross steps in about ten seconds and came out ready to do battle. Ready to form picket lines, descend upon the ogre's house with pitchforks and torches then to just stand there and scream at him for awhile....all this seemed like a very likely scenario to me. I sought refuge in Chocolate Double Fudge Brownie Ice Cream in my 'angst' bowl from my thirty pounds heavier days.

Why is "life" so seemingly unfair to those who need the biggest breaks? I know that I am feeling protective because he's my younger brother and I want only the best for him, but I also know that violence, arson and mayhem are not the most constructive means. I wish it were easy for me to turn it over to God, and then let Him take care of the situation. I am good at the turning over part, but just not good at the leaving it with Him part. Why is that? God has never broken a promise to me. He has always kept His promises to 'work all things together for good.' (Romans 8:28).

In my heart, I know that God will take care of my brother and provide him with something much bigger and better. Please keep him in your prayers that this will not be a setback in his life, but will instead be a step forward to a closer walk with God and a new and better career opportunity. God is good....all the time.

Be God's,
Jimmy