What A Day!

Traffic was heavy, so I was stuck behind a semi, and because of the height of the trailer, I never saw the traffic light until I was almost in the intersection. I did, however, see the light turn red as I drove under it.

I hate when that happens! Especially now, because many intersections have recently been equipped with cameras that snap photos of light-runners. Within a week or so, the picture, along with a traffic citation, is mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle, courtesy of the police department.

Well, guess who received a very official looking envelope from the police department in the mail today?

On top of it being an extra-long work day, it was also a day when the stress level topped out. It was one conflict after another, and one frustration after another, since yesterday morning. The temperature hit a record-breaking 103 degrees, and I was physically and emotionally wrung out.

I fully intended to head for the shower the minute I got home, and then collapse in my recliner and not think for the rest of the day. But when I arrived, I found that letter from the police department awaiting me. And, before I had a chance to open it, I received a message concerning an urgent situation. A phone call might have settled the matter, but, as usual, my phone, the phone book, and directory assistance all failed me, so I had to return to work.

Contrary to what you may think, I really did keep myself under control. I refused to listen to the little voice inside that was urging me to vent my frustration, but somehow, the dog and cats must have sensed something was wrong. They followed me from room to room, which is typical, but they were quiet and mild-mannered, which is not. They also kept their distance, and when I sat down for a minute, they just sat and stared at me. This was so untypical, I couldn’t help but wonder what they were seeing. Was some extreme phenomenon happening in response to the pressures of my day? For a minute I imagined steam billowing from my ears and a loud, shrill whistle blasting away, but the humor escaped me at the moment.

Driving back toward work, my inner voice was growing louder, angrily proclaiming the injustices of the day, and throwing accusations all over the place. I knew that if one more negative thing came up, there would be no holding back. I also knew I couldn’t do anything about it, so I did what I could do…I called out to God.

Well, God is faithful. I did not do anything to embarrass myself or my testimony. My avalanche of challenges has come to an end, and my nerves have returned to their normal state.

The only thing left unfinished was that ominous letter from the police department. It turned out to be a courtesy letter informing me of something that may benefit me in the future. That’s a whole lot better than a traffic citation.