I am impatient

I have something shameful to confess: I am impatient.. I am awful when I have to wait in lineups at the bank, or if I am inconvenienced say by water shutoffs related to roadwork or being in a car line up waiting to be flagged through.

A young guy came to the door yesterday who is working with a road crew down the street. He was handing out notices of water shutoffs and when I opened the door he looked startled. Why? Well the other day when his crew hit a gas line and had to detour those of us who were on foot and driving around it (for our own safety I might add)  I was half a block from home and had to turn around and walk a longer route. I told him "You guys suck!!".  Sheesh!! What a bag eh? I wanted to tell him "It's okay kiddo, I don't really bite"

Shameful to make someone else feel bad because I cannot get a grip on my sinful nature. I just read that one of the penalties of sin is our acceptance of it. It establishes itself and takes a toll on you and anyone around you. How can I expect to be of service to anyone when I'm governed by sin?

The good news is that God forgives. I can go to him after another 'little flare up' and asked to be forgiven. The thing is though, if I don't change my behavior then the sin remains. Nothing changes if nothing changes.

So today, after snarking at the person answering the phone in the public works office regarding a 2 hour power outage I called back and apologized. She was gracious and friendly and I am grateful that she was.

Wouldn't it be horrible to walk around in your life with people startled by you all the time?  I hope I never accept sin. I hope my conscience drives me nuts and that God leans on me to change as much as is needed because I do want to be told in heaven "Well done good and faithful servant", and there is no room for sin in that statement.

I am gloriously, wondrously drunk on spring sunshine and the smell of fresh cut grass. I understand completely why Snoopy throws his head back and flings his arms out and just dances with joy. Everything just feels so alive at this time of year. Tulips are sticking their noses up about three inches to test the air, crocuses are acting like blinking neon lights advertising "This way to spring". People are out in droves, all smiley and smug because they think that they are the only ones who know it is finally spring.
I noticed the robins were back early this year and sure enough in the early morning you can hear the boys caroling for the girls. They aren't above a few late evening catcalls either. Salmo, the cat downstairs, caught his first mouse of the season. I still have my blue spray bottle to discourage him from trying to catch the birds. He doesn't eat them, just scares them to death. Stinker!! He sees me holding the spray bottle and goes the other direction, it has a pretty good stream and I am a dead accurate shot. I can usually land one good spritz up his tail feathers and that is enough to keep him on his best behavior for awhile.
All this happiness and notation of the world around me remind me of that song "This is the Day the Lord has Made" (May not be called this but that is how I remember it anyway.) It's kind of like Christmas without the winter boots. I feel cheery and friendly and want to reach out to people. I just assume everyone wants to see the birds and flowers and blue sky and so I happily chat them up and point it all out while passing them on the street. I feel renewed and refreshed and I hope that you all do too. It is such a great time of year.
Cheers
Jane