seeing it this way

I learned a lesson this morning. I saw a crappy situation in a different light. Here is how is all went down.

I am a nursing student. Today is the third day of school. My schedule is very different this semester. In general, I am still pretty new to campus. Anyway, today I was late for my 7:50am Microbiology class. The professor is a tough one. He hates lateness and frowns upon it. He told this to the class on the first day. He also told us that we can't take our daily, 10-point quiz if we are late. Now, in my mind, this is no big deal. I am very rarely late to anything. I am an on-time person 99.9% of the time. Not this morning.

My alarm went off. I got up. I got ready. I left 15 minutes early. I was on-time!!! However, I lost my brain on the way to class, and forgot what room the class was in. I would have known if I hadn't have left my schedule in my dorm. So, I went to the wrong floor. Honest mistake.

I got to class 5 minutes late, got a look of disgust from my professor, and was refused my very first quiz! What a way to start a semester. Crap!

There is a two-fold, deeper point to this blog. The first is that sometimes no matter how hard we try to be on top of things, sometimes circumstances just don't allow it. We may have good intentions, but crap happens! I am a good student because I work hard. I leave early to be on time. Today, a mistake got in the way.

My second point deals with how we should handle situations where circumstances decide our fate. What do we do when something unexpected, or unintentional happens? Do we get mad and curse about it? Do we take it out on others? Do we let it ruin our day? No. We should try to approach it from a different angle.

In my case, I was irritated for a few minutes, but chose to see it this way. "Today was an accident. It was not my professor's fault. It was unintentionally my fault. So, I will just be more careful next time."

The older I get the more I realize that this world is not about me. It doesn't matter how much I try to be in control. I am not. I have said it before. I hate it when plans fall through. I hate it when things don't go the way I want or plan them to. When something happens that we don't expect, or want to avoid, it hurts us. We suffer. We lose. We get irritated. It is hard to overcome it and move on.

I encourage you to look at hard things in a different light. I'm not just suggesting you make everything crappy in your life look "nice" or to hide it in any way. I am just asking you to avoid letting crap ruin your day. This life is not about happiness. Happiness doesn't last. Looking at things from the perspective that God is in control, and He really does have your best interest in mind will help you have joy. Joy is a gift, and only comes from God himself. Think about it.

I shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace. The mountains and the hills shall break forth before me into singing, and the trees of the field shall clap their hands. (Isaiah 55:12, NIV)