Aww Poop!!

Have you ever had one of those days when it seems like nothing is going right? My wife had one yesterday. Her computer didn't work. The person who could fix it wasn't there. Her "friend" at work had booked too many people for appointments and people were getting frustrated, including my wife. Sometimes we get to the breaking point, we get frustrated. And why? Well, usually it's our own fault. We don't prepare.

Here's a sad picture for you. Actually, it could be good or it could be bad. All depends (no pun intended) when you noticed the empty toilet paper rolls in the dispenser - BEFORE or AFTER you sat down. It is always good to be prepared . . . and observant.

Stuff like this happens to me more than I'd like to admit. I fill up my car's gas tank and go inside to pay, only to discover I left my wallet at home. Or getting in line at the toll booth to cross the Mackinac Bridge before discovering you don't have enough money to pay the $4 toll.

I was in the Boy Scouts. I am supposed to "be prepared." It's their motto!! Yet I fail at these simple life lessons almost daily. Why? Honestly? I think it's because I am distracted by all other the other stuff I have going on in my life. I don't have time to think. I don't have time to prepare.

Have you ever read the story of Noah and the ark? You probably do so I'll just hit the high points.

"13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark." - Genesis 6:13-14

If I was Noah I probably would have said, "Seriously? Right now? I don't have time for this!" But Noah obeyed God and began preparing for the flood. There were no clouds in the sky. There was no sign of rain. Everyone was having fun and partying in town. Nobody was ready for what was about to happen. They were about to get stranded on the toilet without any T.P.

Here's a little verse that can serve you well if you obey it:

"22 Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him." - Genesis 6:22

And so it was that Noah was prepared when the flood came. I wonder if Noah took toilet paper on board with him? Or what ever they used back then. Hmm. Unanswerable question I guess but somehow I think he was prepared.

So how do we prepare ourselves for situation like running out of essential things? That's easy. Prepare ahead of time. And just how are we going to be ready for life's tricky little situations? Read your Bible!

"28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—  29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,  30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’?  31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?" - Luke 14:28-31

This life we are given is not always easy. It's not supposed to be. Life is full of challenges and situations to test and try us. God designed it that way for a reason. So we will learn and grow in our faith and in our character. We are not supposed to just go through life assuming things will just fall into our laps. We are here to learn!

Remember to prepare yourself for the day. Not only THIS day but also for the day that Jesus returns. On that day we do NOT want to be left staring at two empty toilet paper rolls when the poop hits the fan. It will be too late then. We must prepare ourselves now. Your reading assignment for today . . .

Matthew 24:3-14

This is The Gospel . . .

"By this gospel you are saved...that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time..." - 1 Corinthians 15:2-6