Half Empty or Half Full?

I have to tell you that sometimes life just gets in the way.  We have our plans and schedules all laid out and BAM! Right in the middle, something happens.  Seems like it happens more often than not.  I drive a 2012 Toyota truck.  Well, you might ask, “what does this have to do with God?”  Let’s just say that time and circumstances can change your perspective. About 6 week ago my husband and I were coming home from church and hit a deer.  Even though we saw it, slammed on brakes, and tried desperately to avoid it, that darn deer just up and jumped right into our path anyway. It was a hard glancing blow.  Airbags did not deploy but still caused thousands of dollars-worth of damage. My truck (a.k.a. Bertha) was smashed. 

Now we had been discussing getting a newer vehicle but I had no desire to try and drive something that cost as much as a small house.  Now the trade light was blinking.  I  hate driving a smashed vehicle.  Thankfully, for the moment, insurance is supposed to fix it.  It has been a bit of a challenge and time factor to make it happen.  So, I’m driving a rental.  Actually, I’m on my third rental.  Yes, you heard right, third.  When I picked up the first all they had was some small car.  I made them upgrade me and I paid the difference.  It’s only for a week, right?  Well, one week turned into two and I wasn’t going to keep paying the higher price just for the security of a vehicle in the driveway.  So, I took vehicle number 1 back and told them I needed something that insurance was going to cover the total cost of. 

The rental agent showed me a magenta shoebox.  I kid you not!  Well, you can just imagine my response.  I told her no, no way, no how! I was used to full size trucks and SUVs and was not going to drive something that a tractor trailer could drive over.  She had no idea what I was used to driving so I asked for something bigger.  She gave me a Toyota Tacoma. Ok, I could live with that.  It was only a size down from wrecked truck.  I went straight home.  The next morning my husband noticed a HUGE oil stain on my very clean concrete. Ugh!  I moved it off the concrete to the gravel beside the drive and it blew even more oil on the concrete.  I called the rental agency and told them what had happened and even took a picture.  Checked the oil level and drove it straight back.  This time they gave me a Nissan two-door pickup. Hmmmmm.  It’s fine. 

That evening I told my husband that my 12-year-old truck, Bertha, was looking more and more like a Cadillac.  I tell this story because I kept seeing my driveway as half empty, old truck, 220,000+ miles, a little faded paint and scratched clearcoat. When in reality, my driveway was more than half-full.  God used an unwanted and seemingly uncontrollable situation to change my perspective.  Will my truck be fixed?  Hopefully, eventually. Still driving a blessed rental and still waiting on repairs but it’s all ok because my glass is still half-full. 

Matthew 6:26-31 (KJV) says it all.  “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:   And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?   Therefore, take no thought, saying, what shall we eat? or, what shall we drink (drive)? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?’  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Did I need reminding of this? Absolutely! I have never tried to keep up with the Jones’ but all of this made me realize my glass is actually FULL! Not half full. Completely and totally full. I lack for NOTHING!  God has made sure that I have everything I NEED.  Thank you, Lord for dented hoods and smashed grills.  My “Cadillac”, a.k.a. Bertha, will soon be home.