(A day in my life last week) I lost my tooth. Seriously, I was just chewing on a delicious piece of taffy and I felt a gap — a really big gap — like the Grand Canyon inside of my mouth! Thank goodness I didn’t swallow the crown! How could this happen now?! I have a trip planned — I’ve invited six neighbors for dinner — my dentist is on vacation. Oh, just pick one! I’m an hour and a half from my dentist’s office and this will throw my schedule out the window. Why me? I hate the dentist!
First, I don’t hate my dentist. Actually, I really like him. He’s gentle, kind, and patient. What I hate is going to the dentist and having work done. I have a very small mouth — don’t laugh. Every dentist I’ve ever seen has told me my mouth is very small. Scott laughed when I shared that fact with him. He actually laughed out loud. That’s a whole other blog!
It’s been a rough day. I slammed a door and two bottles of wine fell off the wall, which holds a new wine rack that seemed perfectly stable. I spent the next hour cleaning up wine and glass. I pressed “Send” on an email that was just in draft mode. I forgot to take a beef roast out of the freezer and didn’t have anything to cook for dinner. Then, I lost my tooth. Why me?
Does this sound like a pathetic whiner feeling sorry for herself? It sure does. All of these events really did happen today. When I lost the tooth I gasped, spit it out, and showed it to Scott. He laughed (I seem to have this effect on him) and said, “You have a hard life.” And so came the idea for this blog. I really did say, “Why me?” And, immediately I thought, “Why not me?”
There is no reason in this world I should be exempt from difficult times. In fact, Jesus confirmed I would have trouble. But He also promised He would be with me, and He has won the victory for me. “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
I think, instead of saying, “Why me?” when I have a challenging day, I must ask my Lord, “Why me? Why would You suffer and die for me?” And my Lord answers loud and clear! “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). He offers you that same response. We have a God of love and we are blessed!
Today, and always, we are surrounded by HIS grace,
Debbie
