When the Unthinkable Happens

For the past few days, I found myself in probably the worst situation anyone could ever imagine… my cable and wi-fi were not working (gasp). Okay, so obviously that is not a huge deal, but through that situation I actually learned something about myself, and my focus in life.

It all started as my sister, our roommate, and myself rearranged our living room (see adorable photo below). We flipped it around and had to change the wi-fi router (pretty sure that’s the right term?) and cable to the other wall. When we plugged it back in… nothing worked. My sister called the cable guy and he said he could come out on Tuesday… two WHOLE days away. I, as usual, got impatient and started to grumble. As I complained about the long wait time, my sweet and kind boyfriend looked at me and sarcastically said, “oh wow, do you think you’re going to be able to make it?” I had no response, he was right.

Folks, let me tell you, what happened that evening I am NOT proud of… honestly, it was pathetic. I sat down on my couch and thought to myself, “what am I supposed to do now?” Yes, I am shaking my head just as much as you are thank you very much. Reminder: I AM NOT PROUD OF MY INITIAL REACTION.

As I sat there, I realized that I had completely misplaced my focus. I had all of this time and the only thing I could think to do was to watch television or browse the internet. Dumbfounded by the pathetic excuse for a human I was being, I marched to my room, grabbed my Bible and one of my many half-way finished books, and settled in on the couch.

I was amazed at the amount of enjoyment I got out of resting in God’s presence and enjoying a well-written book (shout out to Harper Lee). For once, I didn’t have the thought in the back of my mind, “in 30 minutes I can watch <insert show>,” or, “I need to get rid of those social media notifications.” I had time to engage my mind and actually let the words on the pages soak in.

The frustration of having no cable and no wi-fi quickly turned into a perspective change. Engaging the passions that God has given me (reading, writing, etc.) has given me a refreshed energy and purpose. My cable and wi-fi get fixed today, but I have made it my goal to spend time doing things that I love, every day.

Whether I read a chapter of a book, write a blog post, or sit on my porch sipping coffee, I have recognized the importance of engaging the passions God has given to me. I am not going to be perfect, some days I will watch an embarrassing amount of “Gilmore Girls,” but recognizing the shift in focus is what I needed. Sometimes, God gives us little gifts in ways we never expected.

The final chapters of a book that I should have read ages ago because GEE WHIZ it's amazing!