this past week was rough, emotional, chaotic, and exhausting. i put so much pressure on myself to have it all together, to solve all the problems around me, to make sure everyone else is happy. in doing so, i felt out of control. i am not God; i cannot fix everyone. i cannot make everyone happy; i cannot have it all together, all the time.
as i was running errands yesterday morning, i rounded the corner at the post office to find no parking spots available. ugh. i went around the block, and drove by the senior citizens center to see if their flowering trees had any blooms. i didn't look the first time i drove by because i was so focused on my problems and emotions. as i pulled into the parking lot, i noticed several tiny pink blooms has opened up. eeeekkkk. i couldn't wait to come back later to snap a few shots.
my grandma gave us the afternoon off to get a break from the chaos of tax season. mama and i decided to go shopping because - duh - that's the obvious choice. before i went home to change, i stopped by to snap a few shots of the blooms in case we didn't get back in time.
i sat in my truck for a good thirty seconds because i get nervous thinking about the fact that someone will see me taking pictures.
once i mustered up to courage to get out of the truck, i walked up to the tree and started snapping away. then i heard some people coming toward me saying, "oh, she's taking a picture of the tree."
crap. they're going to tell me i can't take pictures. they'll probably yell at me, and call the cops and i'll go to jail. no starbucks for me!
i turned around to see a sweet elderly woman and man walking my way. they had big smiles on their faces.
okay, maybe they just want to say hi.
i greeted them with a hello and explained how much i love photographing spring nature. they didn't come out to tell me to leave; they just wanted to let me know i could take pictures anytime.
that's like telling a kid they can come to the candy store for free candy anytime. score!
i ended up talking with them for over thirty minutes. they invited me inside to look at the other plants and flowers. as i drove away, i felt different. God used those seemingly insignificant situations to remind me that He is in control. if i hadn't circled around earlier that morning to find another parking spot, i wouldn't have noticed those blooms. if that sweet man and woman hadn't taken time to come say hi, i wouldn't have interacted with them.
it all happened because God always gives me what i need, just when i need it. at a time when i needed Him the most, He showed up in the form of spring blooms and sweet conversation. God is good and creative.
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