a greater importance

pam, of pinnacles, pitfalls and pottychairs, today posted a story and her personal thoughts on the story. both make you think about perspective on any given situation. please go on over and read it.

it reminded me of something that happened to me last winter. i really felt like God was trying to teach me a lesson on that particular day and i thought i'd share it. i wrote the following in the blog i had at that time.

i was running late for a meeting. it was my own fault that i got started later than i should have, but you know how it is... when you're in a hurry, everything seems to go wrong. it was one of those kind of mornings. and when i finally pulled out of the driveway, i was late and feeling very rushed.

i turned the corner of my street and saw two little oriental boys on the sidewalk. as i got closer, i could see that they were only in their pajamas and the youngest was bare foot. for those of you reading this that don't live in denver, we had about 10 inches of snow yesterday and it had just started melting. so even though the sidewalk was somewhat cleared, there was snow everywhere else and the temperature was cold.

i was running late and feeling rushed, so i almost kept driving, thinking, "who would be stupid enough to let their kids stand outside like this." but i guess it was that thought that made me stop and pull over to where they stood.

the youngest, i'm guessing around 2 years old, was standing about a house away from the other boy, probably around 4 years old. i pull up to the youngest and rolled down my window and asked him where his mother was. he just stared at me, even after asking a few times. so i then moved up to where his brother (i'm guessing it was his brother) was and asked him several times the same question, "where is your mom?" he wouldn't or couldn't answer me either. but i noticed that the front door to this house is wide open.

so i put my car in park, turned it off, and walked up to the house. i knocked on the open door and yell out, "hello... hello," hoping that nothing serious had happened to their mom or dad. finally, an elderly man inside turned the corner and saw me there at the door. i explained that i found the two little boys outside in the cold and snow. he first called in a foreign language to someone upstairs, who never appears or answers back. he then came to the door and called out to the boys in the same language and they went scampering back inside. he did say thank you, but that was all he said to me.

as i drove on to my meeting, i reflected on what had just happened. i couldn't help but think that if i hadn't been running late, i may not have come across those two little boys. who knows what might have happened if i hadn't. maybe nothing but cold toes. but maybe worse. maybe God caused me to be late so i would be at the right place at the right time. something i need to remember the next time i'm running frantically late for something.

pam ended her post with a great thought that went something like, "as i get busy with the 'important' things in my life, i don't want to forget that there is a greater importance surrounding me all the time." i challenge you to reflect on this and ask God to show you the greater importance.

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link of the day:
http://us.mms.com/us/