The Law of the Garbage Truck

My darling stepmother (admittedly, it's kind of weird to call her that, because she and Dad got married last July, but it's better than calling her "that woman who my dad married", so we'll go with this) sent an email with a message, called "The Law of the Garbage Truck". Here it is:

The Law Of The Garbage Truck

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly.

So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!' This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so..... 'Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't.'

Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!

So I've been truly living my "eureka" moment and realizing that I control my reaction to things, and that by doing so, I can glorify God. I struggled, to a degree, this past Tuesday, when one of the business folks on the project and I came to a part of the design of my screens that she doesn't agree with (and how!), and is perturbed because I won't do it the way she wants it to be done (because it would make the experience on our website inconsistent with other things you can do there). I have explained the rationale, and she doesn't care. And that's okay. I told her that she can escalate the issue by talking to her boss who will then in turn talk to my dotted-line boss. What I struggled with is my reaction--her stubborness and seemingly disregard for my logic and accepted structure of how we do things--well, it really irked me! I played out the various confrontation scenarios in my head--you know, what I would love to say if I a) had some big ones and b) didn't care about having to play nice and be a team player, and c) ignored the responsibility of me being a Christian and taking the "higher ground". As I did this, I could feel myself getting angrier and more frustrated. So I prayed about it and gave that to God. I also asked a really good friend to help me not take it back, because I think a lot of us willingly give our problems and burdens to God, but impatience or control or some other human quality makes us take them back, stupidly thinking that we can affect something wwaaayyy better and faster, and admittedly, something that suits us, not necessarily the thing that God would go for. What I mean is that God may have something in mind for me, like sending me off to the darkest areas of Africa when I pray to do His will. If I don't want to do that, then obviously I'm not going to give Him that part, because I'm afraid of what His outcome will be, not having faith that it will be perfect for me as well as not giving Him entire control.

Anyway...I'm so grateful to Him for being there, and helping me, and speaking to me through various media like the story above. He is good!

Well, the day is beginning--Troy had a friend spend the night, and I've got cinnamon rolls in the oven for them...then on to Troy's final soccer game and trophy party, and then...on to get my kittens! The 2 brothers just got fixed yesterday, so they were a little out of it. I'm hoping that they will be all right to go this afternoon. Gotta go kitten-proof the house!

Much love and His blessings on you!