Love Your Ordinary: Frustrations

Happy Monday! The sun was shining here, which is a beautiful (and not very ordinary) thing. I wanted to share with you a quick update on my husband Kedron. So many of you have been praying for him over the past few months as he went through surgery for thyroid cancer. He had his follow-up appointment today, and the doctor gave him the all-clear! They will see him again in 6 months. As of right now, that means he does not need radiation. We are so, so thankful. Thank you all for your prayers, love, and support over the past few months.

So, how did you #LoveYourOrdinary this past week? Did you find ways to infuse your days and routines with love for God and others? I’d love to hear your stories. Please share in the comments below, or if you have a blog, link to a story there!
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My ordinary challenge this past week was getting in and out of my driveway. I’m not what you would call a “precision driver.” There’s a reason I never, ever attempt to parallel park. With 6 foot piles of snow on either side of our narrowing driveway, if you don’t make the turn at just the right angle, the car is lodged in a snow bank. Add a trash can sitting at the end of the driveway on trash day, and it makes for an impassable obstacle course. I am no ninja driver.

While attempting to make a “quick” run to the grocery for a few items last Monday, I pitched the car into the snow bank and dumped the trash can into the street. I spent ten minutes tipping the trash can back into place and burning rubber to get the vehicle onto the street. I’m going to need new tires by the time we see pavement again.

Once I was finally moving, I had three minutes to calm my nerves before entering the store. (The grocery store is at the bottom of the hill, just outside my neighborhood’s entrance.)  I had three minutes to move past my ordinary frustrations and turn my heart back to love. The people at the grocery store had nothing to do with my frustrating driveway. But I can let frustration ruin the rest of my day and impact the people around me. I know I can. I’m good at it. But part of loving the ordinary means learning to love in the midst of ordinary, exhausting frustrations.

I entered the store for my five items with a quick prayer for help to forget my frustrations. I smiled at the greeter and urged her to stay warm. I made small talk with the cashiers. I was a polite and friendly citizen.

Does it matter? I think so. In a darkening world where people take a gun to the McDonald’s drive through window when their order doesn’t have bacon (that happened in our nearby big city!), we shine God’s light when we respond in love instead of lashing out.

I returned home, over shot my drive, and put the front end of my car into the snowbank. Again. I threw the car into reverse, hit the gas, and while hoping for pavement, I heard crunching and scraping. The passenger side front bumper now sticks out at a funny angle, as if trying to high-five passing cars.

I took a deep breath, made the turn again, scraped against the garbage can and entered the garage. If getting into a snowy driveway was an olympic sport, I wouldn’t qualify for the team. With 2 grocery bags in one hand and my purse in the other, I walked past the front of the car and paused to kick, kick, kick the bumper back in place.

Kedron opened the door and stared at me, his wild woman balancing groceries and a purse while kicking in the front of her car. He raised his eyebrows, but knew better than to ask.

“Snow bank at the end of the drive,” I explained.

He smirked and shook his head. After sixteen years of marriage, it’s not a surprise to him that I’ve nearly taken off the bumper. He loves me anyway, despite his frustrations with my driving. See, it matters! Overcoming frustrations to love!

I entered in and out of my driveway eight times that day. Eight. I had a lot of practice – in both driving and loving in the midst of the frustrations. Is it spring yet?

Diffuse ordinary frustrations with an extraordinary love.

Tweetables:

[tweetherder]Diffuse ordinary frustrations with an extraordinary love. #LoveYourOrdinary[/tweetherder]

[tweetherder]We shine God’s light when we respond in love instead of lashing out. #LoveYourOrdinary[/tweetherder]