When you think you have it all together....

...you don't.  

Thursday is my errand-running day.  Since my husband is currently uber-busy with basketball practices, games and work-related stuff, and my go-to babysitter recently took off on a sprint towards her college degree (GO MOM!), I've been spending a lot more time on the home front.  My errands, which formely took place sporadically throughout the week, now consume most of our only free day - Thursday.  It's my breathing day, my thinking day, my get-to-wear-a-nice-shirt-if-I-want-to day.  I love Thursday.  

Needless to say on Wednesday night I actually typed up my shopping list in the order of store attendance, and stacked it along with my necessary coupons (can you say World Market $10 off $30 and Michaels 40%??) and reusable shopping bags, prepping myself to bolt out the door as soon as my husband got home from his 3-hour work day.  And bolt I did.  Right to the bank.  Which was right next to Starbucks.  Hey, what'd you expect?  Cash and coffee in hand, my day officially began.  

Now, I'm not going to bore you with ALL the events of the day (including my attempt to coax plastic forks off their 9 foot perch with 8" paper plates - didn't work).  But what I will tell you is that one of my stops was the blood bank.  You see, my Dad is amazing for a number of reasons, one of them being the number of times he has come home with a band-aid around his finger and neon medical tape around his arm.  He faithfully donates blood.  And rightfully so.  It's one of the easiest (and cheapest) ways we can help save lives, and it requires SO LITTLE!  (That's my little plug to encourage YOU to donate!)  Thus the reason for my regular visit last Thursday.  I was a bit anxious as they tested my hemoglobin levels, given that the last time I was here they were too low.  But since then I had been taking iron supplements and focusing on my intake of spinach.  And with success - my hemoglobin levels were higher than normal - yay!  So I took my position in the chair, gave some blood, and accepted the information booklet they give every time, the one that's always coupled with the statement "...and if you experience any flu symptoms in the next 24 hours, please call the 800 number on the back."  Sure, no problem.

Well wouldn't you know it, the next day I came down with the worst flu I've ever had.  I knew it was bad when I threw up in my car (thankfully I had one of my reusable bags handy.  I won't be reusing it).  In 3 pregnancies, with a combined total of 12 months of non-stop nausea and vomiting, I NEVER threw up in my car; I was always able to stop and get out in time .  Haha...doesn't this paint a pretty picture of me .  At least I'm not the unmarried daughter of Mrs. Bennet .  But don't worry folks, I wasn't selfish with my flu.  I made sure to share it with a good friend of mine (and I hope that friend is feeling better...).  

Thankfully, 4 days later, the flu is nearly gone.  But it left me with some thoughts.  I know this post is not organized (I warned you about this!) but the moral is this:  when you think you've got it together, you don't.  My attempts at a good deed were completely fruitless.  I had to call the blood bank and have them discard my donation.  I was completely humbled, sitting in my car, vomiting into a bag.  I was lethargic, shivering, smelly...I was a mess.  But didn't God warn me of this?  He said that, on my own, my good deeds are as filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6) That aside from Christ, I am a sinner, helpless to myself. (Isaiah 53:6)  But praise God, I am not tied down to that.  Look at the deal God is willing to make with us in Isaiah 1:18, "Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:  though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land."  

So that's it?  For my curse to be lifted and for me to be treated like royalty, You only require willingness and obedience?  And as a result of the new covenant, that is pretty simple to do.

Sure, I'll accept that offer.  But would you consider throwing in flu antibodies, too?