Saturday, July 14, 2012

Daniel, The Lion's Den and Me - A Spiritual Birth at VBS

Vacation Bible school starts this coming Monday and I am very excited.  I love the energy, the fun and the learning that goes on during VBS.  Not to mention that my church uses a really great curriculum provided by LifeWay Christian Resources that is very easy to do. 

But probably the biggest reason that VBS is in my heart is that many years ago when I was about 8 and living in Columbia, MO.  I went to VBS and trusted Christ as my personal savior for the very first time and because God saves by His Grace - the only time that was necessary. 

We had just learned about Daniel and the Lion's Den.  I remember listening to the story and being amazed that God could protect Daniel from such danger and literally close the lions mouths all night.  How trusting Daniel must have been in his heavenly protector.  My 8 year old brain was mulling these things over when we went to worship at the end of the morning.  The pastor spoke to us and questioned us on where we stood on believing that Jesus was the Son of God and came to save us from our human nature of sin.  Did we believe that he could protect us and care for us.  Daniel and the Lion's Den broke into my thoughts.  Did I have the faith of Daniel?

It was at that moment that I felt the tug.  The almost physical pull in my chest that I needed to walk up to the front and tell the pastor that I wanted Jesus as my savior.  But I didn't go.  Walking up to the front of a church with so many people looking at me and wondering about me was more than I could bear.  So I stayed stuck in my seat and I squelched the pull that I should be moving deep down inside of me.  I decidedly ignored what I knew I should be doing and I stayed in my seat until worship was over and my mom picked me up.

But God doesn't quit and the Holy Spirit will not give up on a good work.  So, the tug came back at a red light on the way home from VBS.  It became restlessness and physical uncomfortableness.  I could not ignore God.  In the back seat of my parents beat up chevy chevelle (brown interior) I bowed my head and submitted.  I prayed that God would forgive me of all the things I had done and I thanked him for sending Jesus as the way to Him. 

Peace, Elation, Freedom immediately followed.  It was like nothing I have ever felt before and I am sure I will never feel again. My grin spread across my face and stayed plastered there for several days.  I was joyous.  I felt God's presence so clearly.  When I doubt my faith, as occasionally happens to all who believe I remember this time of  great even elation.  I remember my thoughts changing and my conscience changing. 

This didn't make ME a great person and I am still not a great person.  But it made me a forgiven person.  A person who began to see through eyes like Jesus's.  Am I perfect, Ha!  I will never be and I am ashamed of some things I have done and probably will do, but I am always forgiven and taken care of.  I believe one only has to read other entries in this blog to see how God has taken care of me and my family. 

Monday, July 9, 2012

SHOT - Another ESL Moment

Isaac has the dreaded Dr. appointment this morning.  He must get shots in order to be admitted to 7th grade. 
Yesterday we began going over our Monday schedule and I stated that we have a Dr. appt.  Sarah, of course, wanted to know why and all the details so that she could remain in "control" of the situation.

This morning she asked again what we were doing today.  And again, I told her. 

"Sarah,  Isaac is going to the Doctor and getting shots."
Sarah replied in a very sad voice,  "ooohhh I'm going to miss him."

Of course, when I laughed  she got mad at me.  Oh well.

Friday, July 6, 2012

And the Customer is King

It seems to me that with the onset of  the latest generation coming of age and now taking jobs in fast food places and walmart, that customer service is lacking in many places.  Of course not all of the new generation is inept at conveying that the customer is king, but there are quite a few mumblers, eye avoiders, and lazy workers that will answer a question with "I don't know" and "I'm sorry that's not my job" and then look at you like those answers should have been sufficient.Usually, I ignore these little jibes at customer relations on the premise of being polite, but not last Wednesday. 

Last Wednesday, I am sure I completely embarrassed and somewhat awed my nine year old  the same way that my own dad used to embarrass and awe me.  My dad, usually a gentle soul, would become fiesty at times during egregious bouts of bad customer service and I remember them with clarity.

There was the one time when Long John Silver's (yes he used to eat there) messed up an order and we sat in the drive through while my dad loudly complained and got his compensation.  There was the pizza incident where he raised his voice and I remember thinking the whole restaurant was watching, but again it was made right.

 My favorite father moment of this kind was when we stopped at a rest stop on a road trip and  the Hari Carishna (sp) man gave him a book of faith, which my dad took without giving the guy a donation.  This evidently was not the way that man thought it should go.  He confronted my dad, who again refused to give money.  The  HC man then blocked our exit by climbing onto the trunk of our car  until  my mom demanded that dad give the book back. I was in awe that my dad could stand up to that man and I obviously saw my mothers frustration at the whole event.  Because really, dad knew that when an HC gives you something he wants something in return. 

But last Wednesday the tables turned.  I walked into Pizza Hut for a late lunch with two very hungry children.  We saw the beautiful and bountiful buffet table and began to salivate immediately.  I told the lady behind the counter that we would have three buffet meals.  She immediately responded that the buffet ended 15 minutes prior and was no longer available.  I checked my impulse to gripe at the fact that there were about 8 full pizzas sitting on the buffet table while no one was eating them and said out loud that we would just order a pizza.

We were sat toward the back of the restaurant but in full view of the main kitchen area.  In other words, I could see everything that was happening in the store.  And there we waited.  I chatted with the kids, watched a waitress clean tables, and saw other patrons leave.  Still we sat.  We watched a Hot Dog eating contest on the t.v. screen. I saw another worker emerge for the bathroom area with cleaning supplies and make her way to the counter to clean something else. And, I also saw the girl who seated us yakking away with  two teenage boys in the kitchen.  They were clearly having a good time. She was using her towel to playfully hit at them as they teased her and the boys were smiling pleased at the attention they were being given.  Meanwhile, my children began to complain.  "We are hungry.  I am thirsty!" "Be patient", I said.  And we waited.  The group of teens dispersed and I thought, this is it.  But it wasn't.  Everyone disappeared. 

A few more minutes passed and a new set of people came into the restaurant.  A new worker sat them down near me and I waved this hostess over immediately and told her in my most teacher-ish voice that we needed service and a manager.  Well,  Aaron's eyes grew wide with questions.  What was I doing?  So I explained the concept of customer service and told him that someone would now deal with my wrath.  At this point the worker that cleaned the bathrooms approached us to apologize as well and beg for mercy for her fellow workers.  She stated that the waiter didn't know we were even there and she would have helped but she had not been feeling so well, and didn't want to get too close to the customers.   - Really!

I calmly told her that someone knew we were there because they had seated us, and that this was unacceptable, and I needed to see a manager immediately.  At this point, Aaron's eyes grew even wider.  "Mom, are they going to get fired?"  He said, beseeching me to show mercy.   But no,  I would have my gripe this time and I did. 

One of the teenage boys who had been yakking it up came to serve us and to his credit apologized profusely for not knowing he had a customer.  The manager did show up (eventually) and said that all would be written up and then comped us our meal. 

Once again, all was right in the customer service world, and because of their well chosen use of humility, I agreed to eat at Pizza Hut again - and of course to amend my FB rant at the customer service we were given. 

I hope Aaron learned a couple of lessons in that exercise in flexing my consumer muscle.  I want him to know that customers count, but most of all I want him to know that when he has that first job.  Take it seriously, work hard, and show the customer that they are KING at least while they are standing in your serving line. :)