Everyone Watches

Last week Kristina had a track meet and Gabe had a soccer game at the exact same time. With Shane on the day shift we had decided to split duties. I was to head towards the track meet and catch as much of it as I possibly could and Shane was going to handle the soccer game.

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When I left my office I immediately knew something was wrong. Traffic was moving extra slow and as I rounded I59 through downtown I realized that I65 was stopped. And, naturally, that is the interstate that I needed to get to the track meet. I continued straight on I59 thinking I would just take the "long" way. As I approached the exit traffic was stop and go as far and as I drove on past it I could see that cars were not moving at all.

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As I continued down I59 I knew that I would have to take the extremely long way to get there. As I'm driving I'm not minding the delay too much. I am getting to take roads that I haven't been on in a very long time and I am just enjoying the scenery when my phone rings. It is Shane and he is fit to be tied. Shane has this annoying little quirk about him which I'm sure none of us have! haha It drives him insane to call someone and get no answer or to text someone and never get a reply. He tells me that he had sent Kristina a text message but after waiting for an hour he had not received a reply from her at all. The longer we talk the more irritated he gets which in turn just irritates me. He begins to complain about how she never text him and blah blah blah. Do you wonder where she gets her dramatic side from now? haha

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By the time I pull into the parking lot of the track meet I am in a complete frenzy. I have listened to Shane fuss for almost 30 minutes and as I walk up to where Kristina and her friends are sitting I see she has her phone in hand and is texting away. "Are you texting your Daddy?" I asked. To which she naturally responded with "No ma'am" and used that teenager tone. Do you know the tone I'm talking about? Oh gracious, if you don't have a clue about the tone please contact me and I can imitate it for you perfectly! So, with her short, quick response I snapped. I won't go into detail of everything I said to her but I made Shane's point very clear on the need to text her Daddy back. I ranted and raved and carried on for who knows how long when all of a sudden I hear "Loretta (that's what Kristina's friends call me) that's enough!"

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I stopped fussing, looked around and realized that everyone was watching me. I'm sure my face turned a million shades of red! As I continued on this downward spiral I looked over and saw a lady that I attend church with! "Oh gracious wonder what she thinks of me now" I thought. I hurriedly sat down on the ground and all but buried my head! What sort of witness was I? Not a very good one I can assure you of that!

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Paul said "I don't think about what would be good for me but about what would be good for many people so that they might be saved" 1 Corinthians 10:33 (GWT). In all things we must strive to be a witness. At the ball park, the track meet, the soccer field, the grocery store, the work place, etc. So many times we think that our mission field is the church but the fact of the matter is our church is our pastor's mission field. It is his calling to minister to us, feed us, recharge us, prepare us for our mission field which is the world. In one brief moment in time I lost my witness to every teenager, adult, teacher, parent who was sitting within ear shot of me and trust me, I have a loud mouth so that ear shot went a good distance. I pray that God gives me another chance to have a run in with each and every person so that my witness can be changed in their eyes. So that I can have the opportunity to share God's word, God's love and most definitely God's forgiveness with them!