I Forgot Who I Was

My grandson’s birthday was July 10. He was two, and yes, sometimes he’s terrible, but I love him. I call him “fast and furious!” Well, he came in late on Friday night and we played all day on Saturday, part of Sunday (when I wasn’t at the church) and then on Monday. All too quickly, Monday afternoon arrived and we had to take he and Jenny to the airport. Now, before when he has come to visit, it’s been sad to see him go, but I did ok with it. This time, though, Kathy and I were both at the point of tears when we said good bye to he and his mother at the airport. We could hardly talk as we left in the car. I was thirsty though, and I thought that stopping at McDonalds for something to drink might break the melancholy mood. I pulled off 540 onto Leesville Rd. It was about 5 pm in the afternoon. The traffic was pretty backed up. It wasn’t stopped, but I couldn’t find a break to go forward. I was already emotionally upset, I want to pull out in traffic, but these crazy Raleigh drivers have the audacity to drive around when I’m wanting to go somewhere on the road, so I’m stuck there getting more frustrated by the second. Then it happens: The guy behind me blows his horn! I’m thinking, “You know I’d really like to pull out and get over to McDonalds but I seriously doubt that the guy right there driving the blue beemer wants me to put the front end of my Camry in his back seat.

I lost it momentarily. I shouted, “Really, Really? You’re going to blow your horn at me when there is traffic everywhere?” I didn’t make any obscene gestures, but I did throw my hands up in the air and glare back at him in my mirror.

Ok. Now here I am, the pastor of Peace Church; known as a Christian in this town; supposed to be maintaining a good Christian testimony. More than that, I am a saved, blood-bought believer, who is filled with the Holy Spirit, a living temple inhabited by God and a loved member of His family. And yet I am acting like an idiot on the highway just because someone blew their horn at me.