Different- On Purpose

Well, you probably noticed that my blog looks different! I LOVE change and I was getting a little bored with how my blog looked, so I switched! :) I asked my sister what she thought. She said: "Your blog looks like your 80 years old. Why are there doilies on your blog? I liked the other one better. It was more...cheerful." Haha! I love how honest she is. It's wonderfully refreshing. (This is why I ask her for outfit advice. :)) Anyway, I'm going to leave it like it is for now. (Much to Marissa's dismay! :))

I entitled this post "Different- On Purpose" not because I changed the look of my blog but because of something that happened today. 

At the beginning of August I received a letter saying that my driver's license was going to expire in September and that I should fill out the form they had sent me, include a check for a certain amount, and mail it back. They would then renew my license. Pretty straight forward. So, I followed the instructions and mailed back my paperwork. Two weeks later Tyler got the same notice for his license and we did the same thing for him. Now, in September, Tyler has already received his renewed license (2 weeks ago) and I am still waiting for mine. NOT GOOD. (I've never really trusted the DMV.) I called the DMV yesterday and basically asked if I should be worried that I hadn't received my license yet. Apparently I should be. (Granted it took about 5 phone calls to confirm that yes, I should be concerned but oh well.) I was informed that I needed to actually go to the DMV to get this all straightened out.

To be honest, I was really having a hard time having a good attitude about having to go to the DMV to correct a mistake that I didn't make. Especially with an 18 month old who hates to sit still or be held when waiting in line. 
But I got Everett and myself all ready to go this morning and headed out to the DMV at a fairly early time so that I wouldn't have to wait in a huge line. We got to the counter and I started to explain my problem to the lady. She wasn't very smiley...to say it nicely. (Of course, if I worked there I doubt I would be very smiley either.) She then informs me that SHE is the one that messed up my license. Apparently she entered the information wrong or something like that. Well she was a little snippy and kind of frustrated that she was having to "own up" to making the mistake. (Apparently the computer keeps track of who did what and when.)

I was getting kind of agitated that she was spending such a lengthy amount of time explaining to me how it wasn't really her fault. (I'll save you having to read all about that.) Everett was getting really fussy by this point and I was struggling to keep him happy while answering the questions the lady was asking me in between her monologue about why she wasn't to blame. 

And then I remembered a post that my friend Christy wrote. (See it here.) It talks about how powerful one little smile can be to someone else. I decided I better change my attitude. After all, my attitude wasn't any better than the lady's and I have Jesus in my heart! (How pathetic am I?)
I started to smile at her and assure her that the mistake really wasn't that big of a deal. That we all make mistakes. That we all have bad days sometimes. And amazingly...HER attitude started changing!! She started smiling and being pleasant! She even offered Everett a sucker before we left. 

I was so convicted about my poor attitude. ME- a SINNER- deserving of Hell but headed to HEAVEN because of my SAVIOR...and I'm upset about a little thing like going to the DMV. (Again, how pathetic am I?) I'm supposed to be different. I'm Christ's adopted child and I'm acting like I'm not. I need to make sure I'm different- different on purpose.

Well, I'm also thankful that I got my attitude under control because I was wearing one of my school's coaching shirts and the lady wanted to know what TFCA stood for. Um...Twin Falls CHRISTIAN Academy. (Yeah, that's right, I'm a grump and a Christian.) SO GLAD the Lord convicted me early on about my attitude! (He's merciful that way. :))

The good news is I got my license all taken care of, and got my attitude adjusted all at the same time! :) God really is good.