Minor Mishaps

When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul. Psalm 94:18-19, International Version (©1984)

Does it ever feel like the minor mishaps of life can depress you as much as major ones, at times? Have you ever felt like your life is on one speed and that speed is “fast, fast, fast?”

That’s how I felt some years back as I was juggling schedules with children, grandchildren, and worry.

Then, to top it off, I had a freak accident where a heavy bookcase lurched out of the van onto my foot when I opened the back van door.

“Oh God, why did this happen?” 

But one thing I’ve learned is to praise the Lord for all things and the first thing out of my mouth after that was, “Thank you, Lord, that it didn’t fall on my toes!” It just missed them. You notice I’m at that stage of life where I sometimes talk to myself.

I tried to put off going to the doctor, but when my whole foot was purple and swollen, I went to the ER. The X-rays indicated torn ligaments, heavy bruising, and swelling on the bone. The doctor said it takes about the same to heal as a broken bone does. A soft cast helped the healing process and I really learned to appreciate my old "normal" life when I was able to walk in regular shoes again. This minor mishap stopped me, literally, in my tracks.

“God, what are you trying to tell me?”

Was it, “Slow down and look around?” I realized I was speeding through life at a pace that had to be slowed down.

Now, I am thinking more about people that have "real" problems. I am trying to count my blessings more. I am trying to look at people I see when out shopping and be kinder. I saw an elderly gentleman with a cane while I was still in my cast. He saw me hobbling along and asked how I was doing. I told him, “I am better this week, the week before I was using a cane, too!”

I noticed if I smiled more at people it took their gaze off the really ugly cast/boot shoe I wore. It would either brighten their day or make them wonder what I was up to. 

I saw a lady in front of me when I was getting gas, all alone, get out of a van she was driving, wheel down a ramp in her wheelchair and put gas in all by herself. What was so amazing about that? The woman had no legs. But I could see it wasn't going to get her down. She was taking something major and acting as if it was minor. There was no "poor me" look about her and she inspired me to look on the bright side of things.

I am learning that minor mishaps don't have to turn into major problems when we count our blessings.


Lord, help us to keep focus on the right things in life as your Word says to do - whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. You have promised that the God of peace will be with us when we do this. 

Copyright 2016 Donna Collins Tinsley. Used by permission.