Trapped by a giant puddle!

The other day I went to the shops. It sounds deceptively simple- but it was raining, not unusual in Glasgow. This photo doesn’t capture the reality of the situation that I faced, but basically when i parked and got out the car, I didn’t realise until too late, that I had stepped into a giant puddle. My shoes were soaked through in seconds! And i was just starting on my journey!

I bought the things I needed to in the shop, and approached the car once more, with my solution focussed thinking hat on. If I went back to the driver’s door again, I would have the gigantic puddle/ flood to wade through. So, using my smart thinking, I decided to go through the passenger door. What a mistake that was!

The first thing that went wrong, was that I was carrying my shopping bag, so I had to place it on the floor to get round it. Then the gear stick seemed to have become much larger, and impossible to manoevre round. The strap of my handbag got entangled in the gear stick, which almost decapitated me, and the bottom of my coat got stuck in the door, and for a while I thought I may never escape! I had to become a contortionist to eventually manage to clamber into the driver’s seat, by this time laughing so hard at the absurdity of my predicament, that tears were rolling down my face. Fortunately it was getting dark by then, so I am hopeful that my struggles were not widely witnessed.

How come the most ordinary of things, can become so ridiculously complicated?  Whether it is forgetting your keys, catching your sleeve on a door handle, dealing with an unresponsive laptop, or being confronted with a giant puddle, the possibilities for things to go wrong are endless.

For me, apart from my natiral ‘ Mr Bean’ like qualities, it is also grief. Sometimes when you are grieving, it is like everything around you goes wrong- the email goes to the wrong person, the washing machine floods, all the light bulbs blow. And the stress of grief on our bodies, causes us to forget, to worry, to be low energy, to be more likely to fall or feel unwell.

In psalm 145 verse 14 it says” the Lord upholds all who fall, and lifts up all who are bowed down.’ I am so grateful that when God sees our earthly struggles, He looks upon us with love, and He picks us up, and strengthens us, and sets us on the right path once more. We all need some one, to help untangle us when we get in a fankle, and to set us straight. Even in the most outrageous predicament, God is patient with us, and guides us, and helps provide a good way through.

Gracious God, sometimes we are grieving and broken hearted, and it feels as if the whole world conspires against us, even in the mundane practicalities of the day. Lord Jesus, thankyou that You look upon us with love and compassion, as You see the messes we get into. When we are entangled in things that weigh us down, holy spirit, gently release us, and set us free. Remind us that life won’t always be this heavy, and that one day the rain will stop. Meanwhile, Shelter us in Your love, snd give us the stamina and patience we need, as we navigate the practicalities of life, Amen. .