Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Law of the garbage truck.

My Mom sent this to us kids yesterday, with note attached, and so thought this was worth passing on.

"Good one.  Hopes it helps your days, my children!  Life is so full of angry discontented people.  Have a joyful spirit.  Remember I love you always no matter what and so does God who created you in His image.  Love, Mom"

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us .My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly. So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital! This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'
 

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally.
 

Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets. The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so ... Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't. 

Pretty great, right? I mean seriously, how many garbage trucks do we come across each day? When you look at it with this perspective you could probably think of quite a few. It's easy to not think about my reactions toward the garbage. I could probably think of many instances which I could have shown a little more grace. Or better yet, could probably think of even more instances where I was the one spitting out the garbage.

I would so hope that I'd receive grace on "garbage day" that I know I'm called to give others.

And lastly, just wanted to say that note from my Momma is reason #99079754983795847359843 why I love her.

A wise woman she is.

Have a garbage-free day :-)

Matthew 11:28- "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

3 comments:

Girl in Carolina said...

Great post Lauren, as always!

Heather @ Simple Wives said...

So much truth!!!!

Kim said...

Wonderful post!! And so true, makes ya think about things! Ur mom is such a wonderful woman!

I've missed out on a lot of ur post and really miss reading your encouraging words! I'm back on tho and can't wait to keep up again!