bad days

I didn't have an awesome morning this morning.  I think it was a combination of feeling sleep deprived, bit up by bugs, and like I was on the verge of getting another cold (combined with a few other minor inconveniences)...but as I started thinking this morning that I was having a "bad day," I had to stop myself.

I had to stop because I've had some truly bad days in my life, and this one doesn't even begin to come close.  I realized I would a million times rather be living today than some of the other days I've had.  And I'm actually quite thankful that today things are going so well that I can afford to be irritated over some minor inconveniences.  I take that as a sign that things are actually going quite well.  :-)

It reminded me of when I first came here eight years ago, of the very first time I realized that being in Guatemala would mean dealing with fleas.  At that time, I immediately thought of Corrie ten Boom and her story about the fleas in the barracks when they were imprisoned in the concentration camp.  Corrie's sister Betsie wanted to thank God for the fleas, but Corrie found that far-fetched, until later when she learned that the fleas had actually kept the guards out of their barracks and given them the opportunity to be so open about sharing with others and praying to God when they were staying in the barracks.

At the time I thought, sure, maybe that was true in a WWII concentration camp, but I am sure there is NO WAY I will ever find a reason to be thankful to God for the fleas.  I soon realized, though, that I learned to use the Guatemalan bus system because of the fleas.  I was also better able to deal with some other situations that came up later because I learned to deal with the fleas.  This time around the fleas are more a reminder to me of how much I've grown.  Since they bothered me so much before, I am able to see the huge contrast when I don't get nearly as upset now.  And I'm sure there will be more, later, down the road...many more reasons to be thankful for the fleas. 

I wonder if this is part of what makes up wisdom...being able to look back and see what has happened as a result of going through so many different days.  I had somebody remind me recently that God is so much bigger than we give him credit for.  He works through so many different situations in so many different ways.  And the way he deals with each one of us is so very different.  And the kinds of situations he uses often don't even seem like situations he would or could use...yet he does.

I guess I'm seeing "bad days" in a slightly different light.  I don't long for them or ask for them, or even particularly enjoy them, but I've found reason to be thankful that I have the opportunity to have them.  I guess that's growth.