spiritually tested in the checkout line
The Book of Common Prayer has prayers for almost anything. For the military, for our enemies, for the President, for a diocese. . .check the section out between pages 814-841 and you can find a prayer for many situations.Friday I needed one: "For the checkout line."
I find checkout lines to be an enormous test of my patience. It is where I am revealed as petty, needy, and childish. Especially if I get stuck in a line without magazines.
It's especially embarrassing to be on the way to a retreat (!) and find oneself getting extremely frustrated at the women in front of you in line who are clearly dealing with the challenges of age and physical infirmity. And who don't have the driver's license for the check they have just written, necessitating trips back and forth by the cashier and the manager.
Yes, it seems quite wrong to get pushy and say, "Get out of my way, I'm on my way to go be spiritual .
God of infinite patience, look with mercy upon those of us who have yet to learn that we cannot get a checkout line moving by our own will alone. Help us live in your time, that we may live into your peace that passes all understanding, in the name of your Son, Amen.
posted by Emily @ 3:58 PM
8 Comments:
Em, Usually my prayer is "Lord, please help these people get it together." Sad but true. I always pray for strength every night.
I think this will strike a chord with most of us. I have to take a deep breath and just pretend it's recess until it's finally my turn. Frequently I'll go and try the self check out station; that has many frustrations uniquely it's own!
The other day when I was in a hurry (are we never in a hurry?) and I had just a few things, a cashier indicated to me that she was coming to her counter. As she stepped in, a woman with a HUGE basketfull of groceries raced between me and the lane--and had the nerve to smile at me as she did it.
Lord,
Grant me patience to endure all things--even the checkout line.
Okay, but could they please put up a sign at each register:
THERE ARE NO PRIZES FOR EXACT CHANGE.
That's all I ask.
I remember being stuck in an interminably slow "10 Items or Less" lane at the local supermarket on a holiday weekend -- every single shopper ahead of me had issues of one sort or another...someone wanted to cash a paycheck, and someone else had to count out every penny of exact change, and someone else wanted to quibble with the cashier over the price of an item, and another person had about 15 items over the 10-item limit. I was quietly boiling inside, when the man behind me said, quite loudly but with impish humor, "Boy, I'm really glad I picked the express lane! I'd hate to be stuck in one of those slow lanes over there!" Everyone behind me started laughing, and it made the ordeal a bit more bearable.
My favorite "I'm going away to be spiritual" story -- screaming at some slowpoke, on a two-lane rural highway en route to a retreat, "GET OUT OF THE DAMN WAY, YOU !@#$%^&*()!!!???!!!! IDIOT!" The irony hit me at the second syllable of "!@#$%^&*()!!!???!!!!."
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
heh heh :)
Post a Comment
<< Home