Yes, I Do Want Fries

The title has nothing to do with the rest of this post.  It's just that when I last posted, the day wasn't over.

While Ethan and I were outside hitting golf balls, a little boy from the neighborhood passed by the house.  He was 4 or 5, laying on a skateboard, arms pulling him as he swam along the street.

I was told not to write a sad post.  So I scratched what I started and will finish with the evening.  I drove back in rush hour traffic and arrived home at 5:30 p.m.  I planned to bake some chicken, when Michael suggested we just get food out.  Honestly, I was not hungry, nor was I in the mood for eating out twice in one day after my earlier experience.  After we talked and caught up our day, he convinced me to let him pick up food. I didn't even have to go with him.

Since I wasn't hungry, Noodles was the chosen restaurant.  Certainly not one of my favorites, the name alone implies oodles of gluten.  In spite of the claim that they can use rice noodles in place of any of their pasta, it is nearly impossible to avoid cross contamination.  I decided on a salad, minus the pasta, but with chicken added.  I wrote it down so nothing would be forgotten.

Twenty minutes later, Michael arrived home with dinner.  As we sat down, a look of horror crossed Michael's face.  "Oh no....they forgot and added pasta."

Although I was tired, I'd had enough of poor food service that day.  I chose to return to Noodles and make sure they fixed their mistake.  Sarabeth drove with me.  She asked me how the day had gone with Ethan and I proceeded to tell her about it.  I included the bungling of food earlier in the day, which was the reason why I was so insistent on not accepting this food mistake.  I wanted to make sure the food establishments understood the importance of handling food with regard to allergies, intolerances, and Celiac Disease.

I continued to share the mishaps, as we waited for a new salad to be prepared.  The order taker apologized, then handed us a new bag and off we went.  As we reached the car, I opened the bag to make sure the order was correct this time.  I was shocked to see a naked salad-no chicken.

Irate, I marched back into the store.  At first the guy tried to argue that the salad didn't come with chicken until he looked at the receipt and realized that once again they had screwed up.  I was not a happy camper.  I could not believe the ineptness of restaurant workers.  I was already worked up about how things transpired earlier in the day, and I'd about had it with incompetence.

Later that evening, something didn't set well.  I had this gnawing in the pit of my stomach.  It was then that I realized my error.  I had not followed one of the most basic tenets of Christianity (at least in my humble opinion.)

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8  This verse is sandwiched right between these two:

vs. 7, "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Which of us doesn't want peace?  If we follow verse 8, the peace certainly comes more easily than when we dwell on the negative.

vs. 9, "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you."

That about sums it up.  Wish I'd listened to the Holy Spirit a little earlier in the day.