"Haste makes waste"

 Daily inspiration: haste. Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying "haste makes waste." In your life, when have you been hasty to make a decision, only to possibly regret it later?

Yesterday, a deaf man came to my pet store. In his guttural attempts to converse, I realized he wanted a picture taken of him with his little dog. I smiled and promptly pulled out my cell phone and did just that. He also has a cell phone for texting and Facebook, etc, so, he handed it to me and I was able to transfer the photo and showed him how to access it. He was so very grateful and asked how much he owed. I did not expect to be paid and thus, turned down the request. Here's the thing, he stayed, looking at the supplies I had for dogs and selected a few items and between the two of us, I was able to understand what it is he wanted and so, he made his purchase. As he left, he made the sign for "thank you." I replied, "you're welcome."

...and when he left, I cried.

Why?

Because I was humbled! Why did this person decide to come in my store, thinking I took photos? (It came out very well, too thank you, Lord!) and when I refused payment for that very simple gesture, he made up for it by buying a new collar, dog coat and toy for his dog. A $20 purchase. But it wasn't the money, either. It was the realization that had I turned him down altogether, I would have lost the moment that I believe God sent for me! It was a busy day at the pet store yesterday, yet I made time and God gave me that time, because while he was there, no one else came in to take up my attention.

I read a social media post in which someone was impatient with the yellow flashing lights on a school bus today and thus, he just passed, illegally, in the wrong lane, where passing wasn't allowed and justified it by saying that if any kid was "dumb enough" to come late to the bus stop well, it was on him/her. His time was so much more important, had he actually struck a child, what would have been his justification then?

Haste. How often have you made a rash decision? I know I have, oh, Lord, I have and paid the price for it. But...when I wait upon the Lord...so many blessings flow. "For I know the plans I have for you..." "...be still and know that I am God!" and..."Wait on the LORD: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." Psalm 27:14.

So, how do you KNOW if your plan is the right one, the Godsent one? It's simple. You don't feel rushed! You know how when you are shopping for a car, how the salesperson keeps prompting you, maybe even saying, "I have several others just lined up for this car!" Rushed.

God doesn't rush you. Trust in Him and He will lead you. Sometimes He will lead you beside still waters, with the admonition of "wait here, let Me figure this out, have no worries, trust in Me!"

I dated a few guys after my divorce, with that rushed feeling of, "if I don't latch on to THIS one, I won't have anybody!" No thanks to my mom's verbal abuse during my growing up years, I felt unworthy of anyone, so, if "anyone" showed me any signs of interest, it was "yeah, let's DO this!" except....these men weren't God sent, they were Diane sent.

Then one day, not too long after the last devastating episode, I, in prayer, told God I wasn't going to settle, I didn't NEED a man, heck, I didn't even want one, as I was burned out by the hurt I suffered at the hands of all of them! Then, I saw an ad on Craigslist (back when they had a dating site.) Most of those ads were for one night stands, "don't tell my wife or girlfriend, you have to host..." all of that and I was disgusted. See why I gave up? Then there was an ad for something similar and I thought, "that's it, I'm gonna give him a piece of my MIND!" and so, wrote out a nasty retort; just as I was about to hit "send," I heard that Voice say, "you need to delete that and start over!" I replied, "start over? He deserves to hear what a jerk he is!" and again, I heard, "start over!" and so, delete! delete! delete! and I began, "why want a married woman when you can have me? I'm divorced, single, not looking for a free ride anywhere...!" and I wondered what in the heck came over me! Replying? to a stranger?

I got a reply back that was actually an apology, in which he said he was glad I wasn't married, so many issues can happen in that situation and his genuine responses intrigued me. We met up four days later...and the rest is history. Rob and I were together, soul mates "always and forever," as we promised at our wedding.

God inspired vs Diane's rash decisions! Sure, there were issues, but who doesn't have them? I kept God in the forefront of everything and finally found out what unconditional love is all about.

We make hasty decisions, too when we lose a job, a home, a friend, a spouse through death, decisions that may include casting God out of our lives. We didn't get what WE wanted, so why give Him any more of our time?

I think to the story of Adam, Eve and that wonderful garden. Eve's rash decision to eat from that tree brought down all of God's plans. Even as a younger kid, I wondered, "why didn't she go ask Adam FIRST?" Would I have, if I were her? Would you? A rash decision that caused so much pain, pain we still feel today. God then sent His only Son down and, in a decision that was carefully planned out, reversed that, saving us from the sin of that initial rash choice, if only we accept Him in our hearts!

Now that's a decision I can agree on, how about you?

Have a blessed day amen