So, last post I mentioned humility and how I’m still learning that lesson. I don’t know about you, but while I’m learning God uses “fun” experiences to help teach me. Since I love people and am all about saving others the pain of going through this stuff for themselves, I’m going to share one humiliating experience that has been driving me toward greater humility. Good times. Really.
BBK (Before Burger King) I worked in the wireless industry for 13 years. My most recent roles were on project teams at our corporate office in Chicago. After getting ourselves into a huge mortgage, my hubby losing his job, and several illnesses and surgeries in the family, we decided to short sell the house (that was decided for us :0) and move back to my home state to be near family and live the simple life.
I landed a position with Burger King, spent 8 weeks training in Florida, and we moved into a little rental house in Wisconsin. I literally went from sitting in a corporate meeting for a multi-million $ project on Thursday, to learning the proper way to say “hot fries” when dumping them on Monday. I’ve got some great stories to share about my training days in Daytona, but not today….
So, fast forward 7 months. I’m at one of my locations and I’m walking with an Assistant Manager around the drive-thru area and imparting my vast wisdom about the menu board to him. Next thing I know, I’m laying in the dirt and car oil with shooting pain in my wrist and ankle.
The AM was staring at me in shock. I could literally see him thinking (is that even possible?) “the corporate lady is laying in the Drive Thru lane. S*#t, what do I do now?” Bless his heart, he recovered and asked me if I was ok and said he was going to get the manager.
Being the nice Christian woman that I am, I was laying there using some extremely foul language to numb the pain. I looked at him in fear and told him not to leave me there because I didn’t want to get run over. So, the sweet young man dragged me through some more oil to sit on the curb.
Sometime just for fun, go lay down and without using your left arm or right ankle try to move 10 feet. Then do it on a busy street on a beautiful sunny day. I promise you’ll feel really classy ;0)
Anyway, eventually we made it into the manager’s office, found some old pickle buckets for me to throw up in, filled out some legal documentation, and my dear hubby came to pick me up to take me to the emergency room. While in triage, they asked me where I worked. Of course I said “Burger King corporate out of Miami, Florida“. Geez… Even then. Pride. ARGH!
My left wrist was broken, my right ankle was sprained. It was late in the day of the Friday of Memorial Day weekend so nobody would put a cast on until Tuesday. I had a long, sunny weekend to lay on the couch in pain and think about what a great example of Christ’s love and professionalism I had been.
From my “I am so wise, let me show you what I know and not watch where I am walking” attitude to the string of F bombs (yes, really) that I shared with the world. Oh, I am so thankful God doesn’t expect perfection, he just wants growth.
God loves me so much that he gave me a whole summer to practice the simple art of simply saying “at Burger King” during the countless conversations I had with strangers about how I broke my wrist at work.
He also gave me lots of time to practice “patience without swearing” while learning how to wash my hair, wipe my tush, type, cook, etc with a cast and an ankle brace on. Again, sometime for fun while you are in the bathroom try……. understand?
Anyway, at the time this was totally a pain, but in the long run it was good for me. I had planned to do a sprint triathlon in August, but couldn’t train so I had to find a different way to get and stay healthy. That led me to start a side business sharing the nutritional products I use. I also really am more patient now than I was then.
What doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger.
Check out James 1:2-3 and 9-11 in the Bible if you want to see one reason I think God allows icky stuff to happen. Actually, just read all of chapter 1 in James if you have time. It’s good stuff.
Hope you are having a fabulous day!
Brenda
The Good Times List 