Joy? In the Midst of Broken Glass and Disgusting Smells?

I heard the sound of crashing glass before I saw the mess... and I smelled the disgusting concoction before I had rounded the corner to the kitchen. When I surveyed the damage, my heart sunk.

My son stood in front of the open fridge with a plastic bottle of sparkling water in his hand and a look of complete shock. He was frozen in place with his feet covered in all the mess. Thankfully he wasn't injured by the glass shards. I put my flip flops on and rescued him from peril so he could finish his homework.

Take a look at the photo and see if you can decode the aroma. Hmmm, let's see...a combo of soy sauce, chili sauce, Worcester sauce and dill pickles.  The longer it took me to process the situation, the more the dark stains were seeping into the grout and oozing under the fridge and cabinets. Apparently my adjustable refrigerator door shelves are just a bit more adjustable than I would have liked since they fall off so easily.

When this happened, I was working on my Bible study lesson of James 1:1-12. "Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you face trials of many kinds...." 
Consider THIS joy?  Sheesh... seriously... crazy talk.

So I spent an hour in the evening cleaning up glass and stains; and trying to neutralize the smell. I had plenty of time to think about how there could be joy in THIS and what was to be learned from this timely object lesson. As I let perspective find a way to permeate the moment, I realized many things.

• I was SO thankful that my temper did not erupt or that I did not spew angry words. I am continually surprised at how much I have changed over time and how God has helped me be different... and am so glad for it.  
• My son, who had been fussing about completing his homework, returned to his studies with a quiet and compliant attitude.  
• I realized that my floor was probably in desperate need of cleaning anyway. This was reinforced when my husband returned home from his business trip the next morning and asked how the grout in front of the fridge got so clean.
• I was thankful I have children to enjoy life with and yes, also make messes. They give me joy and purpose in my life as a mom. 
• I was thankful I have a home with a kitchen. 
• I was blessed to have a refrigerator to store my excess food in and keep it from perishing when just under 1 billion people in our world go to bed hungry every night. 
• I was mindful that I am really quite spoiled to have all of these blessings. 

 There is purpose in going through trials of many kinds. James 1 verses 3 through 5 explore this.

• You know...understanding is gained from various experiences. You can only know what has been lived through, participated in, received, studied or reflected on. You know because you have been in tough spots before and have not been destroyed. These experiences have enabled you to become different and change--to survive--and sometimes even learn to laugh.  
• Testing of your faith....there is opportunity to apply what we really believe is foundational truth and how life is to be lived as a result. It is worthless to say we believe something and then not apply it or live by it. In going through "stuff" we get to see what we are really made of and what we default to when our faith is challenged. 
• Produces perseverance... there is opportunity to demonstrate a steady persistence in spite of obstacles or discouragement because God's grace and help are given- now and into the future. 
• So that you may be mature and complete... In experiencing all that comes our way, we learn and grow and are better able to handle life's ups and downs with grace and peace.. and yes, even joy in the midst of circumstances. 
• If you lack wisdom, ask God who gives generously...when we come to the end of ourselves, we realize we need God's view on things.  We can find newness in our relationship, ability to listen with fresh ears, and be open to receive from our God who is the giver of all good things.