Learning to S.L.O.W. down

One of my favorite places is the grocery store. I get a rush from it similar to a gambler playing a game of high stakes poker. What am I betting on? How many times I’ll frustrate myself or someone else before I leave. I once counted 8 times.

I thought I’d share those 8 things with you for when you’re feeling like being a grocery store gambler.

8 things to do in a grocery store, guaranteed to frustrate someone:

  1. Drive the wrong way in the parking lot and then hide in your car to avoid angry stares.
  2. Never use a basket. Just balance the 800 items on your hip along with your 1 yr old.
  3. Tell your kids they can pick the cereal. You will change your mind when they don’t choose plain Cheerios or Quaker Oat squares and then you can smile or cry as they melt down.
  4. Stash secret items. I like to stash gummy bears underneath the carrots and then act shocked when my 4-year-old asks me to explain my hypocrisy.
  5. Don’t get everything all at once. Instead, ask the cashier to hold back the line of angry customers so you can run and grab that, “one last thing”.
  6. Don’t have your value card out. You know they will ask for it… they do every time, just wait until they ask and then go fish!
  7. Leave your wallet in the car. But be sure bag your groceries before looking for it.
  8. NEVER look at your grocery list. By the time you get home and realize you forgot something, you get to back and do it all again!
Of course, I don’t intentionally do these things. Having been me as long as I have, however, I can usually bet on one of them happening.
We all have places or situations that push us to the edge of our patience. So, what do you do when you’re forced to face them? You learn how to manage your frustration.
James 1:19 says:
Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry
The best thing we can do when entering potentially frustrating situations is to remember to SLOW down.
Stop- Literally, stop what you are doing. It’ll only take a minute and you’ll be glad you did.
Look-Look to Jesus and to scripture alone for truth.
Hebrews 12:2 Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith
Organize- Organize your thoughts. Take every thought captive and line them up to God’s word. Truth always reveals lies.
2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Wait- Wait on the Lord. Once you’ve given the situation over to the Lord, wait on Him to bring peace and trust that He alone can.
Psalm 119:166 I wait for your salvation, Lord, and I follow your commands
Hopefully learning to SLOW down helps you the next time frustration knocks at your door. Even if you can’t avoid it, you can learn to live through it.
I’ll think I’ll drop a copy of this to all of my favorite cashiers… they can change the world one angry customer at a time.
God bless you friends. Praying for you this week.