Bowls Of Disgust

I stopped at the “cheap stuff store” in the next town over looking for the small glass bowls I like to use. I go through them fast. Since having carpel tunnel surgery on both wrists years ago, I have a weakened grasp and drop things easily. Consequently, I sometimes damage an item I have in my hand if I lose hold of it. That’s what happens to these neat little bowls. Those little things don’t do well when dropped onto the counter or tile floor.

On a side-note, on the day when I went to the store it was the same time the solar eclipse was happening. It was amusing to see people on the sidewalks of the businesses at the strip mall looking up into the sky with their groovy dark glasses. I did not get a pair, so the eclipse passed over unobserved by me. I did note the weird light that it cast over the landscape though.

So, back to the shopping story. Aside from the store employees being out on the sidewalk looking up, nothing looked unusual about the store. Once inside and observing the interior, I began to become disenchanted. I’ve been in these types of stores many times, and this particular one I haven’t liked for some time because of the frequent disarray of the store itself. But after my dental appointment I decided to stop at the store because it was convenient and I wanted the bowls.

As I walked further into the store, I noted the blatant disregard concerning the management of the store. There were parked carts of boxed products in just about every aisle. There was dirt and debris on the floor throughout. Many of the shelves looked in disarray with some products looking like they were tossed to the floor and left there. The self-proclaimed manager (I heard him saying he was it when he was talking to other customers) apparently felt that it was okay that the other employees were shouting to each other about personal topics as they walked around the store – not even attempting to clean up. The carpet was filthy with trash and stains. I took a picture for proof. I began to get disgusted and wanted to get out as soon as I could. I had to navigate through this grimy store until I was able to find the bowls and immediately made my way to the register. I would have shopped around more had the store not been a disastrous mess and I couldn’t dismiss an uneasiness in my spirit that I was feeling. 😨

The young man working the register had quite a time trying to figure out how much change he should give me from my three dollars after my purchase of $2.64. After he struggled for a bit he gave me some change and asked if that was enough. I gave him back what he handed me as it was too much and worked through the change process with him. His cash register would have been off had I kept the money he gave me the first time. I can’t imagine how short his drawer was at the end of the day if that continued. I was surprised he was allowed to work the register.

I will be hard pressed to go into that chaotic store again.

I tried to get some sort of life lesson out of the instance; the store looked normal on the outside but was a debacle on the inside. Isn’t that the case for us sometimes? We put on the outward appearance of normality to try to fool people that we are all good when inside we are screaming at the emotional chaos we have roiling inside of us. We want everyone to think we are totally normal and keep silent about our troubles; possibly out of the fear of embarrassment or abandonment.

Perhaps no one will totally understand what we are going through. But you know who really does? Yep, that’s right-Jesus. He has first hand knowledge of what we go through and He is more than willing to help us through the tough times. All we need to do is ask Him for help. Simple, but effective.

Matthew 23:27

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.

~ Jesus, Messiah