remember that you have only one soul; that you have only one death to die; that you have only one life. . . . if you do this, there will be many things about which you care nothing.

st. teresa of avila




we've had this conversation a few times;

i think i'm really smart.

but today someone told me something that sent my pride running for the door.

earlier in the day one of my coworkers came into my office to eat her lunch. she was eating some mediterannean food, but all i could smell were the onions and garlic. and it was making me sick. i mean i was ready to puke. as i was walking out the door to run to the bathroom, she stopped me and said, 'hunny? is my food making the baby sick?' i just looked at her and said, 'maybe the next time that you eat that kind of food, you could eat somewhere else other than in here.' i was surprised at my own lack of tact.

twenty minutes later the food had been cleared away and she wasn't in my office anymore. but one of my other co workers who had witnessed my thoughtless words was there. my supervisor came in and said, 'which one of you wants to teach *the woman whose head i just bit off* how to use her pager?' my other coworker was busy - 'i'll do it', i said reluctantly.

*sidenote* i always feel bad when i'm trying to teach older people how to do things that are somewhat advanced technologically. i try to be as patient as i can because i know that it's probably intimidating to them. plus, i figure it will come back around to me when i'm older and some nice young girl will teach me how to use my whatever newly developed tech thing.

when i was done teaching her how to use it, i walked back into my office and looked at my coworker who was still sitting there. 'you know what?', i said. ' i think that the Lord gives me so many opportunities to repair the wrong that i've done. and that's a blessing.'

she looked up at me and said, 'kelly, if i had been blessed with the amount of wisdom that you have when i was your age, it would have saved me alot of heartache. God really blessed you with wisdom beyond your years. and that's your gift, that's your talent. and it makes me in awe of the Lord's blessings.'



it feels alot better to give credit where it is due. and it is due to our generous Lord, who has truly blessed me with every good thing that i could never have imagined. and so i stand amazed.