Heavenly Reminders

This morning, in preparation for the new hospital's groundbreaking, I was asked to put up a few signs to direct traffic for tomorrow's big event.

No problem. I head over to the parking lot directly adjacent to the construction site and pull the cardboard posters and the metal stakes out of the trunk of my car- after I had illegally parked in an alley to be able to get close enough so that I wouldn't have to drag the giant and awkwardly shaped signs across four blocks through downtown Birmingham.

As I struggle to get the metal stake to fit in the sign, while at the same time trying to balance myself in my heels and stake the entire thing into the ground, I start to realize that this is a much more difficult task than I had orginally thought. Then, it begins to rain. GREAT... just PERFECT.

At this point, I am muttering and complaining under my breath getting more and more frustrated with the rain and the stupid sign.

Out of nowhere, A young mother balancing her small child on her hip come up to me and ask if I need any help. I was almost so shocked, I didn't know what to say. There they were, smiling at me in the rain, offering to help me do my job.

I felt like I should be the one asking them the very same question-so I did.

"No, we are fine... we are just walking to McDonalds..." she answered me, "but you just seemed like you were having a hard time, sp my daughter and I thought we might be able to help you."

When I noticed she already had a McDonald's bag in her hand, I was confused... were they going back to McDonald's?

I didn't question it, I just told them that I was fine, but I greatly appreciated them checking on me.

After they walked away, I watched them for a moment and noticed that they were not going to McDonalds, but rather the Ronald McDonald House.

You see, the Ronald McDonald House is where the families of our patients stay when they are required to be in the hospital for an extended period of time- either because of a chronic illness or a severe injury. It is free of charge, and it allows families to be close to their children especially when they live out of town.

Here I was, getting frustrated about putting up some signs in the rain, and this young woman who had one child in the hospital, and another on her hip, was offering to help me. Obviously, she had alot more to worry about than I did.

Wow- Apparently, God was giving me a little bit of an attitude check today- and boy, did it work.