Paper Bubbles

Matthew14:13 -- "When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns."

There are more than a few moments in our lives when we REALLY need to just get away from everything and deflate a little bit.  The day has been a little too long, the work a little too hard, or in my case - the wall paper job was just a huge disaster.

Several years ago my husband and I were tasked with the tedious job of re-papering a neighbor's bathroom. It seemed simple enough when we measured and got the paper. It looked like it was going to be a rather strait forward endeavor. The rough part - we thought - was going to be getting the giant mirror off the wall and then back on it without breaking it or our backs in the process.

But when we came to the end of the job we'd discovered that there just wasn't enough room behind the toilet tank to get the paper on the wall with flush seams that were free of bubbles. In fact, just when we thought we'd had the job done, the bubbles became quite a problem. We could not squeeze our hands behind the water tank to smooth everything out properly. It took FOREVER! The seemingly simple project turned into a complete nightmare - and while we did finally manage to get everything finished, the job did NOT go as planned. Our "man-made" plans were soon tossed by the way-side and we had to step back a bit to regroup and make several adjustments to our schedule and method of application. Were we quick on our feet? Did we bend instead of break in the wind? Well, I know we DID finish the job - and it's the last time I've ever wall-papered anything.

After hearing that John the Baptist was be-headed, Jesus and his disciples headed out for a much needed retreat. They had planned on a break - to take a quiet breather and cope with the sad news of the death of a dearly beloved friend/relative. The plan was for a little bit of peace and quiet.

It was not to be, however. When it was learned that Jesus was going to "escape" for a little while, he was followed, and alas, when he reached what was to be the peaceful shores of a much needed "vacation" - the beach was packed with thousands of people. His plans were interrupted and he was faced with a decision. Shoo the people away - or meet them with open arms.

We know what Jesus did. He met the throng with compassion and open arms - and didn't even send them on their way when supper time approached, but instead fed the masses with a mere five loaves of bread and two fishes. He felt the needs of the people deeply - and met them with grace and mercy.

It made me think. How do I react when things don't go according to plan? Let's just say - I'm not always graceful and compassionate. I sure am glad, Jesus is.