eew

This evening I was entertaining some pre-school kids with a rousing game of Simon Says when I saw something that truly made me gag.  On a shelf (just above eye level), that sits overtop of the sink in the room there was a Tupperware container that I hadn't noticed earlier in the evening.  From where I was standing in the middle of the room, I had absolutely no idea what was in the container.  A part of me was saying to go check it out and the other part of me was saying to just ignore it. 

Being the curious person I am I decided to go check it out.  But wait, we're playing Simon Says!  I convince the kids that it's time to play the quiet game, which is surprisingly and wonderfully a favorite of theirs (mostly because I let them yell as loud as they can for about 30 seconds before the game starts to "let it all out") they take the bait and I'm free to check it out.  As I get closer to the container my mind is racing with what could possibly be in that container.  Standing in front of it, I ask my co-worker what in the world she thinks that is.  Her nose turns up (she's not one for getting dirty... she has a good heart, but not much into laboring in the physical sense) and she replies that she doesn't know nor does she care. 

Sadly, I am hooked.  I want to know what is in this container.  I reach up and pull it off the shelf.  Such a strange color and strange grouping of whatever is inside.  Treating it like a Christmas present before the unveiling, I hold it up so I can see the underside and swish it around... hmm.. some of it moved, but the rest didn't.  I bring it closer to my face and instantly want to vomit.  Reason 1)  the lid is cracked open and the most awful smell I have ever unpreparedly been exposed to came rushing out of that crack, and 2) I could see what was swishing around and what was sticking to the side still.  Fruit.  FRUIT. 

Someone in all of their loving kindess brought a snack into the preschool room and forgot to take the leftovers home or to throw them away and now, here they sit in this nasty container in my hand rotted to the point where it is all a black color and there is mold growing on everything and what looks like colonies of an unknown organism growing on the side.

My co-worker sees my face and I can see in hers that she is pleased that I am sickened. (disturbing because we are in the same church family and are both employed by this church) Choking back my gag reflex I tell her I will be right back. I calmly exit the room with the container until I know she can't see me anymore and I run to the biggest trash can I can find. This is where I then dispose of said container and write a note to put on the desk out front, alerting someone that I had thrown it away and if they felt they needed to be compensated to please call me.  Then I scrubbed my hands like I was prepping for surgery. 

Now, why would I tell you that?  I tell you this for a couple of reasons (one of which is to obviously tell you I hope you aren't missing any Tupperware, and if you are I know where it is!)  But the main reason is thinking about that Tupperware after throwing it out, it came to me that I am SO very thankful that I am not God. What if God did that?  Threw out everything that came to Him broken and fermenting and growing nasty, nasty things?  What if when He saw us, He threw up at the sight of our contents and threw us out without even trying to clean us up?  If the contents of that container didn't make you gag, then that thought alone should. 

I have said this before and I will say it again.  I am thankful, beyond comprehension, for a God that picked me off the shelf and cleaned me up instead of throwing me away.  I know I am not perfect.  The awesome thing about God is that He gives multiple chances.  In church this morning we talked about how we all are, and always will be, works in progress under God. From the moment we asked Him to be our Savior, He has been doing what He can to work on us. Even Simon Peter, THE SIMON  PETER, screwed up big time.  Yet, did He not go on to do great things for His kingdom? 

How refreshing to know that God can still use me.  No matter what I do to screw up, no matter what my past is, no matter how anxious I am about the future.  God is going to use me.  I believe the cliche that I am looking for goes something like:  God doesn't always choose those who are prepared, but He always prepares who He chooses. 

Now to be prepared... but that's another post for another day. :)