Garbage Trucks and Water Bottles

I had a great chat with my oldest son Levi tonight. He will be 9 this month. He was having a rough day and sproutin' some"tude". After a couple explosions and apologies I told him we needed to talk. I grabbed a clear empty water bottle and I said Levi this is you. Empty, nothing but Christ in your life. Life is good. When something makes you mad, you fill up with a bit of anger (I poured some water in) but you are still ok. Then your brother makes you mad an you fill up with even more anger (more water). Pretty soon you are full. Then your brother accidently hit's you with a ball what happens? You explode! If your bottle would have been empty and your brother hit you by accident, it wouldn't have been so bad.

Levi was thoughtful and then responded. "We should empty our stuff to God." Out of the mouths of babes.

Here's a great story I just read on that topic.

"One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport . We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly.

So I asked, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!" This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck."

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so..... "Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't.""

Empty your stuff to God and be filled only with Him.

Dumping along with you.

Alanne

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