I finally fell asleep at 1am, after packing, watching HLN, CNN and any other show that would catch my attention as I surfed the television of my room at the Westin. I knew I had to be up at 5am....but.....SURF ON!
Finally I'm off to sleep. Four hours later, ALARM BLARING! Now I'm frustrated because I didn't sleep enough. I watched lobster videos for 30 minutes. I watched mindless TV for an hour. I tweeted for an hour prior!
I finally got the message from my brain to "kill the beast", so I pushed the red power button and that was that. All of a sudden I have this urge to google lobster cooking. Before I put my iPhone down, I jump over to YouTube to see if there is an example of how to cook a lobster. There are hundreds of clips on how to cook a lobster....and I begin to watch them one by one. "Maine Lobster, Boston Lobster, Huge Lobster, Lobster fighting, Dog playing with a Lobster, 20 pound lobster" Aaron GO TO SLEEP!
Finally I'm off to sleep. Four hours later, ALARM BLARING! Now I'm frustrated because I didn't sleep enough. I watched lobster videos for 30 minutes. I watched mindless TV for an hour. I tweeted for an hour prior!
Decisions Decisions...bad ones.
Each of us are a product of our decisions. What you choose determines what you do, where you go, what you say, and who you are.
Each of us are a product of our decisions. What you choose determines what you do, where you go, what you say, and who you are.
Finally I'm at the airport, barely alive. I arrive at the TSA "Elite Check-In" line because I'm a frequent flyer. I finally found a break in the line and got to the table. After I took out my electronics, and liquids, belt, shoes, emptied my pockets and put the fake smile on, I saw something cool. There was a TSA agent that actually let a lady cut in line because (I perceived) she was running late. It had been years since I had seen a voluntary act of kindness from the TSA. This act of kindness impressed me to the point that I wanted to say thank you to the agent. Just as I was about to thank her for being so conscientious to the late passenger, she looked at me really mean and said in the most stereotypical Atlanta TSA way..."Don't leave yo stuff til it go thew!" Yes, the lady with the US seal on her shoulder said the word THEW!
Wait a minute...flag on the play! Black on Black Crime! Hold it sistah... and in a flash, my mind went through about 4 or 5 responses that came before I knew it. I'll spare you the first 3 because they would not be good for my reputation, but the last two went something like this: "I can understand why you have such a bad attitude. If I had that face I'd be mad too", followed immediately by "Ma'am I'm traveling First Class, and I'm a frequent flyer. Do I look like I need a TSA lesson from you? I'm in the airport more than you are, and you work here" BUT....Would I choose door #1 - "Get her" because she was giving me an attitude? Or would I choose door #2 - Continue on with my compliment and take the risk of her slapping my other cheek?
Decisions Decisions-
I chose door #2.
I held my tongue and watched my things go "thew". With the same mean tone she "randomly" chose me to go through the new 'hi tech' body imaging thing that I HATE! (*SLAP)
I stuck to my decision and before I went into the machine I said "Ma'am, I want to thank you for being nice to the little lady that was running late", to which she looked at me and said "She wasn't late" (*SLAP). So I said, "Well it was still a treat to know that there are some nice TSA agents out here, and I'm thanking you for the act of kindness, even if she didn't need it".
She looked at me and smiled and said in a voice that sounded like a high pitched cheerleader "I'm nice! We can be nice!"
What?...She caved? Smiles, kindness and friendly posture?
I won! She looked at the scanner and said, "Never mind, you can go 'thew' the other one, have a nice day". What happened?
I made a decision and stuck with it in spite of the opposition, and found favor. Sure it was a small thing, but it was huge to me at 5AM! Sometimes we decide to retaliate in an effort to vindicate ourselves or receive justice. It takes too much effort and negative energy to do so, and it never releases favor. Even if we win, it took our own efforts to win.
Conversely, if we decide to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly in spite of the opposition, then and only then is our victory God's responsibility. And He always wins! I've never seen a righteous man forsaken...and I never will.
Decisions, decisions. Today I made the right one.
Prayerfully as time goes on, my wins will outweigh my losses.
As for today, I win!
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