Irritants and Annoyances

I cleaned the glass top table on the deck.
I looked out my kitchen window and I saw a thin layer of yellow dust on the top.
I went out to clean it again.
My paper towel was covered with the same yellow dust.

Pollen.
A thin layer of pollen was over everything.
I should have known by the amount of tissues that was being used in our house.
It is the season for allergies.

My husband and I are bothered by different things.
We never seem to be sneezing at the same time.
I never got tested to see what I might be allergic to since it is just temporary.
It is more of a nuisance than anything.

An irritant.
An annoyance.
A friend of mine stopped over the other day and sat in my kitchen.
She was congested and sounded like she had a cold.

It’s allergies, she answered when I asked her, the pollen is terrible.
That’s an understatement.
She and I share the same dislike of medicine and try to handle things naturally.
Time will tell if we can go through the spring without taking any allergy medicine.

I thought of a pearl.
A parasite, not the grain if sand we all imagine, works its way into an oyster, mussel, or clam.
As a defense, a fluid is used to coat the irritant.
Many layers of this coating, called nacre, is deposited until a pearl is formed.

Something beautiful is formed because of something irritating.

Rocks are found on the bottom of a river or on a sandy beach.
Water rushing over the rocks or pebbles makes them smooth.
The rocks or pebbles are shiny and interesting to touch.
They are pretty enough to display in a bowl or vase.

Did you ever think about the irritating things that occur throughout your day?
A dog that barks incessantly.
A car alarm that goes off until a button is pushed to silence it.
A new pair of shoes that rub a blister on your foot.
An eyelash that you cannot seem to find in your eye.

A pot that boils over on the stove.
The odometer that turns to the next thousandth mile marker but you notice it two miles later.
A recipe with the one elusive ingredient that you realize you don’t have until it’s too late.
The rainstorm that happens right after you washed your car.

The child that has to go to the bathroom right after you get on the highway.
The cellphone that is on the other side of the kitchen after you just washed the floors.
The wonderful sale with the extra coupon discount that you left at home.
The grocery bag that rips and the blueberries and cheery tomatoes go all over the floor.

Irritants.
Annoyances.
Things that matter little in the scheme of things.
Things that can cause distress when too many happen at once.

Sometimes you just have to laugh.
Sometimes you look around for a hidden camera.
Sometimes it is the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.
Sometimes we can take it in stride.

Out attitude plays a big part in how we handle irritants and annoyances.
Like the thin layer of yellow pollen on the table, the annoyances tend to color our best days.
We tend to see just the irritant.
The irritants and annoyances blocks our view and prohibit us from seeing the blessings.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

We can focus on the irritants and annoyances and be miserable.
We can focus on the blessings and be joyful.
It is a matter of perspective.
The irritants and annoyances are still there but they do not have to master us.

What pearl can form because of our irritant?
What peace can we exude when we have every right to be angry?
What pollen can we wipe away, if only for a while, to get some relief?
How can we turn the situation around and find some humor in it before we let it ruin our day?

Look to the Lord and His strength, seek His face always. (Psalm 105:4)

Turn your eyes upon Jesus in order to get a right perspective.
The irritants will always be there.
The annoyances will inevitably happen.
However, they don’t have to get the better of you.

We don’t think about shooting arrow prayers at times like these.
A quick, Father, help me stop sneezing, is music to His ears.
God is as much a God of the little things as He is a God of the big things.
All things matter to God because we matter to God.

Father, help this blister heal quickly.
Father help me to improvise this recipe so I can serve it tonight without running to the store.
Father, I know I just washed my car, but thank You for the rain.
Father, thank you that I can make this purchase even without the coupon.

We feel silly talking to God like that.
Why should we?
He wants us to talk to Him throughout our day.
We don’t talk to each other in lofty conversations all the time.

Our conversations with each other are not college lecture material.
Our conversations are light and engaging.
Our conversations are a way to stay connected with each other.
It is no different with God.

God wants to hear the lofty things that are on our hearts.
God wants to hear the simple everyday things that seem insignificant.
God the Father desires conversation with His children.
That is why He sent His Son, Jesus, who is called, the Word.

Talk to Him.
Tell Him about the irritants and the annoyances.
Tell Him about the grumbling that seems to be our default lately.
He knows all of those things already, but like a good Father, He wants us to tell Him.

Talk to Him about the little things.
Talk to Him about the big things.
He is the God who sees, the God who hears, the God who knows, and the God who cares.
Trust Him; you are in good hands.