Tricia's Principles for Living -Take 2: Being Thankful in Smelly Places

Tricia's Principles for Living -Take 2: Being Thankful in Smelly Places: My pet peeve misophonia, literally "hatred of sound",  was given this name in the year 2000.  It's a condition in which nega...

Being Thankful in Smelly Places

My pet peeve misophonia, literally "hatred of sound",  was given this name in the year 2000.  It's a condition in which negative emotions, thoughts, and physical reactions are triggered by specific sounds.  Chewing ice, snapping  and popping gum, slurping liquids,  and a whole range of other sounds drive me up a wall.  I’ve tried to live with the vexation these sounds bring me.  I realize that I can't always have things the way that suits me. I have to learn to deal with discomfort.

Today a lot of us have been blessed to have things the way we want them. We have cushy pillows, firm mattresses, hot and cold running water, electricity and heat for which we do not have to stoke a furnace or chop wood.  Our food is plentiful.  Our surroundings are pleasant to spectacular.  If  we visit a city and don't like one hotel we can go to another that meets our requirements.  Things have not always been this way. There is no guarantee that things will always be this way.

Contrast this with the New Testament's Apostle Peter in Joppa. He had been ministering day and night to the needy and preaching all over the place. Each night he went back to his five star accommodations with his bottles of Perrier water and five star meal surrounded by his  entourage. You might be wondering is that really the way he traveled?   It's not true.  He had none of those luxuries.

You would think that after his miraculous ministry he would have been invited to the best homes.
Peter did not  have a nice hotel or any inn that welcomed into their rooms.  However what we do  read is that ," Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon." *

"Tanning is the process of treating skins and hides of animals to produce leather. A tannery is the place where the skins are processed. Tanning hide into leather involves a process which permanently alters the protein structure of skin, making it more durable and less susceptible to decomposition, and also possibly coloring it." The dead animal still have to be warm for tanning to be successful.  Before tanning, the warm  skins are unhaired, degreased, desalted and soaked in water over a period of 6 hours to 2 days. Historically this process was considered a noxious or "odoriferous trade" and. relegated to the outskirts of town." ¹

Think about this. Peter was used to the smell of fresh fish. Now he is staying with Simon, on the fringes of town  surrounded by rotting things. We never hear that Peter  complained about the privations with which he dealt on a daily basis. Comfort was not his goal. His goal was service to God. This was carried out by being involved and living with those around him even in a smelly place.

 As we enter this thanksgiving week let us remember  the secret to being satisfied. "..And having food and raiment let us be therewith content"  Even if that is in  serving or living among others in smelly uncomfortable places as we seek to serve God and help others.   Yes it's taking a while,  but I am slowly learning  to be thankful for my good hearing as I deal with my misophonia.

Happy Thanksgiving!

1. Wikipedia
*Acts:9:43
** I Timothy 6:8

Do You Need to Make a U-Turn?

Before I started driving I double checked the address I'd entered into my GPS.  A sterile woman's  computer voice guided me along the road.  Actually I knew where the road was located. I just wanted the device to let me know when I got to the specific block. I had my cutely wrapped baby shower gift in my car's back seat.  I was looking forward to this shower because I would be seeing old friends with whom I didn't get to spend much time with anymore.

It was an easy scenic drive from Seattle on I 90 East.  I crossed the sparkling waters of Lake Washington over the floating bridge. The majestic mountains covered with dark evergreens loomed in the foreground. I loved this route. However I was glad I wasn't going to have drive over those mountains that day. My exit was a few miles before the start of the ascent up the steep hills.

 I exited I-90 and turned onto Samammish Way. I'd crossed this road many times on my way to COSTCO and also to Marymoor Park.  After I made a left turn the voice on the GPS directed me to make a U-Turn.  Now why would I make a U-turn when I was on the correct road? I kept driving. However when we passed an intersection the voice said again to make a U-Turn. Several times I talked to the voice as if there was a person sitting in the car with me. I don't know why you are saying to make a U-Turn something must be wrong with you. I kept driving ignoring the voice  because I had seen the Samammish Way signs. The baby shower invitation said the house was on Samammish Way. I kept driving, enjoying the scenery. I drove into an upscale residential neighborhood. This was my first visit to this house. I slowed down to find the address on the outside of the house.

I saw the balloons. I found a parking place and got out of the car.  Cheerful chattering voices  greeted my approach to the house. I started walking quickly but something made me slow down. These  voices didn't sound familiar.  As I was walking to the house I came to the realization that even though there was a party happening there it was probably not the event to which I was invited. I saw people I did not know.

I got back in my car and called my friend who was at the baby shower. I told her I was on Samammish Way but could not find the house.  She gave me some landmarks I should see, which I didn't see. We came  to the conclusion I was in the wrong place. How could that be?  I was on Samammish Way.  What I  didn't know until that very moment was that I was on East Samammish Way. I should have been on West Samammish Way. I didn't even know a West Samammish Way existed because I had never driven there. It's actually a loop around the Lake.

Then. it all made sense. The GPS signal was correct all along. I was wrong. There was nothing it could do to help me because I wouldn't listen to it or follow its directions. Isn't this like life and wisdom. When our minds are made up and closed nothing anyone tells us can help us because we think we know what we are doing.

I gave the search engine the right information. However,  I wouldn't trust it or even stop to think why it would "deliberately" lead me astray.  As I think over my life I know there were times my parents or some other more knowledgable person has tried to guide me and I've ignored their wise words. If only I had listened I  could have saved myself endless troubles. My Bible tells me "Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances."*
Counsel works if you follow it.  Hearing good advice was ineffective for me because I wouldn't follow it. I started up my GPS again, followed the directions and got to my destination. "It pays to follow wise words.

*Proverbs 11:14 Message Bible