What's in a puddle of ice?

Lots.

Yesterday afternoon I went downstate with my Mom to spend some quality time and to do a little shopping. When we were out for 'lupper' we were at the Olive Garden and little did I know what would unfold before my eyes. A cook set up his little stand beside our table to deliver the pasta Mom and I were sharing. There I sat, eating my yummy breadstick as our nice waitress walked into the room to give another table their drinks. Fleeing the room, the cook rammed into our waitress causing her to spill to giant cups of soda on the ground. Ice cubes splattered over the floor and what's even more interesting - he didn't apologize. He had nearly swept her feet from under her, and after a polite asking from the waitress the hurried cook grabbed the glasses and left the room. Embarrassment hung on this young lady's face. We asked if she was alright and somewhat shaken she said she was. After she'd left the room, my eyes zoomed in on the icecubes. A tugging in my heart told me I should probably help pick them up. However, I became too caught up in evaluating how I would go about picking them up and where I would put them when I was finished...so I sat, hesitating and then in a few minutes my opportunity had vanished just as quickly as it came. I know, I know, it's just a bunch of silly icecubes, but I asked the Lord for opportunities to be Christ before leaving for our little trip and yet I didn't acknowledge what my eyes had seen as a clear opportunity.

Pondering the situation on the drive home, I concluded that rather than hesitating and planning, when I am prodded, I must simply DO. I don't have to travel 6000 miles to be Christ's hand extended, it can be in a restaurant helping a startled waitress pick icecubes out of the rug. God doesn't ask for our ability or inability, he asks for our availability - I wasn't successful in this opportunity because I made myself unavailable when I decided to analyze rather than to trust Him and to act. I think as Christians, we do this a lot...I pray the Lord will bring more opportunities as I continue to work on this area of my life...let's keep our eyes open friends for moments to be Christ to those around us.