When the faith hits the fan

Sometimes I forget I’m a Christian.

Theoretically, when I’m feeling pious, I acknowledge that Jesus Christ is my lord and that 100% of my time, money and energy are at His disposal. That’s not too hard to do when I’m at prayer.

However, when the faith hits the fan, unexpected demands on my time, money or energy outrage me. I forget all those flowery dedicated feelings, and I want to kick ass.

Case in point: the banks and my international transfer of funds.

Yes, the banks screwed up the transfer I made Tuesday.

But did my bank notify me about it? NO! I learned of it from an e-mail from overseas Thursday.

Somehow between here and there, the bank’s printer, a dot matrix apparently, changed the letter “Y” in a person’s name to an “F”! And although the account numbers and all other information on the form were correct, the overseas bank refuses to release the money until I personally make another trip to our local bank, and sign a transfer amendment saying that the form they filled out on Tuesday is correct.

Therefore, today (Friday) I must cancel planned tasks, bum a ride to the local bank, tell them exactly what I told them before, then wait till over the weekend before the cash transfer is in place. And since I’d scheduled rather pressing duties for today, this unnecessary bite out of my time, energy, and money outrages me

I want to kick and scream and cuss and throw things and call names and act as though ….My time, money and energy are 100 % at the disposal of Jesus Christ to do with as He wishes.

It is His money and it will get to where it’s supposed to be in His good time. Did I think it wouldn’t? He is the source of all power; do I really think He won’t give me what energy is needed to do my duty today?

I am a Christian for maybe ten minutes at a time, then, when the faith hits the fan, I revert to my natural grouchy state and forget the whole thing.

Well OK, Lord, if You insist…

But if I were God, things would be a lot different around here!

There’s a lot of perfectly good lightening just going to waste.

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Now for happier news:

First, today I finished the initial editing of another 40 pages of the Stacy ms; only another 150 pages left.

Webalizer software reveals that over 3,000 readers from 74 countries have spent at least ten minutes each on my website, www.cowart.info . I’m tickled.

Then, today’s mail brought a notice from the publisher in the Philippines that last month they sold 336 copies of the book I wrote on prayer! Wow! I’m hot on the heels of Stephen King now. Also, I received notice from the publisher in Indonesia that, after many delays, their translation of that same book on prayer came off the press last week!

Thanks be to God.

And, a librarian called telling me that the Jacksonville Public Library plans to place a bulk order for both my history of Jacksonville, Crackers & Carpetbaggers, and for copies of my science fiction novel, The Lazarus Projects .

All three of these books can be ordered online from my Bluefish Books Storefront, www.bluefishbooks.info .

Good news on all fronts – but that bank mess still peeves me.

Lord, please show mercy to John Cowart, a sinner.

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