A Bad Care Day

Women, you know what I mean by a “bad hair day”, right? Men, maybe not so much, but we’ve all heard the expression. I personally have two different heads of hair. The left side looks decent most of the time, but the right side…ugh. I have tried for years to get them to match. The two sides are at war, I say. (Diplomatic negotiations continue. However, communication with the back has completely broken down.)

I have coined a new term: “A Bad Care Day”© Vicky Noland Hall, 2011. All rights reserved. (wink!)

When we are fretting and worrying, we are having a bad care day. Usually, we are trying to fix something that we should trust God to handle. We have “Bad Care Days”©! because we don’t trust what God can do.

I read a Bible story just the other night I had never read before.

I don’t think I’ve ever even heard a sermon on it: 

2 Kings 6:1-7 “The Floating Ax Head”

1 And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See now, the place where we dwell with you is too small for us. 2 Please, let us go to the Jordan, and let every man take a beam from there, and let us make there a place where we may dwell.” So he answered, “Go.” 3 Then one said, “Please consent to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I will go.” 4 So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. 5 But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, master! For it was borrowed.” 6 So the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And he showed him the place. So he cut off a stick, and threw it in there; and he made the iron float. 7 Therefore he said, “Pick it up for yourself.” So he reached out his hand and took it.

If you have ever heard that story, raise your hand. (Nobody can see you. I already admitted to 1000’s of people that I’d never heard it. Well, I only have a readership of 65, but still.)

Well, if my ax head would have flown off, I probably would have thrown a fit…I mean, a lot more than “Alas, master, for it was borrowed”.

“Why does this always happen to me? Just when I am almost through cuttin’ down all of these trees, my ax tore up. Now I will have to go to Wal-Mart and buy another ax to finish the job AND buy an ax to replace the one I borrowed. Money, money, money.” Except with my luck, I would get to Wal-Mart only to find they don’t sell axes. Off to Lowe’s, spending my entire afternoon trying to find a replacement ax. By the time I get home, the whole day is ruined, the tree is still standing, and it is time to figure out something for supper. 

It never would have crossed my mind to pray that the ax head would float.

Now, some would argue that in this day and age, we don’t have sticks that can cause an ax head to float, or turn bitter water sweet, (Exodus 15:25) or are powerful enough to strike a rock and bring forth water (Exodus 17:6). 

But maybe, just maybe, we don’t trust what God can do with sticks.

Love and joy!

Vicky