Growing through ...... Irony?

Some things in life are either funny, or sad, or give us cause to think of things in a different way. That's what metaphor does, and so much of what we read, hear, and say are metaphors..... a way of saying or conveying something that makes you think of something else, or a way to teach something, or to get you thinking in a whole new or different way.  At least for me that's the way it often works. 

In some day-to-day common life circumstances, some things seems so ironic that we sometimes have to do a double-take to make sure that what we think we're seeing is what we're actually seeing.  Such as it was for me one morning as I was driving in to the office.  And, after a little chuckle to myself, I spent the time driving pondering the lesson of what I had just seen.  What am I supposed to take away from this? 

So.... it happened this way.  As I came through an intersection near my home, I noticed that the "turn around" lane that went under the bridge..... you know, that U-turn express lane that allows you to turn around without having to wait through the traffic lights?  Yeah, that one.  Anyway, I noticed that the U-turn lane was backed up.  "Well, that's not right" I thought to myself, and proceeded to go under the bridge.  That's when I could see what the back up was..... a big 18 wheeler, stopped cold in all 18 of it's tracks.  No one could get around it.  But wait..... I thought.... as I rounded the corner..... it's OK!!!  There's a tow truck right in front of it.  It will be out of there in only a few minutes.  But, as I completely turned the corner, getting on the other side of the intersection, I noticed that is wasn't the 18 wheeler that was broken down, but the tow truck!  Uh oh!  What happens when it is the tow truck that's broken down?  I guess he has to call the Daddy Tow Truck. 

So, what happens when the caretaker gets sick?  What happens when the healer is wounded?  When the child becomes the parent?  What happens when your trusted spiritual friend..... the one on whom you rely to give you support and encouragement..... becomes discouraged?   Are we sometimes called to a kind of role-reversal?  Are we called to grow emotionally and spiritually, so that we can become the caregiver, the healer, the encourager?  (ANSWER:  YES!).  God calls us to learn and grow.  And yes, it can be....IS..... scary.

These are the thoughts that crossed my mind for the next 20 minutes, and beyond, as I made the drive from home to church.  In fact, I pondered this most of the day.  So.... what does this say to you?

OK.  One more "ponderance."  What happens when we take the last garbage bag out of the box?  The box becomes the garbage, and in a shocking turn of events, goes INTO the garbage bag. 

Hummmmm..... I wonder if there is a lesson here?  Who knows!