McMeals To-Go

Three weeks ago we left the house to go to Missouri for my nephew's wedding.  The wedding was to start at 4:00, and we left the house at 10:20 with five hours of travel time ahead of us.  We were cutting it closer than I had planned.

Mr. Youngster wanted some breakfast to eat on the way, but I wanted to keep traveling.  So we pulled off after traveling only five miles to get some McGriddle meals.  Mr. Youngster loves McGriddles.  The Mrs. likes them too.  We pulled into the drive-thru, ordered, and waited.  And waited.  And waited.  Finally, Mr. McLate delivered a sack of food, apologized, and gave us a couple of apple pies to make up for the long wait.  Inwardly, I seethed.  Outwardly, I smiled and took the food.  As I pulled away, the Mrs. checked the bag and announced that they had shorted us a McGriddle.  Sigh....

I ran back across the parking lot (not a pretty sight) and into McDonald's, up to the counter, and explained the problem.  Fortunately, there was a McGriddle that was ready (I wonder why...) and they gave it to me.  We were back on the road.  Fifteen minutes wasted, but we were rolling.

At about 1:00, Mr. Youngster was making noises about starving to death, so we pulled into - McDonald's.  I guess we needed a break that day - or two.  Since we were running later than we had planned, we placed our order to-go.  They quickly (!) provided the food, two empty pop cups, and an Iced Mocha for the Mrs.  They placed the empty cups and the Iced Mocha in one of those handy-dandy drink carriers, which I carried over to the pop machine.  Grabbing the two empty pop cups, I lifted them up - and watched in slooooow moooootion as the handy-dandy drink carrier tipped and dumped a glass of Iced Mocha on my feet and all over the floor.  Growl.  I don't even like coffee and now I was wearing it.

I decided the best option was to fill the pop cups, then head back to the counter to apologize for the mess and pay for another drink.  Shortly after putting the lids FIRMLY on the pop cups and pushing them FIRMLY into the handy-dandy drink carrier, Miss McNice walked up with a smile and an Iced Mocha.  She offered me the new mocha at no cost and wished me a better day.  Her smile wiped away my bad mood and soon we were back on the interstate, munching our McMeals as we went.  Oh, and the Mrs. sipped on her Iced Mocha.  I hope she enjoyed it...

Some days are like that.  The more we are in a hurry, the more the world conspires to slow us down.  R.C. Sproul wrote that Martin Luther said he needed at least an hour of prayer to start the day.  But on a really busy day, he needed at least two hours of prayer.  I know I had my quiet time that morning, but I also know my mind was more on the trip than on God.  I wonder if God had something important to tell me and, in my hurried state, I had missed it.  Maybe He wanted to slow me down so I could hear Him more clearly.  Most fathers want to spend time with their children, why would our Heavenly Father be any different?  I think I will go and talk to my Heavenly Father for a while...