Last night while working my printer jammed. This by the way is a almost daily occurrence for my aging printer. The humor in the situation is how God dings me even in the silliest situations.

The scenario is I’m printing out one of our books to due illustrations to ready it for publication. It’s called “Plagues a Plenty”. I’ll explain the book process in another blog, but the .pdf version I print has stock image “suggestion” art and the story typed out by page. My goal for this book and another, since I am NOT an artist, but I am crafty, was to do the illustrations in a paper cutting style. But, first I need the print copy to set it up. I print 3 pages and that paper crunching noise we know and love so much (no I do not love it so much!) starts. I glare unlovingingly at my printer. I sit at my desk finishing what I am working on as the button that signifies a jam starts flashing. Instantly I am aggravated.

Within seconds that aggravation leads to frustration and I grab my water bottle and retreat to my living room. I’m done working for today. I am refusing to unjam the printer. I even tell my husband that if he intends to use it then be prepared because it is jammed and I am not unjamming it right now! I am defiantly refusing to release that piece of stupid paper from the inner workings of the stupid machine tonight. I am choosing to be done for the day.

This morning I realize upon waking that the first task I am faced with now, is unjamming the durn printer. UGH. That is when God phones in for what I am sure was His amusement with me. It went something like this:

Debbi: UGH! The printer will need unjamming so I can finish printing that book. UGH!

God: You could have fixed the problem last night. It will only take a few seconds to unjam.

Debbi: What I need is a new printer.

God: What you need is a new attitude.

Debbi: But, a printer has one job and that is to print. This printer however has made sport of constantly jamming. It almost never does what it is supposed to do.

God: So the solution should be walk away and toss it out because it is obviously useless?

Debbi: Exactly.

God: Hmmm. So anytime anyone fails to do what I want them to do then they are “obviously useless”?

There was no need for response, I walked away in frustration and was bested by a printer. Do I always do what God wants me to do. Nope. Does God walk away from me in frustration and watch TV instead. Nope. I know God understands that although my heart desires to act more like Him, my humanity is a huge stumbling block. He’s been watching humankind stumble and bumble about for millennia. I’m no big shocker, I’m sure. Still it is humbling how human and flawed our thinking can be in the little moments in life.

The printer is now unjammed and so is my prideful brain. Pray for my printer though, it is very willful. Just like it’s owner apparently.