Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. – Jeremiah 1:5

So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female He created them. – Genesis 1:27

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. – Psalm 139:14

A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. – Proverbs 16:9

How often have we looked in the mirror, and decided we weren’t happy with what we saw?  How often have we told God we aren’t happy with who we are?  How many times have we grumbled that we didn’t have the gifts someone else had?  How many times have we felt inferior because we didn’t think we were good enough; smart enough; strong enough?

All power rests in God’s hands.  He certainly could have made me 6’4” handsome, strong and smart.  But He (in His infinite wisdom that I too often distrust or second guess) created me to be exactly what I am.  I have spent a lot of time over my life wondering what it would be like to be different.  To have the strength I wish I had.  To be smarter that I am.  To be taller, better looking, more outgoing, etc.  Yet I get out of bed most mornings, struggle to get through a day, and wish things were different.

But where would I be? 

Maybe in a nicer house, with less money issues, a better job, etc. 

But if I were not exactly who I am (and who I have been, where I have been, when I have been there), the blessings I have been given may have been missed.

I wouldn’t trade all I have wished I were for what I have now.

Thank you, God, for making me who I am.  Help me to hear your voice; feel your presence, and trust your spirit.  Make me who you have created me to be.  Erase all of what I think I should be, or wish I were.  Thank you for the gifts I have.  Help me to use them the way you intended.  Make this New Year a year of following you closer than I ever have.  Living for you, as you guide my steps to make a difference in the world through me and my life.

Mattress Squirm

My daughter and her fiancé bid on a house, and soon, she will be taking her mattress. So a replacement is in order. It was President's Day weekend, and several places were having mattress sales, including Mattress Firm. We found a decent queen mattress at for $400 at the Mattress Firm in North Richland Hills. Since it was for the guest bedroom, it was comfortable enough.

They didn't have it in stock, so I made arrangements to pick it up. I went Monday morning. The same salesman helped me, and told me to pull around back and he would load it up for me. After pulling around the back, I saw he was having trouble locating the mattress. It's a decent-sized store certainly, but it's not like it's the size of a Wal-Mart. How can it be that difficult to find a queen-sized mattress in a mattress store?

Because it's not there, that's why.

He looked it up, and found it had come in. He walked around again, looking for it.

"Someone must have bought it," he said.

Seriously?

Most of the times we've been searching for mattresses, there are a few with "SOLD" signs on them. That indicates to me (and others, I assume), that someone has already paid for that particular mattress, and, as a result, it is no longer for sale.

I understand mistakes happen, and if they were busy, they may have forgotten to put a sold sign on it.

Okay.

So he informs me that they will deliver for free.

Excellent.

"We can deliver it tonight between 6 and 9," he says.

We were going out for dinner for my birthday that evening, so he arranges for it to be delivered the next morning between 9 and 12.

So I get to sit on the couch on my birthday, waiting for a delivery. Not that I had much planned for today. I had done my chores the day before so I could just relax on my birthday.

Am I relaxing? Not much. Granted, there isn't a lot of physical activity going on. But for some reason, I get stressed when I spend $400, and have nothing to show for it. And, while they have my cell phone, I have had no phone call to let me know why they are late, when they are coming, or if they are coming at all.

So I called them.

"What?  They haven't been there yet?  Let me call you back as soon as I find out what is going on."

So twenty minutes later, he calls back, telling me something happened, and that he should be there within the hour.  Great.

Two hours later, I call back.

"What?  They haven't been there yet?  Let me call you back as soon as I find out what is going on."

Deja vu....

Again, I understand issues, and the fact that sometimes, things happen.  But surely I'm not the only one who has them happen.  It seems like it happens a lot, and if this kind of thing happened to more people, stores would not be able to stay in business.  So maybe it IS just me.

After a while, he calls back, telling me he has no idea what happened, how sorry he is, and that he will do whatever he can do to make it up to me.  He'll even through in a free mattress pad. 

Wow.  My time is worth a mattress pad?

After three calls to corporate headquarters, complaining about what happened, they cancelled the sale (after also offering me a free frame or mattress pad).

$400 is a LOT of money to me. I would like to think it's worth something to a company to keep its customers happy.

Then I have to remember one of my first posts about customer service, and how it's virtually non-existent now.

I guess I would never make it in business. Maybe it's just not possible to provide good customer service, and still make money.

What a shame.