by Anthony Benton

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA

God & the Potato-Chip Dance

Just the week before Easter I had one of those days. I was feeling pressure from a variety of things - writing deadlines, a long "to do" list awaiting attention at work and home, financial obligations and decisions, and distractions affecting my prayer life.

I won't even mention the bad things, such as the long lines at the supermarket, the time-stealing traffic snarls between work and home, and an asinine oil leak in my beat-up 1990 Grand Am.

By the time I got home, I was in a hurry to get something on the table for dinner. Deciding on Healthy Choice Cream of Broccoli soup, I grabbed a can opener, cranked the can open, and then remembered I had forgotten to buy milk at the store. Milk is not normally a staple in my home, anyway. Cancel the soup idea.

Moving to Plan B, which was leftover baked beans and rice dressing from a barbeque not too long ago. Grabbing the Tupperware container from the fridge, I lifted the seal, took a look, and groaned. My cats aren't picky eaters, but even THEY won't eat baked beans and rice dressing that look like caterpillars. Well, that BBQ must have been too long ago.

Frustrated, I decided on a menu that promised to be as foolproof as it is nutrition-free - hot dogs and potato chips. Retrieving a brand new bag of chips from the pantry, I grabbed the cellophane and gave a hearty pull. The bag didn't open. Trying again, nothing happened. Taking a deep breath, doubling my muscle, I gave the bag a forceful "Stone Cold Steve Austin" wrestle. With a loud pop, the cellophane suddenly gave way, ripping wide from top to bottom. Chips flew high up to my kitchen ceiling.

I was left holding the bag, an empty bag. It was the last straw. Letting out a blood-curdling scream, I hollered: "I can't take it anymore!!!"

My roommate heard my unorthodox cry for help and came running down the stairs. Within seconds, he was standing at the doorway to the kitchen, where he surveyed the damage - an opened can of soup, melting groceries, moldy baked beans and rice dressing, and one quivering man standing ankle-deep in potato chips.

My roommate, sensing my anger and frustration, did the most helpful thing he could think of at the moment.

He took a flying leap, landing flat-footed in the middle of the pile of chips. He began to stomp and dance and twirl like it was Southern Decadence all over again, grinding those chips into my linoleum in the process. I simply stared in disbelief. Pretty soon, I was working to stifle a smile. Eventually, I had to laugh. And next thing you know, I decided to join him. I, too, took a leap onto the chips. And then I danced!

To tell you the truth, my roommate's response wasn't the one I was looking for. However, it was exactly what I needed. I didn't need a mop or broom, but the attitude adjustment was the most appropriate solution for those moments of frustration. Our shared laughter provided just that.

Has God ever stomped on your chips? In my life, I have several times experienced situations I'd rather not be in or part of. I've prayed, cried for help. I've become depressed when things don't go right or degenerate into a mess.

What often happens is that God dances on my chips, answering my prayer in a completely different manner than I had expected, but in a way that is best for me. Sometimes, I see right away that God's response was the best one. Other times, it takes longer for me to understand God's answer to a particular prayer or plea.

No matter what God's response is, the important thing to remember is that we must trust Him. Even when He's answering our prayers in a way that is different from our expectations, even when He's dancing and stomping instead of sweeping and mopping, can we embrace what He is offering?

Can we let His peace and joy adjust our attitudes? Are we going to stand on the sidelines and brood, or are we willing to learn the steps of the dance He's dancing with our needs in mind?

The key is to focus more on the dance of joy than the gloom of doom. The older I get, the more I realize that God really knows what He's doing.

Even when the chips are down, God loves me unconditionally, so much so He sent His only count your blessingsson to us to redeem us in a world fallen by original sin. We can trust in God's unbounded love. This is a true Easter gift from God our Creator and Redeemer. Let it be likewise for you!