Bee Happy!

I am a pretty easy going gal, but there are a few things that tend to rattle me; having a bee in my shirt is at the top of my list.

Last Saturday I pulled into the library parking lot and started to unbuckle my seatbelt. In the slight fold of my t-shirt was a honeybee. Carefully, I opened the door and gently tried to “shoo” it off, but instead of flying away I watched in horror as it flipped up and went straight down the front of my t-shirt.

Leaning forward I grabbed a handful of material, creating a huge t-shirt balloon, right at the front of my chest. An elderly woman pulled in a few cars down, I contemplated yelling for help, but what could she do? Call pest control? I started to sweat, envisioning the bee attempting to tunnel its way out like some claustrophobic spelunker.

Just when I wondered if the situation could possibly get any worse a young man pulled his car next to mine. I didn’t wait for him to look over and wonder if the woman in the car next to him was having a mild heart attack.  I  started the car and slowly backed out, the door still partially open. I parked in a spot facing away from the library, where there were hardly any cars, hoping to be discreet. It was there that I took off my shirt.

Not my proudest moment.

I was still covered by a bra that has more material than some women my age wear to the beach, but for me, it was the ultimate horror. Quickly, I shook out the bee, a bit frazzled but still alive.

In the span of 3 seconds I had my t-shirt back on and took few deep breaths, then I noticed something else. The grassy knoll I thought was a bit of refuge was actually a high spot in a walking trail, now occupied by walkers out for a stroll. I scanned the parking lot for security cameras and contemplated needing to move out of the zip code area and change my name. I wondered if they would revoke my library card.

I thought about the incident and how some Christians over spiritualize things. As a writer, it is easy to turn the everyday events into dramatic material in order to make a spiritual point. I imagined spinning off several short devotions such as “Bee still and know that I am God,” expanding on the “Bee attitudes,” or the importance of “Bee-lieving”. Ok..not really, but you get the idea.

Then I had another thought; How does it make God feel when we take His words and stretch them for the purpose of justifying ourselves or creating our own buzz?

Sometimes truth stings.

Note to self: Keep it real. Seek wisdom…Bee happy.