Forgotten Lunch

       It was one day, just like another day, as I prepared to go to work. I packed the lunch, that was prepared the night before, into my backpack. I prepared the breakfast, oatmeal with walnuts, apples and strawberries (so healthy!) and an English muffin, carefully with the lunch, only having time to gulp a few bites of breakfast, before rushing out the door.
       I took the train to the city and walked 30 minutes to my job. Once there, the work day began full-force. After a while, as hunger pangs reminded me that I had only eaten a bite or two of breakfast, I opened my backpack, looking forward to eating some breakfast. Alas, there was no lunch bag in my backpack! What had happened—did I carelessly leave my lunch on the table at home? In a panic, I realized that I had eaten virtually nothing and had no food with me for the entire day! This was not a healthy situation.
       Thankfully, I had a little cash and visited a nearby stored and bought a minimal breakfast—bagel with egg, cheese and avocado. It was not my usual breakfast, but certainly could keep one functioning for the day.
       At the end of the work day, I began to pack up to go home. As I took my backpack out of the drawer, lo and behold, what was underneath? The lunch bag was there, complete with untouched breakfast AND lunch! I must have absentmindedly taken the lunch bag out of the backpack, when I first arrived and put the backpack on top of it. Funny how I so quickly decided that I had forgotten my lunch, that I neglected to check under the backpack! So, I had needlessly run to the store to buy a breakfast, that I did not need, and also, did not eat any lunch.
       And so it is with our lives. Sometimes, we have an idea and act impulsively upon it, without investigating all the facts and double-checking. Sometimes it is better, if there is time, to sit back, take a deep breath and pray. Thankfully, our Heavenly Father has infinite wisdom and discernment and does not jump to false conclusions. Though He could have given up on the human race completely, He gave us a hope of salvation, through believing in Jesus.
       A positive outcome of the mislaid lunch bag is that I realized that I much prefer home-prepared breakfast and lunch to anything purchased at a restaurant. In addition,
I did not have to prepare either breakfast or lunch for the next day, since it was already done!