I was recruited to help out at a local pie eating contest. Being the competitor I am, I “trained” for several days, trying to get into the best pie eating shape possible that I could in a short period of time. I worked on my technique, and developed a steady eating pace for endurance. I even thought about securing a corporate sponsor like Mrs. Edwards or Marie Calendars but evidently,  they don’t live in Tennessee because I couldn’t find them in the phone book. I had studied the rules and was prepared for this big event. In spite of the cold weather, there was a large crowd there that night. Over the sound system, they started with a countdown and GO! I was focused as a race horse at the Kentucky Derby and kept my eye on the prize…I mean pie. I kept my head low to be closer to the pie in order to shorten the distance between the pie and me so my athletic strokes of moving the spoon to my mouth would be more energy efficient, hopefully giving me a competitive edge. Then all of sudden, spontaneous combustion exploded as the other contestants got into a pie throwing contest at each other…There were pies flying all around me but I stayed low and focused. My good friend Ed,  got “creamed”. They stopped the contest and although I didn’t win, I cleaned my pie plate just like my mom taught me as a child…

Sometimes we can end up in the middle of an unexpected mess of a crisis. How should we respond? Here are some ideas that I have found helpful…

Pray instead of Panic. Psalm 46:1 describes it this way…”God is our refuge and our strength , a very present help in trouble.” That should  always the first response for us, that should be our “default setting” like on a computer.It doesn’t have to be a verbal or a loud prayer, just quietly in our heart and soul would do just fine. Chuck Smith said this …” God wants us to trust in Him completely, even when we cannot see any possible solutions.” 

Stay Calm and look at Options as you Respond. It is important not to overreact. Think through your situation. You may need to seek good advice, if possible talk to someone who has had a similar problem and did okay during their experience. This is particularly helpful if there is adequate time to secure advice. It is important how realize the situation for what it is and look at the best options available to you. This is nothing new, even the ancient Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius said “ The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit. The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are.” 

Choose the Best Option and Proceed with cautious optimism. It isn’t always a clear path or a perfect straight line through a crisis. Things are often messy and not nice and neat and cleaning it up can be a process and take time. Trust me I know, every time I eat some pie, I check to see if everything around me is okay…