Front Row Parking & The American Dream {{Five Minute Friday}}

It’s that time again: Five Minute Friday! I’ll be joining the clan over at Kate Motaung’s place for five minutes of free-flow writing. Hop on over and join the fun!

Today’s word is:

// You pull up to the Walmart parking lot, eyes ravaging through the sea of cars and you are thinking one thing: “Lord… please…. Can I have a front row parking spot?”

That minivan pulls right out and it’s yours– A glorious FRONT ROW parking spot.

“YES! Oh thank you Jesus. Thank you, thank you!” (Please tell me I’m not the only one who does this?)

And then there are days those dreams are crushed as you’re trudging what feels like ‘miles’ from the very back of the parking lot and you just happen to pick the WORST shoes to wear that day.

Our culture is so funny, the things that we anticipate and find joy in. For me, I love this little parking perk because it is so convenient. Convenience is something that I almost expect in every situation and when my circumstances turn out to be less than convenient– I am disappointed.

In our society, convenience is something that is sought after in almost all areas. Fast food, quick shipping, drive through everything, delivery to your door step. Someday we wont even have to lift a finger! However, this concept of convenience has seeped into more than just industry, but into the ‘design’ we have for our lives. For many of us, we’ve grown up with the American Dream in the back of our minds and it has slowly rooted itself in the core of our desires. A perfect house, a fulfilling job, perfect spouse and kids, and a life we just feel so comfortable in. Convenience. Yet, when we grow older and face tough circumstances that are less than comfortable, we freak out because that isn’t the life we anticipated for all of these years. This isn’t the ‘American Dream’ that we thought we would one day have.

This disappointment causes us to sulk and sorrow over our space and our place because it’s not as exciting as what we perceived it would be.

Oh, but the American Dream is just a mirage that we’ll keep chasing if we continue to give it our gaze. Convenience will hardly ever grow you, money can not fully satisfy you, and perfection is something that we can never attain in this lifetime.

So let’s take those long walks from back of the parking lot to the front door and thank God for the process that happens in between. After all, convenience may be comfortable, but it rarely will produce true contentment that comes from resting in the place God has you.\\

This post is Day 21 of Five Minute Free Writes for the Write 31 Days Challenge.