Sorry if you were behind me in the grocery store today

So it was "Early Release" day at school for the kids today. I paid for them to be picked up and taken to a daycare since I was still at work. So I had about 45 minutes more than I normally do before I needed to pick them up for piano practice. You know what I was thinking, "what can I do by myself for 45 minutes?" You guessed it I went to Walmart! A trip with the kids is always a guaranteed two hour visit AT LEAST. It has been cereal week here, with groceries so expensive lately they just don't last us long anymore so when I was blessed yesterday with two Walmart gift cards I thought this will be a great time to run to the store and get some groceries. Boy was I wrong. So I made my way through the isles and got some stuff, ran into the usual church friends, teachers and even a client of my employer. So there I was at the checkout and everything was going smooth had about 20 minutes before the kids needed to be at piano. I got my total and pulled out my gift cards, one went through and the second one only took 3 cents off the total. So the guy says the total and then I said "I think the last card didn't subtract" so he checked the receipt and informed me that the card only had 3 cents left on it. So as a line is forming I got a little nervous and just pulled out my debit card and put the remainder on there. My first thought was our gift card donor would not have given me a card with 3 cents on it. Second thought was I just used my gas money. My order was done and the guy had moved on to the next shopper but I just didn't feel right about it. So I told him I think there is some kind of mistake, the card should have $50 on it. He said "Ma'am I will check it again but thats what the computer said". The customer he was working on made her way through then he puled the card back out and re-swiped it and then it said balance $50.00!!!
He was very sorry and said "here you can just use it next time" I explained to him that I didn't want to use it next time I wanted to use it this time and could he put the 50 back on my card and use this instead. I guess you already know the answer to that "Ma'am you will need to go to the service desk and then they can fix it for you" So 30 minutes walking around the store then 15 minutes with the cashier and now I am heading to customer service. Piano was starting in 20 minutes so I really didn't have much time at all seeing that I still needed to drive to day care get the kids pick up piano books then get to church. So the saga continues at the Customer Service desk. "Ma'am I will need to call a manager because I am not sure how to do that" One CSM (I learned all the lingo during this 1 1/2 hour trip) walked towards us then went right out the door, the greeter went after her when she didn't come back in but he came back alone and informed us that she was heading to her break. The next one did finally show up and she with a attitude took my receipt and my gift card and said "Ma'am, what seems to be the problem?" once informed she says "I will need to check with the cashier on this" I watched her walk to him, mess around in his cash drawer and then disappear. Not exaggerating here she came back after 2 more pages from the new clerk I was with and 10 minutes later. She then informed me that she did in fact see the mistake and the card is still worth $50 and she was waiting on the head manager to bring her a key. I told her I am not trying to be rude or rush you but I should have already picked up my children and we should be pulling into piano practice right now and do you know how much longer it would be? She said he was on his way. He never came but did call her about 4 minutes later with a code to key in, that didn't work so they got someone else on the phone who gave them the correct code. They didn't put it back on my credit card but handed me the cash instead. My initial 30 min quick stop turned into One and 1/2 hours ,my 3 day headache is worse, we missed piano (and recital is this weekend) and there was no way I was going to stand there longer and ask for new frozen foods that were getting soggy. So whats the silver lining in all this? Well the good news is we have groceries and a full tank of gas and I am Still a blessed and highly favored child of the most high God. I have wonderful family and friends who keep us from drowning and I have more patience now than I have ever had my whole life. (I prayed for that) ! Also sometimes everything seems to go wrong in your day and you just never know the reason for it. A friend once said to me "Everything that could go wrong has today and had made me extremely late to an appointment, then I got to the intersection where an accident had just occurred and I thought wow that might of been me" I guess we were not meant to be where I thought we would be today and that's just ok with me!
Kel

We can always find something to be thankful for!
Whatever happens, give thanks, because it is God's will in Christ Jesus that you do this.
1 Thessalonians 5:18