Guest Blogger, My Sister Michelle!!!!!!!

To me, the two simplest words....actually the most two deceptively simple words, strung together can make the world a very different place...

I'm sorry...

To truly be sorry, without any thought of absolution or forgiveness is what I believe makes the Lord stand up and start high fiving the angels. Because of the Lord, I was able to have that moment. Read on.....


Picture this, A beautiful (yet rainy) day in Northern Michigan. I am home with the kids and simply did not care to think about making lunch. I decided...what the heck, I'll order one of those sinfully (no pun intended) good flad bread pizzas from the local pizza joint. So, I picked up the phone and called. (note: it was noon, the heart of lunch hour), they were appropriatly busy when they answered. The woman answered. " Hello, thank you for calling local pizza joint, this is Alesha, are you still at "proceeds to spit out my home address".....

"Why yes, I am still at that address"..

"What can I get for you Mrs. Dungjen"

I ordered the food I wanted, and proceeded to wait the alloted time, as given by "Alesha"..

About 40 minutes later, I noticed a miss call on my phone and not being a number I recoginzed and the lack of a message, I just assumed it was a wrong number...about a hour and fifteen minutes later I called "Alesha", to check status of my order. Much to my suprise, "Alesha" told me that they had been to my house, had called and left the area because I did not answer..........this is where is gets sort of ugly..

With my children at my knee and I, Without much thought proceeded to let this woman know exactly how displeased I was...For example...

ME: WHAT...WHY DIDNT HE LEAVE A MESSAGE AND TELL ME HE WAS RIGHT OUT FRONT AND WAIT A FEW MINUTES.....I OBVIOUSLY ORDERED THE PIZZA, SO I WANTED IT..WHO DOES THAT???

ALESHA.."I DON'T KNOW MAM, I'M NOT HIM.

ME: WELL, BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH...

It really doesn't matter does it? I was incredibly rude, insensitive..and ultimatly, really embarrased. My children had just witnessed me treating another human being like dirt..I shuffled around the kitchen for a few minutes, still angry that we werent eating this (sinfully) wonderful "feast".....brooding, and yelling to myself, "how can they screw this up, they are just down the street". (little did I know, I was trying to justify to myself, treating another person the way I did)

The next memory I have is that of the Lord himself up there wagging his forefinger at me as if to say " Michelle, you know what you have to do?"

I answered...(after a few air kicks, like a 3 year old)...I said, "Yes, Lord, I do know what I have to do. I thought I would be hesitant at this moment, but I wasnt. I said out loud to my children, "Mommy has a very important phone call to make".

I dialed the local pizza joint, (as the aforementioned caller id explained, they obviously knew it was the crazy woman calling".)

Thankfully (or maybe not), Alesha answered...

She was more than a little hesitant to answer, she said..."YES??".

I started to get very embarrased, and I said....."Hi, I am the crazy woman on 9th street that you attempted to deliver a pizza to?"

Alesha responded as I believe anyone in her position would do......." UMMMM YEAH"...

My heart sunk as I realized this woman must think I am just terrible..everthing in me wanted to yell..."NEVERMIND".and hang up..

But at that moment I prayed and God said, don't be afraid..."do the right thing"...

I said...Mam, I am so very sorry for how I treated you. I am having a bad afternoon and that is no reason to take it out on you. I am truly sorry....


......akward silent........

Alesha says" "It sounds like you have children, I have four myself mam. Please don't worry about it..

I said, "I Cant' tell you how awful I feel, you must get this crap all the time. I am honestly sorry for being so rude to you"

Alesha then proceeded to tell me how busy they get at lunch hour and that she is too sorry for any part they had it not delivering the food, etc....".

I finally told her that I made other plans for lunch, but I just didnt want the day to go by without her knowing how sorry I felt and that I really didnt feel it was her fault... Alesha was the height of professionlism, unscathed at my rudeness and very forgiving. We hung up and I felt we both can move on...

About an hour and half later (well beyond lunch, but happily close to dinner time) there was a knock at the door. It was the delivery man from "local pizza joint".. he said " Mam, we feel very bad we made a mistake today, and we happened to be in the area and wanted you to have this"...( the very pizza I ordered 4 hours ago)..

He was so sweet, could not have been more then 17. I quickly said..."WAIT, I was rude to you..you didnt have to give me anything..let me get you a tip")...He said.."really mam, its okay we were in the area and we felt bad"...I said..well I'm giving you the tip and you just made my whole week/month/year.

I did call "Alesha" back (sis, I didnt tell you this on the phone)...I just wanted to thank her. I told her that giving me a free pizza was not necessary, but I so much appreciated the thought..etc...


So where does this leave me today?

I suppose in that small moment and upon further reflection that GOD was working his miracles in me. Driving me to do the right thing, without any thought of "forgiviness". Then to realize that my children witnessed mommy making a mistake and doing her best to right it. I can only thank God that he works in this way.


" I called to you Lord and asked what do I do??, he answered..

"The Right Thing"


I bowed my head and answered...

"YES" simply, because it is the right thing to do.

I love you sis...

Michelle