Community Meal

     I was working for the community meal today.  It is something our church does every two months or so.  Today was a very hot and humid day.  I started out by serving ice water to people who came in early.  There was one person there who started complaining the water was not cold enough.  That is because the ice was melting so fast and there is no air conditioning in the church.  He started asking me for ice while I was busy helping other people.  I brought some cherry flavored drink that was right from the ice cold cooler. He complained about that also.  In addition some people started complaining the punch was too sweet.
     I started to get worked up about it.  I was thinking how ungrateful these people are.  If not for the work we were doing they would not have any think to drink at all let alone cold water and punch.  I was starting to get really nervous about it. 
     One thing I have learned in the last ten years is we can't control people who are in our outer environment.  These people complaining were definitely outside my influence.  I wanted to tell them off and make them feel bad about complaining.  I choose peace over power in this case.  I know they are just as hot and miserable as I was plus they had not ate maybe all day.  I think if the world would put themselves in other peoples shoes for a few weeks the world would be a lot better place.  I am glad I did not escalate this encounter.