BOY... THAT WAS DUMB!!!

I was just perusing a recent article in one of this nation's most prominent intellectual publications, (Uncle John's Bathroom Reader), that lifted my spirits a bit. Not that I usually need my spirits lifted, because I try hard to enjoy life and have a good time.
Every now and then, however, we all say or do things that make us feel dumb. Come on, admit it, you know it's true. All of us are afflicted with occasional brain locks that result in some unforeseen calamity that we immediately HOPE no one saw or heard. I honestly believe that each and every one of us have uttered a phrase under our breath that resembles; "I can't believe I did that... or... I can't believe I said that... or... I hope nobody saw that". We have all survived one of those (hopefully) rare moments when we feel REALLY dumb.
But I have some good news to share with you. Next time you find yourself in that precarious position, just remember that you're probably smarter than you think you are. The human brain can hold and process 500 times the amount of information and data contained in a complete set of the Encyclopedia Britannica. 500 times! Now that's pretty impressive, don't you think?
And just to add to your comfort, be very sure about this... you are not the only person who has those shining moments. Lawyers are among the most highly educated professionals our society has to offer. They're also some of the least respected, but they're very highly educated. Their brain may hold up to 503 times as much information as the encyclopedia... (that's just a guess). I don't know how many years they have to go to college to become a lawyer, but I do know that after a 4 year college degree, then they have to go another several years to become an attorney. Probably because it takes that long to shave off the sharp edges of their inherent integrity, learn the fine art of making deals in the interest of expediency, and discerning that the United States Justice System usually has very little to do with justice. At any rate, they are considered some of our nations sharpest and brightest professionals.
Below are listed some interesting exchanges from actual court transcripts, between attorneys and witnesses.

Q: Respiratory arrest means no breathing, doesn't it?
A: That's right.
Q: And in every case where there is a death, there is no breathing, correct?

Q: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?
A: Yes... I have been since birth.

Q: Are you restricted in some way by having your third finger shot off?
A: Yes, a little.
Q: What could you do before the shooting that you can't do now?
A: Wear a ring.

Q: Do you recall examining a person by the name of Rodney Edgington?
A: Yes
Q: Can you tell the court what you were doing.
A: Performing an autopsy.
Q: Where was this autopsy examination taking place?
A: At the Coroner's lab.
Q: Do you recall approximately what time this examination took place?
A: Yes, it was in the evening, at about 8:30 pm, I believe.
Q: And Mr. Edgington was dead at that time, is that correct?
A: No, you dumb @#*, he was sitting on the table and we were talking about why I was doing an autopsy.

Q: How many trucks to you own?
A: Seventeen.
Q: Seventy?
A: No, seventeen.
Q: Seventeen?
A: Yes, seventeen.
Q: So you own seventeen trucks?
A: No, just one more than sixteen.

Now don't you feel better? Even the brightest minds our universities have produced are subject to those moments when the neurons just aren't firing like they ought to. And we can even look at the word of God find that some of God's most trusted servants suffered from the same thing.
Take the apostle Paul for example. In the 7th chapter of Romans we see what looks familiar to us. He says, (using the modern day Texas vernacular), Look, I know what I'm supposed to do, I just have a hard time doing it sometimes. What I know to be right, I don't do, and what I know to be wrong, THAT I do.
Now before you get on me about this passage, I KNOW he's talking about sin. But then when you stop and think about it, some of our dumbest moments, some of the things we say or do that ultimately make us feel the dumbest, are instances when we step off into sin and out of God's will for our lives... right? I don't know about you, but there have been times in my life when I've gotten off track, sinned in the eyes of God, and along with the contrition and sadness at disappointing my Father... at some point after a plea for forgiveness, that thought inevitably comes to mind... "Boy... THAT was dumb!"
But we all ought to be a little less hard on ourselves, because as long as we're on this side of glory, we are all going to have to deal with THOSE moments... but then Hey... It's Just A Thought.