October 22 – “The Man”

Trip to Houston today.  It's two weeks before my next rheumatologist appointment, so that means I had to have some blood drawn to check my liver enzymes to see if I can keep taking the meds I'm on and if he can increase them to where they might actually do some good.  She found my vein right away.  Always does.  That's a good thing, I guess.   On our way home we stopped at Lifeway Christian Store by Baybrook Mall.  We drove all the way to Texas, so we had to pile those errands up and get them all done.  I needed to pick up five more copies of the workbook for the Experiencing God study we start Sunday at Seaside.  Two more people signed up the other day.  This could really be a good thing for us.  I'm getting excited.  We saw our friend Mike who is the assistant manager there.  He used to go to Seaside until they moved away to Texas.  Always good to get a hug from Mike.  He's one the most encouraging guys I know.  I also found out that October was Pastor Appreciation Month.  I think that's another one of those Hallmark Holidays so they can sell more cards.  The thought is really nice, though.   We were hungry.  That overrules any thought of another stop until that little detail is taken care of.  We went to "our special restaurant" (if we have one of those).  Actually we stopped at the Saltgrass Steak House on the freeway.  It's where we sometimes go when it's just the two of us and we have been to Houston.  They have a lunch special of steak and shrimp that I get.  I eat the shrimp and bring the steak home for later.  Chris mixes her order up.  Today she had a chicken fried steak.  Well, she had half of it and brought the rest home.    How could we pass by a Hobby Lobby and not stop?  Chris has been looking for some stuff to spray on some pots her grandkids gave her so the paintings/handprints will be protected.  She also got some cross stitch stuff and I even got a carving block made out of cedar.  Never have tried carving cedar before.  Hope it's not too tough.  It is almost November, so I have to think of something to carve Chris for Christmas.  Any ideas?   As we were leaving the parking lot Chris saw a Best Buy.  We had been toying around on line with some new laptops for a future purchase.  Why not?  We checked them out just for fun.  Something else to save up for.   Nathan texted while we were on the road that he smelled gas out by our meter.  I can't smell anything with these allergies.  But I sure trust him.  I called the gas company when we got home.  They told us to stay away from the meter until they could get someone to check it out.  OK.  Then she said to leave the premises and stay with a neighbor.  Didn't happen.  The guy who came – Louis - was great.  I asked if he knew our friend Brian who used to work for them, and he knew right away.  He wanted to know how I knew Brian.  I told him he comes to a Bible study here every Thursday night.  He said Brian was a great guy.  Then he said, "You know, more people need to get to be in with the Man."  I lost him for a minute there, but he kept talking and I figured it out.  "Yeah.  Most people believe in the Man alright, but they don't act like it.  They don't live their lives like they believe."  No, my friend.  They don't.   Ephesians 4:11-13 says, "It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."   Father, give Louis a good day today.  He speaks well for you.  Amen.