April 17 – “Uniformly fitted”

I was fitted for a uniform yesterday.  Sound kind of funny to hear me say that about me.  The only uniforms I can remember being fitted for had to do with sports: baseball or basketball.  The only time I was in band was junior high, so n uniform there.  The Viet Nam War, and hence the draft, ended just before I became eligible, so no military uniform.  My illustrious, pre-ministry vocations have been: beach garbage man (no uniform requirements to empty trash cans and pick up driftwood on the beach), roofer (I suppose you could count that I had to wear a long sleeved shirt and long pants.  They weren’t special issued, though, and it didn’t take long for them to get speckled with tar), and salesman at Sears (Certainly no uniform there, but we did have to “look nice.”  I was even “promoted” to the men’s suits department, where I measured people for suits and told them what colors went with what.  That was a joke.  I had an arrangement with one of the other workers.  She would stand behind the customer out of view.  I would hold up two items and she would give me a thumbs up or down on whether they matched.  Great arrangement.  Always did appreciate that lady.  We called her “Cookie.”  Never knew her real name).  I didn’t include the neighborhood odd jobs we used to do as kids to raise money to buy baseball cards.  That was mainly sweeping people’s gutters out.  Mowing grass took too long and required too much supervision and approval.  Besides, it was a whole lot easier to drag a broom along behind you as you went from house to house as opposed to pushing a mower.  And in the  ministry I suppose you could say the fact that I was required to wear a suit in several churches could count as a uniform.  Sure didn't like doing that, though.  And it's not as though they had an official logo on them.  So, no uniforms for me … until yesterday.

Oh, I guess I failed to mention that the uniform was one for the fire department chaplain.  And I didn’t actually get the uniform yet, of course.  This was just the fitting.  I met the guy at one of the stations, and his first question was, “What are we fitting you for today.”  They always start with the hardest ones.  I had no idea.  Now, I had done my research enough to know that there are three tiers, or classes, of uniforms.  Class A is the dress uniform that is worn for official functions when representing the department.  Class B is a bit less formal, with no tie or jacket or dress hat.  Class C is the everyday, polo shirt and slacks.  I assumed the uniform I was being fitted for would be the Class A, since most of my duties would be involved in an official capacity, but I honestly wasn’t sure.  He took all the measurements, though, and I called the secretary to see what she could find out.  She assured me she would have the assistant chief touch base with the uniform rep.  Gotta hand it to those secretaries.  They are the ones who are really in the know every time.  Way to go, Trish.

Psalms 86:6-7 says, “Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my cry for mercy.  In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me.”

Father, thanks for the unsung secretaries of the world.  Trish and Laura and Cindy in my current experience.  Bless ‘em wildly.  Amen.