April 21 – “Barbeque”

Well, my brain feels like it has been barbequed right now.  Or at least properly fried.  There was so much information to absorb in this conference that it will take me weeks to sort through it all.  I guess I’ll be sharing a little bit at a time as I go through it all again.  I am officially a member of the Texas State Fire Chaplain Corps, and I’ll be joining the National Federation of Fire Chaplains when I get home.  I have to have a letter of endorsement from the church and a letter from the fire chief indicating that he did appoint me before I can send off for that one.  I did make a lot of contacts for future assistance, though.  I was amazed at how much help there is available.  Good thing, too.  I predict that I will need a lot. 

I went with a few of the guys over to the seminary cafeteria for lunch.  It was closed, but there was a little snack bar area open.  The girl asked how she could help me, so I said I wanted a sandwich.  She said, “OK.  Get a bag and fill it out.”  A bag.  Nowhere did I see a bag on the counter.  She sensed my perplexity and pointed to a rack on the wall nearby.  Sure enough, there was a stack of bags.  “Don’t forget to fill it out,” she reminded me.  On the outside of the bag was a list of the options for sandwiches and ingredients.  It was like going to Starbucks, but filling out the info yourself.  Of course filling it out would require a writing utensil.  Again I looked around.  “There’s a marker with the bags,” came the patient response from the girl.  I had to look a bit harder this time, but I did find a magic marker stuffed among the bags.  Filling it out was easy, I just had to make sure there wasn’t a box marked “Barbeque.”  Nope.  Just “Club.”  Good enough. 

I planned to offer to treat my hosts to supper that night, but it was already almost ready when I arrived back at the house.  Guess what they did for supper?  That’s right.  Barbeque.  Well, it was actually grilling, and I did have my choice.  Some of it was marinated in some kind of Italian stuff.  Some of it was in barbeque sauce.  I took the barbeque sauce, of course.  On a pork chop.  It was really good.  I don’t think I’ll order that for lunch today, though.  It is so great to have friends that seem to enjoy opening their home to the likes of me.  That can’t be an easy thing.

Psalms 86:12-13 says, “I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.  For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.”

Father, thank you for Cary and Kay Lynn and for their hospitality. Bless them mightily in all they do.  Amen.