January 18 - “On chairs and FD cousins”

I made a quick trip over to Office Depot the other day.  They were advertising office furniture for sale, and I need a new desk chair.  The one I have has a few problems, some of which I could live with.  The worn out padding is annoying, as is the tiny little hole in one arm right where my hand fits.  But the really troublesome issue is the fact that it has lost its ability to raise and lower.  Well, it will raise up, but it won’t stay in position.  It slowly eases itself back to the lowest possible spot.  That means I feel like I’m typing from a hole.  Now, some people who use the chair like it down there anyway, and I have often had to reset it over the years.  But I don’t do well operating from a hole.  I think maybe this is the reason my back has been barking at me lately. 

So I was looking for an office chair.  One was listed in their big sale in the paper for $49.99, but I missed the cutoff on that by one day.  That same chair was now $59.99 (regularly $129.99).  I finally found one that swiveled and rolled, but it didn’t rock.  That could be a problem.  The deal-breaker, though was when I realized that it was only a half-back chair.  Well, I mean the whole back was there, but it only reached half-way up my back.  I really need one that comes all the way up.  Strictly ergonomical reasons, you understand.  It has nothing to do with having a place to rest my head when I lean back and take a nap.  I kept searching and finally found one that met all my must-haves (can you tell that HGTV has been on our TV lately?  Property Brothers).  It was comparable to the one I have, and it was also on sale.  But it cost $99.99.  That’s a bit more than we had discussed, so I texted Chris to see what she thought.  Her answer?  Classic.  “Duct tape the old one.”  Gotta love that woman.  I responded with, “But duct tape doesn’t work on hydraulics.”  So she lovingly replied with the answer that every husband hates to hear.  “It’s up to you.”  I didn’t get the chair that day. 

But I did go back and get it the next day.  And I had an interesting encounter along the way.  The guy who helped me carry it to the car – Miguel – was eyeing my cap, and finally got up the nerve to ask what he had been thinking about.  Somewhat incredulously, he managed, “Do you work for the fire department?”  Now the way he said it reminded me of the Greek construction (or is it Hebrew?) that communicates asking a question but expecting a negative answer.  In other words, “You don’t really work for the fire department, do you?”  I guess my aura doesn’t really exude “This guy will risk life and limb for your burning house – and be successful.”  Although it was tempting to see how he would react if I told him I was a fire fighter, I was honest and let him know I was the department chaplain.  And as such I was able to experience the best of both worlds.  I didn’t have to run into burning buildings, but I could still be a part of the whole fire department family experience.  He did have a reason behind his question, though.  He told me his cousin married “one of those guys who works way out there on the West End.  His name is Jones.”  I told him I knew Steve, and he assured me that Steve was a good guy.  So I guess you have Nicole’s family on your side, Steve.  Way to go.

Oh, and by the way … the chair is very comfortable. 

Ephesians 3:14-19 says, “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Father, watch over the fire department family, cousins and all.  Amen.