January 9 – “Ameliorating”

Workers at Seaside have completed the process of ameliorating a mold problem in my office there.  That really has nothing to do with much of anything.  I just wanted to say the word “ameliorating.” 

I did have a pleasant experience at the Galveston Ministerial Alliance meeting yesterday.  I have been to that meeting a time or two in the past with my friend Clay, but I have not been since he moved to California.  I decided to go this time primarily because I got the postcard reminder before the meeting.  That’s a first.  It usually comes a day or two after.  I found out that two more of the long-time Galveston clergymen are retiring next year.  One is the rabbi.  The other is the director of St. Vincent’s House, a local charity organization affiliated with the Episcopal Church.  If this keeps up I’ll be the “senior statesman” on the Island.  Frightening thought.  There were also ministers from a Presbyterian church, a Christian church, two from Baptist churches, and the director of the Seafarer’s Center.  Pretty eclectic crowd.  I was impressed at the end of the meeting, though.  We all stood in a circle, held hands, and the St. Vincent’s guy led in prayer.  Felt like a good bond.  I could go for more of that kind of praying.  Kind of an ameliorating experience. 

I went by the central fire station after that meeting.  Hadn’t been there in a while, so I needed to check in with the fire fighters on duty as well as the chief.  And more importantly, the secretary.  Gotta stay on good terms with Trish.  She’s the one who’s really in charge down there.  There were a lot of extra fire fighters around.  Finally found out that they were doing the new recruit interviews of the guys who passed the physical test.  Actually, they were just breaking for lunch from the interviews.  Fortunate time for me to arrive as it turned out.  The chief invited me to join them at The Original for lunch.  That’s a Mexican food place here in the Island.  Good stuff.  I learned a little about the process for hiring.  The union selected a fire fighter, a driver, and a captain to the interview panel.  The chief, assistant chief, and battalion chiefs made up the rest.  So each candidate had to run the gauntlet, so to speak, just to get to his seat at the table.  I guess if they can handle that pressure, it reflects well on their ability to handle themselves in a fire.  They each had to answer a set of questions.  The panel then ranked their answer to each question.  The rankings were then averaged and added together to come up with a final score.  Sounded like a fair process for all concerned.  I’ll be anxious to see which guys are finally hired.  The extra hires will help ameliorate the shortages of manpower.

I also stopped by the city manager’s office to say hi to him while I was in the neighborhood.  He’s a good guy, and I wanted to encourage him.  That’s a tough job he has.  Not much positive feedback for someone who has to deal with crazy Galveston politics day in and day out.  I’m sure every good word helps to ameliorate his situation.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 says, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.”

Father, that’s the kind of amelioration I want to be a part of.  Ameliorate my weakness.  Amen.