March 20 – “Out of gas”

Date Day.  I could get used to this.  We started out with lunch at Shrimp and Stuff.  Are we predictable yet?  You can’t beat that start, though, that’s for sure.  And we were there so early that we were the only customers in the place.  That’s how you guarantee great service.  We did have a bit of a wait at the order window, though.  They were training a new guy on the cash register.  He did a fine job, so we encouraged him.  Kind of took him aback. 

Next stop was the old county courthouse.  We had to renew Mom’s handicapped placard.  I guess that should be “placard for the handicapped.”  The card didn’t have any physical limitations that met the requirements on the application.  At least not any that that I could see.  That took a while.  Only two workers to handle about ten of us in line.  Someone got back from lunch though, so the pace picked up.  They had no questions for us, though, other than to tell us that we had done more authentication than they required.  Yeah Us.

Then we drove down to the Strand area to look at antique shops for a cabinet to display Chris’ Precious Moments collection.  It has been in boxes in a closet ever since we moved back into the house after Hurricane Ike.  She has a very specific idea of what she wants, though, and I guess she just hasn’t seen the exact one yet that matches the picture in her head.  Problem there was … they were all closed.  I guess Wednesday is their weekend.  Oh, well.  We didn’t particularly want to pay to park anyway.

Next we stopped by the fire station so Chris could officially meet the administrative assistant, Trish.  They have been trying to connect since I became chaplain.  And … she was at lunch.  Maybe next time.

On to Home Depot.  The search this time was for a specific kind of lily that Chris wants to plant on the side of our house.  I think she wants a canna lily as opposed to calla lily.  Or it may be the other way around.  They didn’t have whichever one she wanted though.   So … moving right along.

Randalls was next.  Picked up a prescription for Mom and some more coffee beans.  Gotta have that Starbucks Sumatra.  Good stuff.  We filled up the gas tank while we were there too.  Thirty cents a gallons off because of our coffee purchase.  Nice.

Final stop?  Well, WalMart, of course.  We went through it pretty fast though.  Had to pick up Cailyn from school.  She was pretty surprised to see both of us standing there.  Grabbed each of us by the hand and almost skipped to the car.  It’s great when she is in a good mood. 

I closed out my day by mowing the grass.  Front and back.  And about half of the lot next door.  Couldn’t finish it, though.  A couple of reasons.  Time, for one.  I had to be at Seaside for prayer time, so I could say I ran out of time.  The mower quit once and I had to clean the filter. Then the weedeater ran out of line and I had to change that.  Finally the lawn mower simply ran out of gas.  Yeah, that’s it.  It was the lawn mower that ran out of gas.  Or was that me?

Reading back through this blog, it sounds like I was doing some complaining, but that was not at all the case.  I was just happy to be hanging out with my wife doing everyday mundane stuff.   Makes me appreciate even more the incredible gift God gave in Jesus.  And in Chris.

Matthew 11:28-30 says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Father, I do thank you for those two particular amazing gifts.  Jesus.  Chris.  I am humbled by your grace.  Amen.