October 19 – “Rookies to rednecks”

I went to the fire department physical agility testing yesterday morning.  Out of over a hundred who took the written test, thirty-one were there for the physical part.  It’s not an easy test, folks.  Who wants to climb 75 feet straight up in the air on a truck ladder just to touch the top and come back down?  And that’s just the first skill.  It gets difficult after that.  Only eleven guys made it through under the required time limit.  Now they have to have a good showing in their interview with the chief.  Can’t wait to see which ones get hired.  One of the best parts of the day was lunch afterwards.  Mrs. Trish put together some cold cuts and chips, and guys from all three shifts stuck around for lunch together.  Quite the family, those guys.  I’m proud that they allow me to be a part of it.

After lunch I had time to make a quick trip to see Cailyn cheer a time or two before I had to change for my 1:00 meeting with a couple getting married next week.  As it turned out, I sure didn’t have to hurry.  They were almost two hours late.  They were coming in from Beaumont and got held up because of a wreck.  Then they got in the ferry lines behind hundreds of bikes.  There was a big race this weekend.  The meeting itself only took about fifteen minutes.  Meanwhile Chris left for the wedding of a young man who grew up at Seaside.  Cody was getting married in Port Bolivar, over the ferry, about the same time as the wedding I had to perform out on the West End of the Island in Sea Isle. 

That extra two hours I had to wait almost made me late for the wedding I had to perform.  I made it though, with at least ten minutes to spare before scheduled start time.  Not that I needed to worry.  I think we finally got going around thirty minutes late.  Typical wedding timing.  Nothing typical about this bunch, though.  By their own description, this was an all out redneck affair.  It was out on the beach under a very simple arch, but there were cowboy hats and boots, cans of beer and cigarettes, blue jeans and shorts and the promise of barbeque and beans for later.  And that was just at the ceremony.  Know how I knew for sure it was a redneck wedding, though?  I asked how to get to the reception.  Here was the response (feel free to add your own twang: “Just drive on down past the fire house, turn left and look for the monster trucks in the driveway.”  I’ve never had more accurate directions.

Proverbs 21:21 says, “He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.”

Father, please watch over Cody and Taylor and Adam and Angela.  And be with the new hires at the department, whoever they end up being.  Amen.