Tuesday, November 3, 2015

November 3 – “Picked”

Well, it has finally happened in our household, although not to me as I had hoped.  Chris reported yesterday for that wonderful, intermittent, totally inconvenient experience called jury duty.  And not only that … she was selected for a trial.  That’s one thing I have always wanted to do.  I have been called up for duty numerous times.  And I have even made maybe the first or second round of cuts.  But once they get to the point of lawyers asking specific questions, and they get around to asking what I do for  a living, for some reason a pastor just isn’t what they want on a jury.  Not so for the retired RN, grandmotherly-type housewife.  Apparently she was exactly what they needed.  Even pronounced her name correctly.  The trial doesn’t start until tomorrow though.  She has today off to avoid speaking of the case with anyone upon penalty of … whatever the penalty is for talking about a case before they even tell them what the case is about.  So don’t expect to see much of Mama Chris this week.  They “hope to be completely finished with the trial by Friday at 5 p.m.”  But they really couldn’t promise that.  She may have to bleed over into next week … when we are supposed to be in Waco babysitting for Josh and Christi.  Gotta love this American system of justice.

Speaking of the American system … today is voting day.  I understand one of the propositions is supposed to save the taxpayer some money.  How unique is that?  Seaside is a host site again for voting, so if you are traveling “out west,” feel free to stop in and get you civic duty done. 

So while Chris was having all the fun, I segmented my day into phases so I could keep track of tasks.  Hey, without her around, I have to revert to bachelor status to make sure I don’t miss something.  I got through my usual Monday desk work all in Phase One.  Phase Two was the nearby errands department.  Bank deposit.  Get my hearing aids cleaned out so I could actually hear through them.  I almost went right intro Phase Three (farther away errands), but I decided to stop in at WalMart and do some shopping from my “Special Christmas Gifts from Dad” list.  Have to get something really special for each of my kids – not grandkids, mind you.  They get some pretty cool stuff anyway.  This is for my older kids – my sons and their wives and my wife.  Best gifts they will receive this year, I am fairly certain.  I did finally ,make it to Phase Three.  Went out to the church to pick up some papers.  Also went to the hardware store there in Jamaica Beach to get some plumbing supplies for the retreat center.  We still have to hook up the fridge ice makers.  And then I found a key to restock paper towels.  And then I decided to clean up under the building.  See, this is what happens to me when Chris isn’t around to help direct my focus.  I see all kinds of things that need to get done and I’m easily distracted into whatever the next thing is before I actually check off the first thing from my list.  Kind of frustrating.  Lots more fun though.  At least I don’t get bored.  I never did get to Phases Four and Five.  Stopped off to see Station 7’s temporary digs while their building is being renovated.  Very nice.  While I was talking to the guys there Chris texted that she was home, so I dropped the rest of my list and came on back.  But, hey … at least I have something already on my to do list for today, right?

James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”


Father, give Chris and the rest of the jurors the wisdom they need to do the righteous thing in this trial.  Amen.

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