December 14 – “Check”

I started my Wednesday with work.  Pretty much as usual.  I tried to get the Sunday teaching a little more in shape, and then I turned to party planning.  Our church wide Christmas party is tonight.  So we still have a lot of pre-party work to do. 

My side of the task was interrupted, however, for a trio to the church for staff meeting.  I also had four assignments there to take care of.  Take down the banners for Christmas.  Check.  Change the marquee sign to read “Christmas Eve Candlelight 6 pm.”  Check.  Remove the candy canes from the Bethlehem Market leftover bags to keep them out of the hand (and mouth) of greedy rodents and roaches and ants.  Check.  And finally, pick up the small Christmas tree for us at the Christmas party as a Chrismon tree.  Check. 

While I was gone Chris stayed home and baked.  And baked.  And baked.  Friendship bread.  Peppermint candy on a stick.  Christmas mix.  The stench in the house when I walked in the door was … heavenly.  It was a scent to behold … or experience.  No tasting yet, though.  Well, except for a touch of the Christmas mix.  I did sneak a bit of that.  Check.

After lunch I worked on Dad gifts for a while, and then left again for my party supplies mission, which also included, strangely enough, a trip to WalMart.  By the time I got home I was too tired to actually begin putting all those supplies together in party format.  But I had to leave something for me to do today besides vacuum, right?  But boy is the list a long one.  Hope I can get it all done by 6:30.  Lots of fun hidden in those WalMart bags …

We got our first encouragement card and reimbursement from a fellow Samaritan Ministry member for some of the expenses we have incurred for my neck issues this year.  It has been our first exposure to the medical cost sharing alternative to insurance, and I have to say it was a real unexpected blessing.  I believe I might just recommend this approach. 

Last night as I tried to shut this computer down before bed, it completely locked up.  Can’t say I was surprised though.  The last notice it displayed after I finished the copying I did was that it intended to update something in Windows as well as iTunes.  Never a good combination in my experience.  I struggled with it for a long time before just leaving it on to do its thing, and going on to bed.  Apparently it just wanted the alone time.  This morning it came on just fine.  The wheels of technology are running slow, I guess.  Or perhaps it was the prayers I sent up asking for its recovery.  Those count, don’t they?

Psalms 16:11 says, “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

Father, thank you for the answered prayers regarding this silly old computer.  Amen.