June 1 – “All is done …”

Now that’s the kind of text I enjoy getting.  “All is done and getting cooler.”  I spent the better part of the afternoon yesterday up at the church again.  I met with the retired electrician (James) who worked on tracking the source of the difficulty back at the last workday.  He had the issue fixed in about five minutes.  Simple matter of re-connecting some wires.  And then we waited.  And waited.  For two hours. 

Oh, it wasn’t that the wait was unpleasant.  I learned a lot about James.  I was really surprised to learn that he is a heart transplant recipient.  Still going strong.  He did take a call while we were there about setting up an appointment for his next checkup, but that sort of thing will be his life for the rest of his life.  We even had time to share with each other about our childhood church life. 

After two hours it was getting close to time for me to leave.  I called their office and after some tracking down they assured us that they were in Pirates Beach finishing up a job and would be at Seaside within an hour and a half.  Now, we had home group last night, and we needed to get Cailyn to softball practice.  That was going to take both Chris and I being there.  James heard my end of the conversation and volunteered to stick around and wait for the AC guys.  How’s that for a life-saver?  And yes, he is the author of the good news text “All is done and getting cooler.”  Thank you, James.  We will be cool in church Sunday because of your assistance.

Home group was a combination fellowship and Bible study this week.  We did get to finish the Leviticus lesson we didn’t complete last week, but it was also party week.  Jennifer arranged a birthday party for her husband Bryan.  Sam brought Peppa Pig party hats and a Happy Birthday streamer that she draped across the walkway.  Bryan received a crown with colored lights that alternated flashing around his head.  And we did have a birthday cake.  Special made to fit the special diet Bryan is on.  Something about ketoacetone, as I recall.  We sang “happy birthday to you,” but we had to stop just before the end because Brennan arrived from baseball practice and we wanted him to get in on the action.  So we started up again, but we stopped again before the end because Janell arrived, and we didn’t want her to miss anything.  We did finally make it all the way through the song and blowing out his candle.  I did try to extend things one more time by slamming the front door and calling for one more rousing rendition.  Didn’t get any takers. 

Now a quick word about that ketoacetone cake.  I thought that was the stuff you use to unstick superglue or remove fingernail polish.  I never expected it to be the substance of a birthday cake.  We were each given a small sample piece to try.  After a series of quite mixed reviews centering on the texture and the lemon taste (Cathy’s only comment was. “Well, I like lemons”), I gathered up my nerve and grabbed a fork.  I took a relatively small bite, but it grew in my mouth.  And grew.  And the more it grew, the stronger the lemon factor.  My chaser of choice was watermelon.  Cool and watery and, most especially, sweet.  Chris chose nacho-flavored Doritos.  Ed called for a cookie.  Someone tossed him one and it landed right in his mouth.  Ed has never been one to waste time on insignificant conventions such as table matters when a crisis of palate proportions is occurring.  After all was said and done, I think we could all agree with Corey, “Bryan we wish you well on your diet journey.  We are standing behind you all the way.”  Oh, and pass me a chocolate chip cookie, would you?

Psalms 67:1-2 says, “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, Selah, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.”

Father, thank you for Bryan.  Grant him many more healthy years of serving you.  Amen.