April 16 – “The RLC Near-Encounter”

We made our trip to the post office yesterday to pick up that tax packet from our accountant that we missed delivery of because we were working in the back yard.  We were kind of apprehensive about going to the post office on that particular day.  Why?  Well, we anticipated large crowds in “honor” of April 15^th … Tax Day.  Doesn’t everyone celebrate it?  Oh, we didn’t expect fanfare and parades.  And we weren’t disappointed.  There were none of those.  There was a bit of a line, however.  Some disgruntled.  Others patiently waiting.  I tried to bypass the system and go directly to the pickup window.  They have a little doorbell that you ring.  Meanwhile Chris got in line just in case.  “Just in case” won the day.  She reached the front of the line before anybody ever came to answer the doorbell.  Once we got to the counter things went fast and easy.  They handed me the package, I signed for it.  All was well.

Once we were in the car I opened the packet.  And sure enough, what I had dreaded came to life.  We already paid the tax due for last year.  The accountant had emailed us what we needed to get that taken care of.  But the document I was looking for was the one that shows how much we need to pay quarterly so the hit at the end of the year is not so difficult to swallow.  It was there, right on top.  And the due date for the first installment?  Yep.  April 15^th.  We went back to the house, had a quick lunch, wrote a check to cover the payment, slipped it in an envelope, and headed back to the post office.  Twice in one day.  Tax Day. 

The second line was longer than the first.  Of course it was.  All we needed this time was one of those magical cancellation stamps on the envelope to prove we got it there on April 15^th.  The lady behind us was in the same boat.  Just a cancellation stamp.  She noticed the chaplain designation on my cap, and started up a conversation.  She thought it said Carnival at first.  Cruise line or traveling festival guy?  It was a fun conversation.  Something to pass the time.  By the time we finished our transaction the line was almost to the door.  Yikes.  I tried to encourage those toward the back with a “Hang in there” and a “The line is moving.”  Not sure how appreciative they were though.

We even almost got hit by a mailman in his truck on the way out of the parking lot.  He was hurrying to the parking area behind the building, because it was his quitting time and he had somewhere else to be.  How do I know so much about that mailman?  It was our son, Kel.  His son Jachin had a baseball scrimmage, and he was heading over to watch it.  Gotta watch out for those RLC’s (Relative Letter Carriers).

Philippians 2:8 says, “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!”

Father, Watch over our RLC this week as he makes his deliveries.  Amen.