January 31 – “Just don’t go away so quickly”

Chris had the Big Excursion of the Day yesterday.  She drove into Texas to Pinwheels and Posies and then to Hobby Lobby.  That’s right.  She is on another mission to make some more quilts.  That means matching colors and cutting strips and sewing everything together.  It will be a flurry of activity around here for sure. 

 

Meanwhile I stayed home and went over the sermon for today.  Well, I did that after I walked a mile and a half.  Added a little loop there since Chris wasn’t with me.  I never know how much she should go or push.  But she starts the long-awaited Cardiac Rehab this week, so we should find out the answers to those kind of questions over the course of the next 36 sessions / 12 weeks / 3 months.  That puts us into May, you know, since tomorrow is February first.  Wow.  We are already glad you’re here, 2021.  Just don’t go away so quickly.

 

Our afternoon (and evening) was suspiciously like a Friday/day off kind of day.  It’s been a while.  We worked on our National Park puzzle.  Chris made some heart-healthy homemade chicken noodle soup.  Good stuff, by the way.  We watched Baylor handily defeat Auburn in college basketball.  And we even managed an episode or two of Stargate SG1.  We may have to attempt a duplication of these events … someday.

 

Psalms 41:1 says, “Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.”

 

Father, thank you for a day of rest.  I guess they do come in handy now and then.  Amen.

January 30 – “Hey, Buddy. That’s my car.”

We walked our mile again yesterday.  And it was surprisingly cold.  The bitter wind was out of the Northeast, so the trek was more difficult when we turned down certain streets.  I checked the temperature app on my phone to see what kind of horrific weather this was that we were suffering through.  54 degrees.  Awful.  And we were outside, so it felt like about 20 to us.  Bring us back our warmth … please.

 

We went to WalMart.  Mainly because it was restock the bananas day.  I also picked up a new belt.  Mine has definitely seen better days.  Problem, though.  They didn’t have the size I needed.  I decided to try one size bigger.  Unfortunately, I didn’t try it on in the store.  It is way too big.  Well, I guess I could get by with it on the very last hole provided.  But wait.  I just had an idea.  I could lower my waistline to about mid-thigh.  That should do the trick.  Hey, it’s a fashion statement for a lot of guys, isn’t it?  Sigh.  I know.  Chris wouldn’t let me out of the house.  So, don’t work, folks.  It’s now in the return pile. 

 

When we returned to the car I had a brief scare.  As we rounded a large van parked next to us, there stood a gentleman at the front door of our car.  The opened front door of our car.  I almost stepped up to challenge him.  You know, “Hey, Buddy.  That’s my car.”  But my better sense that shows up on rare occasions stopped me.  Good thing.  Come to find out, it was not our car.  It was the Ford version of our Chevy Equinox.  Sorry, fella.  Have a wonderful shopping experience …

 

We started a brand new jigsaw puzzle.  This one is all about the National Parks system.  Hey, if we can’t actually go there, we may as well quietly pine over what might have been (or what might yet be.  How’s that for a Covidly optimistic take on things?)  This one is very different.  It has words.  Lots of words.  But there is a problem.  Most of them are the same words, over and over and over.  Big Bend NATIONAL PARK, Denali NATIONAL PARK, Rocky Mountain NATIONAL PARK.  All over the puzzle the words NATIONAL PARK are repeated over and over.  At least the fonts are different.  Mostly …

 

Isaiah 55:1-2 says, “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!  Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.  Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?  Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.”

 

Father, please be with that guy and his little daughter who were parked next to us at WalMart.  And thank you for checking my spirit of challenge.  Amen.

January 29 – “Snoopy or National Parks?”

I had the early start yesterday.  I met Kel at the mechanic’s shop at 8 a.m. to drop off their car to be worked on.  Then I took him back over to the post office so he could get to work on time.  Since I was going to be out anyway, I arranged to pick up my minister visitation badge (or whatever they are calling it nowadays) from UTMB.  I met the lady taught me how to do Zoom.  Well, if you can call talking from behind a mask actually meeting someone.  She was the one who did my required Zoom orientation a few weeks ago. 

 

After the hospital I did some fire station visits.  Station 2 first, then Central, station 5, and station 4.  I know that sounds like a crazy order, but it’s actually geographical from the East End to our house.  It was great to see some of the guys again.  A few of them even said they have been missing seeing me since our whole Covid mess plus my back surgery and Chris’ heart attack.  They have apparently been following our ups and downs through word of mouth or my blogs. 

 

Just before home group last night we finished our latest jigsaw puzzle.  A bunch of cookies decorated to look like ugly Christmas sweaters.  Extremely colorful and lots of random shapes.  It was much, much easier than the last one we did.  Plus we finished this one without having a single piece chewed up by Freddy.  Milestone, for sure.  Now we decide which one to do next … Snoopy or National Parks?

 

Psalms 139:13-14 says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

 

Father, please be with our fire fighters.  Sounds like they are getting used to new schedules and Covid procedures amid their usual stresses.  Grant them peace and draw them closer to you.  Amen.

January 28 – “One of those days …”

Here’s one of those days where I have to cut things short.  Got a phone call last night asking me to pick Kel up at the mechanic shop this morning and take him to work.  That would be at 8 a.m.  I also got an email from the hospital chaplain reminding me that my new minister’s badge is ready to pick up.  Forgot all about that in the wake of Christi’s post-surgery predicament.  So the plan for today is to pick up Kel, take him to work, go to the hospital, the stop by a fire station or two on my way home.  Should be fun.  Well, except maybe for the 39 degree wind chill we are experiencing right now.  Where did this come from??

 

Psalms 24:10 says, “Who is he, this King of Glory?  The Lord Almighty – he is the King of Glory.”

 

Father, be with the mechanic today who will be working on Kel’s car.  Help him find whatever issues are at hand and be able to fix them for not too much money.  Amen.

January 27 – “That’s what time … for how long??”

Chris had her first cardiac rehab appointment yesterday.  Big day, right?  She went all prepared to hop on that treadmill and defeat the monster that wiped her out just a few months ago now.  And I have to say, the appointment started out on a wonderful foot for her, especially in light of my confusing appointment the day before.  Remember, I was mistaken for a girl.  In Chris’ case, it is important to note that her medical records are all in her first name, which is Ivy.  The therapist came into the waiting room and called for “Mr. Vaughan.”  Yep. Perfect.  Chris said she looked across the waiting room, and no one stood up, so she took the big chance.  Sure enough, the call was for her.  I guess there are men named Ivy, too.  But back to back days of gender confusion are pretty classic.  Can’t wait to see who we are mistaken for today …

 

But back to the appointment.  She never made it to the horrifying treadmill.  Although she did complete six minutes of walking back and forth from one end of the room to the other, the entire appointment was about being interviewed and reviewed and paper-worked.  She also found out how long this will last.  She has three appointments a week for twelve weeks.  That’s three months if my math serves me correctly.  Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9 a.m.  Woohoo. 

 

In the afternoon we went over to Randall’s to pick up a prescription for her.  The doctor tweaked one of her meds.  While waiting for it to be filled, we walked around the store a few times.  Getting in those steps she thought she would get on the treadmill.  We finally took our place in line again, and Chris’ phone rang.  It was the cardiac rehab clinic.  Seems they had a bit of a double-booking problem.  Unlike the airlines, however, they can’t just go with it and hope someone doesn’t show up.  So she had to change her appointment time.  And guess when the new times are for this lovely, not-a-morning-person bride of mine?  Yep.  8:00.  That would be A.M.  three times a week.  For four months.  Can’t wait to see this …

 

Psalms 62:1-2 says, “Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.  Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.”

 

Father, be with Chris during this whole cardiac rehab experience.  She can do the early mornings.  Please protect her while she does.  Amen.

January 26 – “Alien technology?”

Chris started the day off with an eye doctor appointment.  Looks like all is well for another six months.  She has cataracts, but they are just going to watch them. 

 

I had an appointment with a physician’s assistant later in the morning.  For about two weeks now my right ear and jaw have been receiving electrical bursts that make my jaw ache and my ear tingle and subsequently itch like crazy.  The jaw ache started first, then the ear entered the equation, and I recognized the same sensation from previous neck issues as nerve involvement.  This check-up was just to establish that the condition existed.  I wanted to take the first steps toward ensuring that there was not some sort of alien technology that had been implanted in my jaw to record all the brush strokes of my speech patterns, enabling them to take over my body and perfectly duplicate speech patterns, thus fooling the world and providing an in-road to total species domination. 

 

The nurse was … interesting.  I was the only one in the waiting room when she opened the door and stuck her head out to call in the next patient.  She looked directly at me, and I returned her stare, but no attempt was made to call me back.  She returned to the workers at the desk and some communication between the, ensued.  And suddenly my phone rang.  Strangely enough, it was the doctor’s office, calling to tell me that it was my turn to be taken into the waiting room.  I answered gleefully, and the nurse suddenly realized her mistake.  She thought I would be a female.  And even with a mask on, the remnants of my beard peeking out from beneath proved a deal-breaker.  She was embarrassed.  No … she was mortified.  I assured her all was well.  I even explained that my wife’s name was Chris, which could be a guy’s name, so we are used to answering to either.  She stumbled a few more times before finally just calling me Mr. Chris.  I told her that would not be a problem … I would just call her George. Done.  So she began her questions to get me all checked in.  One was, “Are you depressed?”  I replied as deadpan as I could muster, “Only when someone doesn’t get my name right.”  She rolled her eyes at me.  Another question was, “Are you happy?  Do you consider yourself a happy person?”  My answer, “Not when someone messes up my name.”  Fortunately she was a great sport.  We laughed a lot.

 

The PA finally arrived and did her inspection.  As far as I could tell, she would admit to finding no alien implants.  Instead she said I probably had something called TMJ.  Sounded to me like a rock band or maybe a TV channel.  Kind of suspicious.  I asked what that meant.  She responded with some medical gobbledygook with the letters T, M, and J involved.  Something about the jaw muscle tightening up and constricting the nerve to the ear.  The treatment?  Rest it for a few weeks.  Really?  So what does that mean?  No talking for two weeks?  Well, not exactly.  I’m restricted again.  Getting used to this.  No chewing bubblegum.  Done.  I don’t do that anyway.  No chewing anything that is … well … chewy.  Like steak.  OK.  That is few and far between.  Oh, and if it doesn’t improve in two weeks, call the dentist or go see an ENT doc. They can make sure I’m not grinding my teeth.  I suppose they can also do an x-ray and determine for sure about that alien antennae …

 

2 Corinthians 4:18 says, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

 

Father, thank you for all the knowledge these medical folks have attained in their years of schooling.  Keep using them to calm the fears of old-timers who aren’t completely convinced about things like alien implants and new-fangled vaccines.  Amen.

January 25 – “A little drama”

The count was 56 attendees.  Some were excited to be there.  Others came because they felt they should.  Others because they had no real choice.  You know, Mom and Dad were coming and sometimes you’re just too young to stay home by yourself.  We were approaching the climax of our study of the Book of Esther.  What would happen at the last banquet?  Would Haman finally be found out?  What would happen to Esther and Mordecai … and all the Jews, for that matter? 

 

It was all just too much to handle without a little drama.  Jim played his impromptu part well, as usual.  But then Don got so into it that he wanted a part as well.  So we acted out Haman getting caught by Xerxes while begging for mercy and having a bag thrown over his head.  No rehearsals here, mind you.  I gotta say, those guys did a remarkable job.  Hollywood would have some new stars … if Hollywood was open right now.  It was lots of fun, and I received a lot of comments later on about how much folks enjoyed it because it made the story come alive.  Now that I know we have some budding actors in our midst, maybe we can do this more often …

 

The online portion of our Sunday experience is really holding steady.  Folks continue to tune in from Alaska, El Salvador, MinneSNOWta, Colorado, Missouri, Tennessee, and several parts of Texas.  Yesterday someone was even watching while they drove.  Well, I hope they meant listened while they drove.

 

The afternoon was spent working on our new puzzle and watching some TV. The puzzle is an array of Christmas sweaters.  Lots of colors and a million unique shapes.  As for TV, we watched a few episodes of Stargate on Netflix.  We also checked in on the Tom Brady versus the World installment.  Looks like Brady won that one.  He’ll be in the Super Bowl.  So will Mahomes.  Battle of the superstars.  Hmm.  Hope the commercials are good this year …

 

Isaiah 55:6 says, “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.”

 

Father, thank you for the involvement of the people at Seaside yesterday.  Sure makes it easier to teach when everybody seems to be getting into what’s happening.  Amen.

January 24 – “Ingenious”

We made a Randall’s run yesterday.  It was time to pick up another prescription.  This time it was mine, though.  That all went smoothly.  I did find someone’s key in the parking lot.  Turned it in at the service desk.  Chris was also going to redeem her prize from the stamps that she has been collecting.  One of those in-store promotion things.  This one was for some frying pans.  Last time we tried to get them they were out.  And this time … the same.  Thankfully though, they have extended the deadline for redemption to give them time get some more shipped in.  Now we just have to remember to go get them.

 

While we were out we made a quick stop at WalMart.  Actually it was going to be our walking trail for the day, since it was really foggy outside.  And I had an ingenious idea for our puzzle table.  We needed something to keep the pieces from falling off the edges and into the jaws of the Freddy monster.  Chris has some very specific exceptions, however.  Nothing that marred the table in any way.  And it had to be removable for when we needed the extra seating for big meals.  My thought was pipe insulation strips.  The foam strips are already slit down the middle, and they have sticky sides.  They just slip right on the edge of the table and create a lip that prevents the puzzle pieces from reaching the floor.  See?  Ingenious.  Now we’ll see if it really works. 

 

While making our rounds we ran into some old friends we haven’t seen in quite a while.  We abandoned our idea of walking around in WalMart circles to chat with them for a while.  That is until we were informed that … Walmart was closing.  In the middle of the afternoon.  On a Saturday.  Horror of all horrors.  What could possibly cause such an earth-shattering decision?   A burglary gone bad?  A ceiling collapse?  A fire?  An imminent nuclear attack?  Well, it was either one of those things or the reported water main break nearby.  We cut our reunion short and left for home. 

 

Last night the LaMarque Vaughan’s came over for pizza night.  Actually we didn’t know it was pizza night until we found out they were coming, but who’s counting?  They were on a library run, so they had to stop by and see Nana and DadDad, right?  And since they were here anyway, why not run get some pizzas, right?  Of course.  Kel even got off work in time to join us for a slice or two.  Well … a week in Waco.  An evening with LaMarque.  Now we just need to see Cailyn to make our grandkid run complete. 

 

Psalms 55:22 says, “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.”

 

Father, thank you for the chance to see our old friends.  Please watch over the Batten’s and keep them all healthy and happy.  Amen.

January 23 – “Home”

Yep.  We made it home.  Four and a half hour drive (No changes there).  One stop at Buc-ees for a bathroom break and some lunch (Where else?).  A bit of traffic caused a slowdown through Houston (as if that has never happened before).  Freddy was glad to see us (She was probably glad to see anybody).  Watched a little TV and headed to bed.  Ah, the life …

 

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

 

Father, thank you for an uneventful trip home.  Thanks for the frolicking freedom Freddy showed when we arrived.  Great picture of the life we have in you.  Amen.

January 22 – “Afternoon madness strikes”

Thursday is behind us.  Except for maybe the perpetual cooking and kitchen cleaning that Chris did, the Thursday slate of activities was the most involved of the whole week.  The morning wasn’t all that busy, so we enjoyed hanging out with the kids, mainly.  But then the afternoon madness struck. 

 

First, I went with Josh to Zakary’s basketball practice.  It was at a Boys and Girls Club gym in an inner-city neighborhood.  Very old and run-down, but the gym floor was classic thin wood slats.  Old-school as well as just old.  The varsity and junior varsity practiced together.  They were learning a 1-3-1 offense to attack a 2-3 zone defense played by their next opponent.  Definitely the correct approach.  They seem to have a pretty good team.  Just small.  But quick.

 

From there we went over to the church gym.  Luke and Caleb had the next practice, both at the same time.  Chris brought the boys from home to meet us.  Josh is Caleb’s coach, so I was the designated parent for Luke.  After working out with his team for 30-40 minutes, Caleb and Zak then had to leave for a dinner with some friends.  Chris took them to that, then she went on back to the house with the girls.  I stayed for the rest of Luke’s practice.  They were just learning some basic plays – no small task for such a young group of guys.  I have no doubt Luke will be able to handle it, though.  He’s already one of the best shooters on the team.

 

After practice Josh and Luke and I went by the restaurant and picked up Caleb and Zak.  Josh grabbed some rice for Luke, who was “starving.”  Finally made it back home, where someone from church had brought over a meal of chicken spaghetti and fresh green beans and fruit salad.  We have had great food all week.  Kudos to the church folks for taking care of their pastor’s family (and us) so well.

 

Whew.  So we are heading home today.  Christi’s parents are coming to take over for us.  I almost hate to leave the incredibly comfortable bed they have in their guest room, but it will be good to get back home.  Nathan sent us a video of them playing with Freddy.  They are pretty sure she misses us.  Galveston or bust!

 

Matthew 5:14 says, “You are the light of the world.  A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.”

 

Father, thank you for the chance to help out here this week.  Thank you for the expressions of love we saw from the church folks up here.  Amen.

January 21 – “Is that a pink nest?”

AnnaGrace invited me to play with her yesterday.  Like I had a choice to refuse.  How could anyone refuse such a sweet little thing?  And with three older brothers and a Daddy who all even call her “Princess,” she doesn’t have a chance.  She is destined to be just that – a Princess.  Any guy she dates in the future better treat her as such, too, or experience the wrath of those doting siblings. 

 

We started out with the toy dinosaurs.  I thought maybe we’d do some attacking and fighting and eating each other.  You know, like dinosaurs no doubt did.  Well … not exactly.  Oh, there was some biting going on, mostly by the ones in my charge.  OK, all by the ones in my charge.  But any time it happened, they had to apologize after a scolding by the Mommy dinosaur.  Mostly, though, we just clustered the creatures into tiny little family units so they could snuggle with each other.  Girls.

 

Next we moved to her bedroom.  There we found an array of stuffed animals.  I like stuffed animals.  I have a literal pile of them in my office at home that are souvenirs of back when we used to be able to take trips.  But we didn’t play with the stuffed beasts.  Instead we started at the dollhouse.  Inside there was a family of dogs.  There was also what amounted to a pink nest.  Not sure what bird-ly creature left it behind.  I commented on the nest and wondered aloud where the bird might be.  AnnaGrace quickly corrected me.  Oh, no.  This was not a nest at all.  Silly me.  This was (Picture with me, if you will, the four-year-old girlie girl acting out what she is saying with the toy doggies) “where the little puppies go poopoo.  Then they bury it or take the nest full of poop and dump it where they have the trash.”  U-huh.  Got it.  Girl with older brothers.

 

Next came the discovery (by me) of a Captain America action figure (It’s a guy, so it couldn’t be designated “doll,” you understand).  She immediately transitioned into superhero mode and unceremoniously assigned the Cap figure to me.  Meanwhile, she dug a little deeper and came out with Wonder Woman, who she designated “Superwoman, because she can fly.”  I mentioned that I thought she needed a plane to do that.  Lo and behold, from behind the bed, came flying just such a plane.  What a marvel.  And speaking of marvels, AnnaGrace discovered Captain Marvel while she was back there.  Two women against one man.  I was doomed.  Sur enough, Wonder Woman soon discovered a baby “in the grass.”  She informed (Note I didn’t say “asked”) the good Captain that he would be babysitting.  I asked what she would be doing in the meantime.  “Saving the world.”  Ah. Of course.  Poor old Cap couldn’t bend his arms to hold the kid, but I managed to hook the baby’s leg around Cap’s arm.  That way he could swing it in big circles without losing range of motion.  Great fun.

 

We were assigned “Take AnnaGrace to dance class duty.”  We couldn’t go in to watch, so instead we roamed around one of those craft market consignment shop places.  Lots of random stuff.  We ended up buying a retired Precious Moments figurine and a new jigsaw puzzle.  Tiny images of all things Charlie Brown.  When the individual pieces are put together, they create a large portrait of yet another Charlie Brown image.  1000 pieces.  Looks difficult.  Should be fun.

 

Last night I went with Josh and the boys to church.  The girls had a “Girls’ Night.”  I understand they watched a princess movie with somebody called Merida.  I think she’s the one that shoots arrows.  I got Luke checked in at his class.  The older two knew just where to go on their own.  Then I sat in on the first session of the class Josh was teaching on How to Study the Bible.  It looks to be similar to one I taught a while back.  Of course I’m pretty sure his will be much more scholarly than mine was.  He did a great job, though.  Appealed to the doctor and the lawyer and the seminary student, as well as the sweet little old lady in the room, not to mention the others I didn’t know.  I met one lady after class who told me she has been praying for Josh’s Mom for a few months now.  Really appreciated that. 

 

1 John 3:18 says, “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

 

Father, thank you for my invitation into the world of a four-year-old girl.  Haven’t been in that world much lately.  Very creative.  Like you.  Amen.

January 20 – “Kicked out … twice”

I did some more work on the teaching for Sunday.  It will be ready.  It looks like we have our departure date for our return trip home, too.  Friday morning.  That way we can help with some tricky basketball logistics on Thursday.  Christi’s parents are coming up for the next “shift.”  Christi is certainly doing better.  Her two youngest kiddos are making sure she gets up and walks around every hour or so.  That’s very cute, especially when the little four-year-old aspiring nurse shows her compassion and reminds Mom that “it’s time to get up and walk now.”  The walk is pretty slow.  That post-op pain is definitely making its presence known.  But I noticed she has been venturing out on occasion without holding the small pillow next to the incision site.  That’s a plus, I would say.

 

I was invited into the Princess Castle yesterday by AnnaGrace.  At least that’s what Chris informed me that it was.  It stretched from floor to the chandelier in the entryway.  There was some kind of hula hoop near the top with sheer fabric (if that means see-through lacey kind of stuff with glittery highlights) hanging down on all sides.  It reminded me of a girly version of the Cone of Silence from Maxwell Smart.  AnnaGrace and I were the only ones that could fit at a time, if that helps paint a picture in your mind.  I gotta say, I felt special.  And then later in the day she challenged me to a duel with light sabers.  I lost.  Remember … this paragon of sweetness has three older brothers.

 

In the afternoon Caleb and Luke took me to the local baseball card shop.  I guess it is technically a memorabilia shop, because they have collectable stuff of all kinds.  I found out the last time we were here that they have some of the series I am currently trying to complete.  1961-62 Fleer Greats.  They didn’t have any that I was missing.  I did pick up a few in better condition than the ones I have, though.  I was most excited to get another Lefty Gomez.  The one I have is sort of marred, as collectible cards go.  When I was about ten years old, Lefty came to Galveston as part of a marketing scheme for a local sporting goods store.  I got to meet him in person and get his autograph on his card.  Very special memory for me.  Not so good for any attempt to get an un-marred set, though.  I also picked up another one that has been kind of hard for me to find, Bill Terry.  Caleb had some money with him, but he didn’t see anything he couldn’t live without.

 

I got to go to Zak’s basketball game last night.  They played against a local private school with a reputation for extreme strictness.  That extended to the fans as well.  I got kicked out before we ever got in.  Seems fans weren’t allowed to enter until fifteen minutes before game time.  And then each player was only allowed two fans to represent him.  Josh is the assistant coach, so he got in.  I had to go sit in Josh’s truck for fifteen minutes.  Oh, and when the time came that I could enter, they took my temperature first.  No Covid allowed, you know.  Then after the game I got kicked out again.  I made the massive mistake of waiting for Josh and Zak to come out of the locker room, since they were my ride home and all.  Nope.  You have to wait outside in the rain and cold.  I texted Josh and asked, “If I get the Covid from standing in the rain, can I sue?”  He replied, “They have better lawyers than you.”  No doubt about that.  Oh, Zak’s team lost the game.  He scored five points, though.  And he played some really good defense.  I think they will have a pretty good season.

 

Ephesians 6:18 says, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

 

Father, thank you that Christi seems to be doing a lot better.  Please continue doing your healing work in her body.  Amen.

January 19 – “A Loppin’ Good Time”

A big storm is supposed to be a-comin’ up here in Central Texas.  Time to be a-battin’ down the hatches.  I always wanted to say that when it didn’t refer to a hurricane in the Gulf.  There is a storm approaching Waco, but it’s just supposed to be a rainmaker, with maybe some thunderstorms and wind as well.  And that is a problem why?  Well, a week or so ago, another storm blew through here and dumped actual snow everywhere.  And it was heavy snow.  The kind that breaks tree limbs and in sone cases knocks down entire forty-foot tall cedar trees.  And that’s just in Josh’s yard.  So the task for yesterday was to pull down the broken branches and get them set out for the trash pickup, all before this next horrific storm arrived.  Can’t have already broken limbs being ripped from the tiny shreds of bark still holding them in place and dropped unceremoniously on unsuspecting roofs or cars or power lines below.

 

The three boys did a great job pitching in.  Zak and Caleb attacked the actual hanging limbs, wielding weapons of lopping destruction.  Luke joined in to get the limbs to the street or into the woodpile in the back yard for future burns.  They all took a turn at sweeping and scooping, since the driveway had to be placed back into pristine condition for its primary function.  No, not as a repository for vehicles.  That’s secondary.  First and foremost, it serves as a basketball court.

 

As we did our clearing task, Josh and I noticed several places that were a bit beyond the reach and expertise of even the heartiest teenager with a machete.  One branch was sweeping across the roof, never a good idea for shingles.  But the scariest was the big branch that appeared to be held up only by the main power line to the house.  Nope.  Not touching that baby.  He called in the big guns, and amazingly, a crew was available to come within an hour or so. 

 

I got the back-breakingly exhausting job of watching the workers while Josh took Caleb to a birthday party.  Hey … somebody’s gotta supervise, right?  These guys were pretty good at what they do, too.  No ladders other than the small one they used to get on the roof.  No climbing the tree to get at high branches.  Just those long poles with the curved saws on the end.  Oh, and one pole did have a chain saw on the end.  They had one of those chipper machines being pulled behind their truck, too.  Gotta have some place for all that excess wood to go.  As it turned out, my eagle-eyes did notice a few things.  One was not fixable at the time.  It was an issue for the local power company to clear away.  The other, however, warranted a call to the big boss.  Once they removed the branch that was hanging onto the roof, it revealed a second branch from a different tree altogether that was just as big.  It wasn’t broken, but it was solidly scraping the roof over a very large area.  The phone call approved the added expense, and before long that offender was chipped and gone.  I think this property passes inspection for the next weather-related incursion.

 

Caleb and I went to Whataburger to collect lunch for everyone.  Chris was ready and willing to cook something, but, hey … Whataburger.  As it turned out, this was the first solid food Christi has eaten since her little hospital-spa weekend.  What better way to make her return to food solidarity memorable than with a Whataburger junior?

 

I went to Caleb’s basketball practice last night.  I admit that I miss coaching a little bit every time I go to one of their practices.  Full-court presses and fast breaks and press-breakers and offenses versus different types of defenses.  Made me want to jump in and help, if nothing else than just to be an extra body on a defense against their offense.  Not that I actually did that, mind you.  Well, I may or may not have stepped in, but just for a play or two.  Or maybe for just that segment of practice.  Josh is doing a great job, though.  It was fun to watch him be the coach.  He has a great rapport with the kids.  And of course, he knows his stuff.  I think they will do well this year.

 

Psalms 9:1-2 says, “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.  I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praises of your name, O Most High.”

 

Father, thank you for the availability of those tree people on such short notice.  Josh has had a few other things on his mind lately.  And speaking of those other things, thank you that Christi is doing so well.  Amen.

January 18 – “Reminds you of … who??”

We had another great group gathered yesterday for worship. Great singing as usual. Thank you, Praise Team, for your leadership there. And I always love it when there is a lot of interaction during the teaching. I was really proud of the way everyone pitched in and got the Christmas decorations taken down and put away. And of course the dinner on the grounds setup went smoothly as usual. Have I told you lately how great it is to be a part of the Seaside family?  Well ... it is!

 

I had my teaching style critiqued. I was compared to someone ... unexpected. One of our newest Seasiders told me That my teaching reminded her of ... Robin Williams. Yep. THAT Robin Williams. I chuckled at the thought, and she hastily added, “Now, don’t get me wrong. I love Robin Williams. In fact, I would have married him, but he killed himself before he met me.”  Well, OK then.  Thanks, I think …

 

Sadly, we didn’t get to stay for dinner on the grounds. We left church right away to head to Waco.  Christi had surgery this past week and was having some complications. We were heading there to take our turn in the rotation of helping around the house and with the kiddos (that includes Josh, I suppose. At least as far as his Mommy is concerned ... it does). 

 

The drive up there was very pleasant. Of course you’ll have to ask Chris for any details. I may or may not have crashed for a few minutes on the way. Just a few, though ...

 

It was great to see the kids. We both even got unsolicited hugs from AnnaGrace. Christi seems to be doing some better. We did see her face right after we arrived. And later in the evening she came into the living room to hang out with everyone. Her doc appointment is tomorrow, so keep the prayers coming.

 

Psalms 4:8 says, “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

 

Father, please continue to surround Christi with your love and healing. And take care of her kids ... Josh included. Amen.

January 17 – “Crash … and a Gotcha Party”

We finally finished the Mickey and Minnie Mouse puzzle.  Actually, in the course of things we discovered it was also a Donald and Daisy Duck puzzle.  And a cat on a window sill puzzle.  And some seriously creepy images seen through the windows of a restaurant and from behind partially closed curtains in what appears to be apartments above the eating area.  Kind of glad to be done with this one.  It was definitely a challenge.

 

We had a little neighborhood excitement yesterday.  We heard a lot of emergency vehicle sirens.  Now, that in itself is not so unusual.  But they seemed to be stopping really close to our house.  I checked my fire department phone app to see what was going on.  Sure enough, there had been a car wreck just around the corner from us.  As I try to do whenever something is that close, I grabbed my fire department hat and walked over to check on not just our fire fighters, but also our neighbors. 

 

The situation was a bit odd.  Only one car was involved.  A lady had run off the road and through the empty parking lot of the Lutheran retreat center and crashed into our neighbor’s garage.  And according to the three witnesses who saw the whole thing, she then ran into it again.  And again.  And again.  Then she managed to back up and tried to drive away.  Nope.  Car was done.  Garage, though somewhat damaged, clearly won that battle.  When it apparent that she wasn’t going anywhere, one witness ran over to check on her.  He says he saw her scrambling to hide something, first in the glove compartment, then under the seat.  Hmmm.  Clearly a matter for the police to decide upon.  The fire fighters had cleared the scene and done their preliminary check of the driver.  As usual, they had everything pretty much under control (Can you tell that I’m a little proud of these guys?).

 

While we waited I chatted with a few of the fire fighters about our families and how things were going in their lives.  The lady in the car was refusing any medical assistance, so the EMT’s returned to their ambulance and left the scene.  The police arrived and began interviewing the lady.  They finally convinced her that the car was undrivable, and that she needed to get out so they could prepare it for the wrecker.  Once she was out, it was a small step for her to agree to their cataloguing her belongings inside before ethe wrecker drove away with them all.  And yes, they did find a substance that could be crack cocaine.  I only say that because apparently that first witness overheard the discussion.  And he was more than talkative to anyone who would listen.  Once it was established that the substance had been found, suddenly the lady decided that she wanted to go to the hospital after all.  So the police put in a recall for the ambulance to return.  Something about getting her all checked out and declared fit to be incarcerated …

 

The younger three fifths of Kel’s kids came over last night.  The older two had baseball practice.  Mom and Dad had a date.  We had a Gotcha Party for their dog.  It was the anniversary of the day Leia was adopted from the shelter.  She was here to celebrate with her cousin Freddy.  Doggie cakes for the animals.  Pizza for the humans.    They looked suspiciously like muffins.  They had been made with peanut butter, among other things, with whipped cream on top.  That would be the doggie cakes, not the pizza.  The pizza I picked up.  Cheese.  Pepperoni.  Meat lovers.  Except the meat lovers turned out to be a supreme.  Only paid for a meat lovers, though.  and we got extra vegetables.  That make sit totally healthy, right?  The rest of the evening was spent playing video games and Dog-opoly.  Sensing an adherence to a theme here? 

 

1 Peter 5:10 says, “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

 

Father, thank you for the animals you created.  They make good companions, and often really good friends.  Amen.