March 30 – “102”

Today I made a stab at being pre-Ike "normal."  After all, yesterday I taught about being filled with the Spirit for a new chapter.  I sure need to start a new chapter.  I'm really tired of this one.  I want to feel great again.  I want to live at home again.  I want to start a day out and have some idea what might happen.  I want to be able to say to people, "Here's what Galveston is like.  Here's what Seaside is like.  Here's what I'm like."      Chris was gone.  She took her mom to another doctor's appointment.  I sent out some birthday cards.  I paid some bills.  I reconciled the checkbook.  I filed the stuff that was just sitting on top of the file box.  The first time I looked up it was already 11:30, and Mom wanted to go to Luby's.  So we went to Luby's.  Actually, we had to go by Kel and Christina's first.  We had their generator in the back of the truck and I didn't want to leave it there in the parking lot.    We went by the house after lunch.  It now looks like it is wearing half a skirt.  They have replaced the bottom part of the exterior siding sheets on the addition.   Our contractor called.  He wanted to verify some things about the interior doors.  He also was having some problems ordering the front door we want over the phone.  He said he would have to go to Ideal in person and work it out.  The floor guy is coming tomorrow to fill in the rest of the kitchen and the bathroom so they will be the same height as the wood floors.  We're supposed to meet him to look at tile for the shower and bathtub.  The sheetrock guy is ready to start as soon as he gets the call.  The last piece of our Home Depot order (the medicine cabinet) is even supposed to be in tomorrow.   Before we left the house I cut down a few limbs from the palm tree in back.  Sunday is Palm Sunday and I need to make the palm crosses to hand out.  Usually one or two are enough.  But when I started cutting I noticed that a lot of the fronds were really brown.  I ended up cutting down four branches.  I started trimming them down so they would be the right size for crosses.  I cut and trimmed until my back hurt so bad I had to take a break.  It helped that Chris called to tell me she was on her way home.  I counted what I had at that point.  102.  That's enough.  At least it should be enough.  In years past I have done 120.  102 sounds about right for now, though.    Psalm 102:1-2 says, "Hear my prayer, O Lord; let my cry for help come to you.   Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress.  Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly."   Father, that's how I feel sometimes.  102 me.  Amen.