April 20 – “The Flounder Guy”

We got some exciting news this morning.  After Chris and Mom left for the hearing aid appointment, the Amish cabinet guy called.  Our cabinets were in Houston on the truck.  As soon as they made a delivery in Sugarland, they were heading to Galveston to drop ours off.  The actual installation wouldn't take place until later in the week, though.  They had to go to Dallas to pick up their tools tomorrow.  The guy who drove to Indiana had to leave them there so they would have room on the truck for all the cabinets.  He would call me when they were leaving Sugarland.   I did some work on next week's sermon, then headed on to the house.  The two big boxes with the bathroom vanities were sitting in the kitchen.  I called Nathan and asked him to come by and help me move them to a different room so they would be out of the way for the cabinet guys.  He came pretty quickly and we got it done with no trouble.  The rest of the day I scraped and swept floors.   Chris and Mom got back around lunchtime, and Nathan and April and Cailyn joined us at McAlister's Deli.  I had one of those relational senior moments there.  As we headed for our seat, a guy looked up at me and said, "Hi, Kelley!  This is my girlfriend."  I was cordial, and noted that the group with me was my whole family.  When we sat down I leaned over to Chris and asked who the guy was.  I have to confess, that's not the first time something like that has happened to me.  I simply had no idea who he might be.  Neither did Chris.  We puzzled over it for awhile, until he said something to Nathan.  Nathan then tellingly asked me, "Dad, when he gave us those flounder the other day, how did we end up cooking them?"  As soon as he said "Flounder" I knew who the guy was.  Not that I could remember his name, but at least I knew who he was.  He was the son of the lady who owns the Omega Bay house.  After we ate we went to Nathan and April's apartment to check it out now that they have "settled in" and have some furniture.  It looked so different from when we helped them move.  No boxes anywhere in sight.   Chris and Mom headed on home so Chris could get on the road to Bay City.  I decided to hang around the house and wait for the cabinet guy to call.  And sweep some more.  The call finally came around 4:30.  He was real upbeat and excited.  "I have seen your cabinets and they are really pretty."  OK.  So when do I get to see them?  "You are first on the list for tomorrow morning."  Like he's doing me a favor.  I actually waited a second or two before responding.  I thought he would at least say "I'm sorry."  But instead he said, "Looks like we'll set up your installation for Monday morning."  I hesitated again, then said, "OK.  Let's nail it.  Write it down and I'll expect you first thing Monday morning.  What time?"  Now he was the one to hesitate.  Finally he said he'd call as soon as they left the office.  That would give me about an hour and a half lead time.  I guess I can get to Galveston from Omega Bay in an hour and a half.   1 Thessalonians 5:15 says, "Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else."   Father, keep Chris safe these next three days.  She's busy with being kind.  She'll be driving a lot and stressing a lot more.  Amen.