May 1 – “Outside”

I am tired today.  Not just tired, though.  It's "I worked outside in the yard" kind of tired.  And did I mention that it was really hot today?  Chris and Mom left this morning for Mansfield.  They are going to help Christi with the boys while Josh does a wedding in San Antonio.  I spent the day at the house in Galveston.  Well, outside the house in Galveston.  I got a weedeater at WalMart and attacked the front yard next door.  That's the house that has been condemned, but no further action has been taken.  Literally.  No inside action.  No yardwork or outside action of any kind, either.  The only thing positive about the front yard is that the weeds have flowers on them, so there is some color.  I chopped down most of them.  I left the two tallest sunflower stalks.  I also created what looks like a flowerbed of the flowery weeds.  At least the yard looks different.    After I finished that yard I decided I better do something in our yard, too.  I pulled out as many of the weeds as I could (by the roots) and weedeated (??? Weedate???) the rest.  Then I edged and swept and bagged up the stuff.  I walked into our back yard and it really needed to be mowed.  So it got a weedeater mow.  Then I noticed that Chris' Mother's Day lily (OK, it's an Easter lily, but it never blooms until Mother's Day) was about to bloom from amidst a huge pile of weeds.  So I cleaned out the flower bed around the lilies.  As it turned out, I did a lot of work, but I never got to leveling off the peak in the front yard created by all the mulch from the stump grinder.  And I never got into the neighbor's back yard.  That's where I wanted to go.  It is a nightmare.  Well, it's probably a heaven for small rodents.  High weeds and fallen trees everywhere.  I am determined to at least clear a path by our fence.  Some day.  Tomorrow I have workday at church, so it won't be then.  Some day.   I got a call from Home Depot while I was fixing the new weedeater.  She talked very quickly, "I have two things to tell you, Mr. Vaughan, the first is that the vanity tops are both in and the second is that I talked to the manager and he has already approved a discount for you of twenty percent off the vanity tops so when you come in to pick them up be sure and bring your Home Depot card and we will apply the discount to it."  When she took a breath I said thank you.  It took a few minutes for what she said to sink in.  Twenty percent.  And it was their idea.  Hey, that's a good deal.  After I got cleaned up, I went on out and picked them up.  That'll make Chris happy.   I saw a great verse today, James 3:17-18: "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere."   Father, I want your wisdom.  And I want some sleep.  Amen.