August 8 – “It didn’t happen”

I went to bed around 11:30 last night.  I woke up this morning at 1:15.  And at 2:45. And at 3:50.  And at 5:30.  I finally got up at a little before six.  The work crew got here near seven, and we started right to work.  We were all a little excited.   Today we got to actually use paint.  And from the looks of things we were all a little extra tired as well.  I found out their reasons for tiredness sounded a lot more fun than mine.  They played Ultimate Frisbee on the beach.  In the dark.  With a glow in the dark Frisbee.  I was just tired from working all day on the house preparation.   They jumped right in with the blue paint and caulk.  I was removed from my caulking job not once, but twice.  They kept saying the old guy needed to sit down for awhile and watch.  Tough to do if you're the old guy and it's your house.   They finished two coats on the main part of the house, though. And a few of them skipped the trip to Schlitterbahn and began work on the trim.  Looks like we'll be finishing up the trim painting ourselves.  But they did so much for us, just doing the trim seems like not much.   This afternoon I had to sit in on another interview with a potential headmaster /principal.  It was up in LaMarque at a restaurant right on the freeway.  As I said before I didn't get much sleep last night.  I was really tired.  And it was afternoon.  And it was hot outside.  And the car was droning on and on as I drove on the freeway.  And the next thing I knew I was waking up.  And the car was on that little side part of the freeway just before you head into the grass that is planted at the foot of those poles that point to the next thing ahead.  And it was still moving.  Not nearly the speed limit, but quite fast at any rate.  Now I was awake.  In an instant I figured out that I was still a mile away from my exit, and that I probably shouldn't be taking an exit right now.  Somehow I also remembered that Ford Explorers are well known for their uncanny ability to roll over when pushed to the stress point on quick maneuvers.  It also entered my mind that I couldn't panic and swerve.  That would take away from me looking cool.  So I casually righted the front wheels, glanced over my shoulder, and reentered the freeway.  And I was wide awake.  And I was whispering to myself, "It didn't happen.  It didn't happen."   I have to put this one in here again.  Just for me, OK?  Jeremiah 29:11-14 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. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,' declares the Lord."    Father, thank you for all the "didn't happens" in my life.  Especially today.  Amen.