December 15 – “A no good fishing pole”

A cold front blew in today.  It was not unexpected.  In fact, it was most anticipated.  There was a cruise ship stuck in dock because of all the fog.  And another cruise ship couldn't get into the channel to dock, so they missed Galveston as a port of call.  Bad for them.  Worse for us.  They were allegedly "money-ful Germans."  Anyway, it rained and thundered and the wind blew really hard.  I noticed our icicle lights are hanging precariously from the eaves … again.  But it is finally cooling down.    I would check to see what the temperature is, but Weather Bug is down on our computer.   In fact, our phones and DSL are both out.  A phone guy worked on the pole in our back yard this morning, and when he left we realized we had no service.  I ran out in the rain to catch him.  He came back and checked some stuff, then said he would come back later this afternoon.  He already had five or six calls around here to catch up on.    I worked on the sermon for most of the day today.  I need to finish it soon so I can put together the Christmas Eve service.  Lanny said he needs my thoughts – or at least my rough sketch of things – by Friday.  I have a doctor's appointment in the morning in Houston (rheumatologist), but I still have one more day after that, right?  Pressure's on.  Again.   Kel and I went to an associational meeting at 2.  Turns out it was a Christmas reception, so there was food and sweets.  The drinks were interesting.  Coffee I recognized, and the bottled water.  But there was a carafe of hot water and some hot chocolate looking stuff that wasn't really chocolate.  Didn't try that.  There was also some stuff that looked really good.  It was in a punch bowl and had ice cream floating around in it.  I gave that one a try.  It tasted like chocolate coffee.  Kel said it was supposed to be a frappachino of some kind.  I didn't like the coffee aftertaste.   We had supper with Kel and Christina and the boys last night.  Chris even got back just in time to connect with one of the homemade enchiladas.  While we were playing Jachin said something that hit me hard.  He showed me a collage he has in his bedroom of different family shots.  One of them was taken when we were staying at Omega Bay.  I knew they had stayed with us a few times over there, and we had done some fishing out back.  He said, "I want to go back there but we never will.  My fishing pole is no good anymore."  I reassured him that his pole was just fine, and that we would head over to Uncle Jerry's just as soon as the weather got better.  He asked if Uncle Jerry had a lake in his back yard.  I started explaining what a canal was, but he stopped me with, "No, DadDad.  Let me show you."  We looked out the back window from his upstairs room and saw the neighbor's lake.  They had installed a swimming pool not too long ago.  Nice.  But not for fishing.   Psalms 135:3 says, "Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant."   Father, help me to keep praise in my mouth.  I like pleasant.  Amen.