July 14 – “Expecting unexpected”

Where is the line anyway between accomplishing what you expect and welcoming the unexpected?  It can happen in big events, I know, and it's usually easy to see and welcome.  But what about in the little things?  The mundane events of the day that are "supposed" to go one way and inevitably take a different turn?   That's been my day so far.  I fully expected to fall into my usual morning routine.  Take some pills with a glass of chocolate milk.  Pour a cup of coffee and grab some breakfast.  Get the newspaper in.  Let the dogs out and feed them.  Do my quiet time.  Read the newspaper.  Check my email.  Begin my day's work (at which point pretty much anything goes.  It might mean working on the sermon or the camp song or SCA stuff or a visual verse … whatever.  That can change and I'm fine with it).   But not today.  My morning routine was totally changed.  I remembered that Chris might come home today.  That reminded me that I wanted to clean the house and make the bed and finish washing clothes, so I did all that.  I forgot to get newspaper until Mom woke up and was looking for it (so I got it for her).  The dogs did get fed, and I eventually spent some time with God.  But I almost forgot to take my morning medications and eat breakfast.  I don't get very hungry any more.  A side effect of the rheumatoid arthritis meds.    When I finally began working, the first thing I remembered was that I had to go out to the church to check on some school transcripts in answer to a parent question.  So I headed on out there.  While I was there, I moved some school stuff out of my office so the new headmaster could take it up to the new building and find a place for it.    On the way home I stopped off to pick up a prescription refill.  And there were two.  I'm on some kind of automatic refill thing.  For some reason that reminded me to pick up some fruit.  If Chris does come home today she likes to have fruit to snack on.  Plums, nectarines, and grapes.  That should hold her.  And make me look good for having them.   Cailyn was supposed to come over this afternoon.  Her Mom was going to be cleaning a house.  Her Dad was to be in an honor guard for the opening of a new fire station.  But Cailyn didn't come after all.  Her Mom decided to stay at home.    I'm still hoping Chris will be coming home today for a few days.  She said she would leave as soon as the hospice nurse gets there, does her thing and leaves.  I checked with her around noon, and all she knew was that the hospice nurse was due "sometime this afternoon."  If she can't come today, I'm going there to spend the night.   Christina called after a doctor's appointment for the boys.  Josiah weighs 14 lbs 10 oz).  She said Christi told her Caleb weighed 18 lbs, but he's got about a year and a half on him.  Sounds to me like Josiah is one big kid.  All good news.  Then she said they had an appointment with a pediatric cardiologist on Friday for Jachin.  He's beginning to have some of the same symptoms his Dad developed that led to passing out.  Not so good news.   Philippians 3:20-21 says, "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body."   Father, help me to use my "expecting" energy on awaiting you, and to relax and receive whatever comes each day as just the next gift from you.  Amen.