Sunday, September 24, 2017

September 24 - “Knee high …”

Well, I shouldn’t have said anything the other day about the neck doctor not returning my email.  I now have an official appointment with the neurosurgeon.  Guess I’ll soon be checking out how well our relationship with the medical sharing plan Samaritan Ministries works.  Oh, and the appointment is the day before we leave for a trip to Branson, Missouri, with some Seasiders.  Wonder what delightful news we will hear that will brighten and encourage us in our enjoyment of the journey …

You know what?  I have a great neighbor.  Taylor is a young, 20-something new Dad of a precious one-year-old little girl.  He is an accomplished professional in his field.  He plays guitar in his church praise team.  He is preparing to go do mission work in Mexico for two years.  Pretty impressive, huh?  Well, that’s not what endears me so much to him.  Here it comes … Yesterday good ol’ Taylor was outside doing yard work.  He was wearing an orange shirt and blue shorts.  Colorful, but no big deal, right?  Tennis shoes, of course.  But the crowning achievement of his Saturday morning?  He was wearing knee-high black socks.  Now that, my friend takes a courage not often seen in a young millennial.  I am proud of you, Taylor.  And I want a pair of those knee-highs. 

I feel kind of sense of survivor’s guilt this morning.  We did nothing related to storm relief yesterday.  Didn’t even go by the church and straighten up the donation piles so they would look nicer for church this morning.  Odd feeling …

I did make three fire department station visits.  Wanted to check on the guys who made a really tough call on Wednesday.  It was their first shift back.  Oh, and we did go up to Texas to watch some of Jachin’s baseball games.  He had a really good day.  He hit a double, a bunt single and walked in the first game.  He had already walked in the second game when we had to leave.  I had to get ready for an unusual wedding opportunity.  Back the last week of August I was enlisted to do a 50th anniversary vows renewal at the San Luis Hotel.  Then the “young bride” called and asked if I would also do an actual wedding of her grandson at the same time.  All was set to go when Hurricane Harvey began changing plans.  The original date was postponed, then postponed again.  The new wedding couple actually went ahead and got married so they would have the same anniversary as their grandparents, but they still wanted to continue with the service at the hotel as planned.  We finally managed to get a date set, and last night was the culmination. 

The wedding and vows renewal went well.  Well, except that we waited over thirty minutes for the photographer to arrive.  I think in all the date confusion he must have gotten lost in the shuffle.  We finally started without him, and with all the cell phone videos and snapshots being taken, I think they will have an amazing array of technological options for their wedding remembrances.  We completed the wedding first, and as the happy couple walked down the isle, I called out, “Wait.  Hold on.  We’re not done yet.  We have a double header planned for you tonight.”  The bride and groom returned, with the bride taking one of the now-vacated seats of the grandparents and the groom joining the grandparents at the altar to stand as a best man.  One of the bride’s original bridesmaids stood at her side, and we began the vow renewal.  As we finished up, the photographer finally arrived, and he took a lot of pictures, both on site and at the reception.   In the end it was a nice event.  I have learned over the years that when a wedding is involved, the most crucial element is … flexibility.  Anything can and probably will happen. 

2 Peter 3:14 says, “So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.”


Father, be with the new family that was formed.  And honor the lives of the two who have stuck with each other and with you for 50 years.  Amen.

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