November 18 – “Getting Ready”

We checked on our friends from Arlington yesterday.  The ones who had a moving van load of furniture and clothes and other stuff from 40+ years of marriage catch fire on its way to their new home here in Galveston (It was somewhere near Houston). The trailer had a flat tire, and as the movers were easing to the side of the road, apparently some of the sparks made their way into a tiny hole in the frame.  By the time the movers got over to check out the tire, they could see smoke pouring from the hole.  And of course the hole was right in the center of the van.  Once the fire was out, they changed the tire and continued with the delivery.  They have all the smoke-damaged stuff under tarps in the back yard now.  As it turned out, the moving company had no insurance to cover the contents.  Looked pretty bleak … until our friends mad a phone call and verified that the homeowner’s insurance that they canceled effective, well, today, would indeed cover all their losses.  The moving van people have assured them that they will help with all the deductibles involved.  They assured us that they are doing fine while waiting for all the insurance red tape.  In case their daughter is listening … Larissa, we gave Mom and Dad a hug for you.

On the way home we made our yearly stop at the Moody Methodist craft fair.  That’s the one that co-opted our name.  They call it the Seaside Craft Festival.  We snagged a few books from their library clean-out, but mainly just strolled around looking for things Chris could do.  Oh, and people-watching of course.  We saw Laura and her goat factory soaps and lotions.  And April snuck up on us and said hello.  One of the vendors who has already signed up for our craft show in December (9^th) stopped us and asked if I could figure out the symbolism of one of his new creations.  Lots of pressure, too.  He said he had asked a few people already and no one got it right.  He was excited about coming to our show so he could “ask the pastor what he though.”  I studied the details of the cross he held before me, pondering whatever he could mean.   I even came up with something.  Not what he had in mind, though.  After he showed me what he intended, of course I could see it exactly.  I encouraged him to give it a name to make it easier to see his vision.  Something like, “Christmas Star Cross.”  It is a beautiful item, by the way.  It would make a great Christmas gift.  Come get you one on the 9^th. 

The rest of our errand run involved getting ready.  We went to Academy and got two new turkey friers and some oil.  Once we get some propane tanks that actually dispense propane, we will be ready to do some frying.  Then we stopped by Home Depot to get some more dropped ceiling panels and clips for hanging garland at the church.  We are just about ready for our Hanging of the Greens fellowship after church on December 3^rd. 

Psalms 3:3-4 says, “But you are a shield around me, O Lord; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.  To the Lord I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill.”

Father, help us to get ready for the things that matter … like loving you and loving people.  Amen.