Saturday, December 22, 2018

December 22 – “The travelling barricade”


We were met with quite the unusual sight on our way to physical therapy the other day.  The traveling barricade.  We were casually driving down the seawall, minding our own business (and the speed limit laws, of course), when all of a sudden, from out of nowhere on our left (not the beach side), came flying across two lanes of traffic ... one of those traffic barricades used by construction workers.  Not off the ground, mind you.  It was gliding across the street like it had a tiny little unseen driver and retractable wheels.  Fortunately Chris spotted the approaching menace, slowed down, and changed lanes to avoid the impending crash.  And as we drove past we saw the harried construction worker, obviously in charge of the barricade, running as fast as he could trying his best to catch up with the errant barrier.  He did finally make contact, but it took every bit of his energy to get the travelling barricade back to its designated spot in the road.  Unusual things happen on our Island when the wind blows from any direction other than off of the Gulf. 

Last night Chris finished wrapping Christmas presents.  I was a big helper, though.  I handed her name tags all filled out in festive fonts of my own creation.  Once the gifts were all deposited under the tree she sighed and declared, “It finally feels like it’s Christmas around here.”  I thought the 83 or so Hallmark Christmas movies we have watched since I have been home from the hospital would have contributed to that feeling …

I had an unusual text-based counseling session yesterday.  A guy was about to perform his first ever wedding ceremony as an officiant.  He signed up online to get credentials from somewhere, and they sent him two different marriage licenses.  He wanted to know if he had to use both of them.  Kind of surprised him I think, to learn that neither of them means anything as far as the state is concerned.  He could fill those out if he wanted to, but he just needed to be sure and fill out the actual marriage license and get it sent back in. 

We had a late-night treat last night provided by our neighbors across the street.  Christmas Cupcakes.  They were hijacked from their original destination, an end-of-the-year class Christmas party at the elementary school.  And why were we enjoying them?  A water main broke near the school, so they had to cancel all classes for the day.  It was the last day of school before Christmas break, and all they had scheduled were the parties, so lots of festive treats found their way to the happy tummies of forgotten grandparents and neighbors.  No complaints from this guy …

Psalms 119:114 says, “You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.”

Father, thank you for protecting us from that wandering barricade.  And thanks as well for the treats last night.  Be with Robert and his wedding ceremony.  Amen.

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