Saturday, October 26, 2019

October 26 – “Pssst. Wake up …”


It was a dreary and rainy day …

I know.  Sounds like the start of one of Snoopy’s novels.  Well, sort of.  I guess he was all about dark and stormy nights.  We woke up to rain.  Lots and lots of rain.  Galveston was under a flash flood watch again.  We were also watching a disturbance out in the Gulf that was threatening to turn into a tropical storm.  And it was heading right for us.  That’s just crazy.  Hurricane season ends this coming Thursday.  And then, to make matters worse, the rains stopped and the blustery cold began.  This is tropical paradise Galveston.  We don’t do cold well. 
                                                     
We did receive our semi-regular Friday morning call from Josh.  This time he was pretty excited about starting the Doctor of Ministry program.  He was awarded a pretty substantial scholarship by the school, so that took one hefty worry off his plate.  His first seminar doesn’t actually start until February, but he received the syllabus, so he has already begun the reading and is well on his way to writing the first paper.  That would be Josh.

By late afternoon the stuffiness began rearing its ugly head inside my head.  I had hoped this stuff was gone.  The good side was that I didn’t really feel bad this time.  Just trouble breathing.  It made for an interesting array of snorts and coughs and nose- blowings that I am certain delightfully entertained Chris.

Of course we faithfully watched the Astros game.  Well, Chris was faithful until sometime in the seventh inning.  She got to see my home run dance when Chirinos connected.  We missed having Ed around so the two of us could go at it.  But by the seventh inning Chris was just worn out.  She didn’t go to bed this time, though.  She just snuggled up closer to Freddy and started sawing logs right there on the couch. 

I almost woke her up when Osuna was inserted into the game.  She refuses to be in the room when he starts pitching.  Her mantra at such time is something along the lines of, “I can’t stand the carnage.  I’m going to bed.”  Of course she would have been excited that her favorite Astro, Jake Marisnek, had been inserted into center field as well.  After the game I turned off the TV and then gently woke her up.  She immediately asked if the game was over and who won.  I started out slowly.  I said, rather disconsolately, “Well, they put Osuna in in the ninth inning.” 
She instantly replied, “Oh, no.  They Astros lost, didn’t they?” 
I answered, “Well … on a positive note, Jake made a good catch at the wall of the first batter’s really long smash to center field.” 
She cast a weary glance in my direction, “OK.  So what happened next?” 
This was fun.  She was absolutely on the hook.  “The next batter got a single.  Jake dove for it and Correa almost got to it, but it was a single nonetheless.” 
Sadness.  Dejection.  I couldn’t stand it any longer.  “But he struck out the next two guys.  Astros win.” 
Fortunately she was too tired to beat me up.   I’m not sure if she appreciated my humor at that moment, though …

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 says, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.  Do everything in love.”

Father, thank you for Josh’s excitement.  Walk with him and his family as they go through yet another chapter of their lives together.  Amen.

No comments: