November 21 – “Sycamores”

This morning it was cold and wet.  Not really raining.  Just wet.  And this morning was when we had to stand in line for thirty minutes.  Outside.  Where it was cold and wet.    Three groups got together and sent Galveston two thousand trees.  I think one of them was Randalls.  Anyway,  the city set up shop behind City Hall and gave them away.  All you had to do to get two trees was show proof that you lived in Gaveston – a drivers' license or a utility bill.  Well, you also had to sign a little thing that said you would plant them on the island.  And you had to tell them where on the island they would be so the Island Tree Gestapo can come by and check up on you.    They had five or six different types of tree to choose from.  At least they did when the give-away began.  It was supposed to begin at 9 a.m.  We arrived at ten minutes to nine.  And the line was wrapped half way around the block.  They had started at 8 a.m. because there were people already lined up.  The girl scouts were giving away mulch and little bitty cuttings of magnolia trees.  Volunteers were everywhere to help you  decide which tree would be best for you.   We picked two sycamores.  We had several reasons for it.  Chris wanted a tree that would get really big and one that would grow really fast.  She even did internet research to help with her decision making process.  She had narrowed it down and decided on a Sycamore and a white oak.  But when we got to the lot, there were no more white oaks.  That meant she would have to look at all the trees again and decide on her second choice.   My decision was easier.  And a lot simpler.  I wanted sycamores.  I had two reasons.  First, the house we lived in when I was born had a sycamore tree in the front.  I remember it being huge.  No, beyond huge.  It was gigantic.  The leaves were big and it had these little round balls that were seeds.  We never climbed it.  It was too high to reach the first branch.  My second reason?  The most obvious one, of course.  I wanted a sycamore tree because we live on Sycamore Street.  And I don't think there were any sycamore trees on our street.  There are now.   Psalms 119:1 says, "Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord."   Father, I want to be blessed, but that's a lot of expectation.  Blameless.  Walking according to your law.  I want to.  Help.  Amen.

November 20 – “A Christmas Cat Tree”

This morning we left early for Mom's doctor's appointment in Houston.  It was supposed to be just a review of a test she had a few months ago.  We couldn't make the follow up appointment back then, and this was the earliest next available.  As it turned out we had to stay in Houston for a few hours more than we planned.  He wanted to do an MRI to compare to the one he did back two years ago.  He thinks she might have had a very minor stroke that affected her language center, making it hard for her to come up with the word she's looking for sometimes.  Otherwise she seems to be doing great.  He was very pleased.   On the way home we stopped by my aunt's house in League City.  She had talked to Chris awhile back and invited us to come over.  She had a box of Christmas ornaments for us.  This year every single ornament on her overloaded tree has a cat on it.  A Christmas cat tree.  It was frightening.   When we left there we made a stop at the WalMart on 646.  We were hoping by some chance they would have two more barstools that matched the ones we got the other day.  To our surprise they did.  We now have four barstools that Chris really likes just, in time to host her family – and anyone else who wants to come over – for Thanksgiving.  I got them put together without too much trouble.  Did it while watching a schmaltzy Santa Claus movie on TV.  Multi-tasking.   This afternoon I officially felt the presence of the "tiny little dose" of steroids I have been taking.  Sadly, it wasn't an incredible burst of energy that enabled me to do astonishing feats of strength.  Instead it was … hot flashes.  I remember them well from the last time.  Back then they were accompanied by the energy as well as an uncanny "ability" to stay awake for hours on end.  That hasn't happened yet.  And my "benchmark" for this joint pain ordeal – my left elbow – is most definitely still in pain.  My fingers seem to be some better.  At least they aren't as swollen.     We have a problem with our new refrigerator.  It seems that the freezer only comes on when the door is open.  At least that was true for all of yesterday.  I called Sears from the car and arranged for us to return it and exchange it for another one.  They said there would be no problems.  I planned to do that probably on Monday if my sons can help again.  But this evening when I checked it out, it actually seems to be working.  The water we put in the freezer is frozen for the first time, and the bread in there is almost frozen as well.  Not sure what to do now.  At least it will work to hold turkeys while we wait to fry them.   Psalms 112:1-2 says, "Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands.  2 His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed."   Father, I want my children to be mighty blessed.  Teach me to fear you.  Help me obey your commands and not worry about the desires of men.  Amen.

November 19 – “Pea Patrol”

I went back to school today.  After the concern expressed yesterday by the new headmaster, I decided I really had no choice.  We went into the office almost as soon as I got there.  He seemed a little less stressed than yesterday, but still determined not to stick around to supervise the afternoon session.  I told him I would stay today.  Tomorrow is a half day anyway for the Thanksgiving break, so this gives us a week to see what we can do.  I told him to work on getting some teachers who will work for a per class stipend, maybe Spanish or Sign language to start with.  I will talk to the school board about rearranging salary money.  He offered to give up a substantial portion of his salary to help pay the new teachers.  He said if we do get stipends approved, the first one should go to the Bible teacher.  I wholeheartedly agree.    I overheard one of the math classes talking today.  Seems that our new headmaster was a hippie in his younger days.  This guy shows more and more promise every day.   I heard another anecdote from the kindergarten class.  One of the little guys brought a full lunch – including peas.  But he apparently didn't like peas.  And he had some delectable snacks as well.  The problem was, he also had instructions not to eat the snacks until he had finished his lunch.    So … he started hiding peas – one pea at a time – around the room.  The teacher went to the door to answer a question from another student.  While her back was turned, our little guy dumped what was left of his peas, along with the better part of his lunch, into the nearest trash can.  When the teacher turned back around, she immediately noticed and asked where his lunch was.  He sure didn't know.  So the teacher called out to one of the older students: "Come on, you are now on Pea Patrol.  We're going on pea patrol, and we're going on a pea hunt."   Knowing he was about to be found out, our little pea avoider cried out, "Don't look in the trash can.  It's yuckie in there!"  I imagine so.   Psalms 89:15-16 says, "Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord.  16 They rejoice in your name all day long."   Father, let me feel the light of your presence.  I just want to be sure I'm walking in the right direction.

November 18 – “Goobooger Fett”

Kel and Nathan helped me pick up our new refrigerator from Sears.  The trip back was interesting when we hit a high crosswind just before the causeway.  Nathan was telling a fire story and he completely lost his place.  I just slowed down some, and we made it fine.  We plugged it in next to the freezer.  That's about all there was to it, really.  No ice maker to hook up.  Just ripped off all the tape and Styrofoam.  Chris was excited.  She already has it full of eight turkeys destined to be fried next week.   Jachin and Micah have been over since 3:30 or so.  Kel had some kind of implants put in his mouth to help him deal with his sleep apnea.  Believe me, his brothers have had a field day teasing him with this one.  And it's going to get better when they find out he passed out at the doc's office.  He never told me where his doctor's office was.  Hmm.  Implants.  Near the brain.  Aliens?    Reminds me of the games we played this afternoon.  At one time or another I have been a clone, Luke Skywalker, and an Ewok.  Do you sense a pattern here?  I tried to hold out for Goobooger Fett, Bobba Fett's grandfather, but they didn't approve.   So I pulled out my secret weapon.  Robotic ear feedback.  My bionic ears brought them around.  When I point my finger with one hand, and bring the other one close to an ear, I can make a sound eerily similar to a ray gun.  Who can argue with Goobooger when he can do that?   Our new headmaster called this afternoon.  He decided he can't be headmaster, teach math classes, supervise lunch and come up with something for the high schoolers to do for the last two periods (the ones where the volunteer teachers couldn't keep teaching because of their work schedules.).  I have to talk with the school board president now to see what they want to do.  In the meantime, I guess I'll be the one to supervise lunch, come up with something for the high schoolers to do for the last two periods, and play part-time headmaster while I'm at it.  Just thinking about it makes my elbow ache.  Well, I already have a steroid prescription.  Maybe it'll help out.   Psalms 84:5 says, "Blessed are those whose strength is in you"   Father, I know my strength isn't in me because I sure don't feel strong right now.  And I really don't want to trust in steroids.  Help me to trust in you.  Just you.  Amen.

November 17 – “Welcome back”

I woke up kind of excited today.  My follow up with the rheumatologist was at noon.  Mom asked if she could ride along.  She was getting pretty bored.  She ran out of yarn for the project she was working on, and our good ol' Galveston WalMart ran out as well.    We got there in plenty of time, and Chris an I went back to the exam room.  We didn't have to wait very long before the knock on the door came.  Doctor Bowtie had a different student tailing him this time, and I guess he didn't like her as much as the last one.   Not only did he not ask her a bunch of questions, he didn't even acknowledge that she was there.    There was no exam.  He simply shook my hand, sat down and asked me how I felt.  After my answer, he said, "You mean there's been no sudden, dramatic change in how you feel?"  Well, no.  Except for the really bad heartburn since I started on that new medicine.  That led to a dissertation on how great my blood test looked, except for the low vitamin D.  Then he explained how to take the vitamin D, which was helpful, since even Chris was confused after talking to the person who called.  Then he said to stop taking the drug that was causing the severe heartburn.  Then he took a breath, and I was terrified that he wouldn't start back up again.   But start up again he did.  He gave me a prescription for Nexium to deal with the heartburn.  I managed to ask a feeble, "So do we still not know what's going on?"  He answered that obviously this was an arthritis event.  He said they saw that back on the MRI.  Now we just have to figure out what more might be going on.  And we have to do something to help you while we figure it out.    It sounded like a buildup to something.  But I never expected what he said next.  He had one more prescription he wanted to put me on.  One that I would take every day for at least four to six weeks.  A "tiny little dose" in his words.  Welcome back … to steroids.  No sleep.  Constant movement.  Nervous energy.  But, no, he insisted.  This time I don't have to do the big dose, then slowly wean off.  This time I just take a little tiny pill every morning (along with the mega-antacid).  And come back in four to six weeks to see if anything has changed.   Woo Hoo.  Let's celebrate.   We were going to go to Luby's, but we missed the turn and ended up at Gringos.  So much for a healthy meal of green leafy vegetables prepared in my own kitchen.    We did manage to stop by Sears on the way home.  We finally ordered a plain vanilla refrigerator to put in our store room.  It was cheap and on sale – an unbeatable combination.  It will be ready to pick up tomorrow, and Kel and Nathan both said they could help get it.   Oh.  We also found a WalMart in LaMarque that had yarn for Mom.   Psalms 84:4 says, "Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you."   Father, if I have given you my body, then that means I am dwelling in your house, right?  Sometimes I don't feel blessed, but I know I don't have to.  I do praise you.  Amen.

November 16 – “Turkey Trips”

It felt kind of strange this morning to get up in plenty of time to get to school by 7:20, but not have to.  I haven't been able to begin work on a teaching for Sunday on the Monday before in a long time.  I have missed the preparation time – praying for Seaside people, reading background, looking for where God is at work in the area he's leading me to teach.  I'm looking forward to this week.    My stomach has been giving me fits today.  I have spent a lot of time in the bathroom as a result.  I even left a crossword puzzle book in there to give me something to do.  I enjoy crossword puzzles.  But not if they are those really easy ones.  I like the challenging kind and the theme kind where two or three of the words have something in common.   During one of my stomach's lax times, I went to the WalMart one hour studio to get some photos printed for the kids at Seaside Christian Academy.  They are from when the fireman and his Dalmatian came to visit.  Then I headed over to get a haircut.  But the haircut place didn't open until 10:00.  Do you still call it a barber shop?  This one is a national chain, but when I get my receipt back it says the place is owned by the Viking Sisters.  That kind of scares me.    So I went back to WalMart and bought two turkeys.  We plan to fry turkeys for Thanksgiving.  We try to do that every year now.  Ever since Chris tasted her first fired turkey with Alex McLaughlin's secret basting recipe, she refuses to bake a turkey ever again.  In fact we usually fry up several and freeze the meat to use in recipes throughout the year.  Well, WalMart had no more of the 60 cents a pound off brand turkeys.  The only kind left was Butterball – 98 cents a pound.  That turkey better taste 38 cents a pound better than the other two we had in the freezer.   On the way home I texted Chris to see if six turkeys would be enough.  Her answer?  "How about eight?"  I had to go back and pick up the photos anyway, so I put it on my list.  I did finally work in a haircut during business hours.  I was excited when I went to pay.  Their senior citizen rates start at 55 years old.  I saved two dollars just by being old.  Then just as she ran my credit card through the machine, all the power went out in the whole area.  It came back on fairly quickly, but I wondered if that was some kind of weird omen about my future of getting benefits as an old guy.  I made the quick swing back by WalMart to get the photos and two more Butterball turkeys.  The pictures came out good.  Hope the kids like them.    Mom and I went to McAlister's for lunch.  I found a coupon for three dollars off if we used it by today.  My turkey melt was really good, but guess where I spent the next few hours off and on?  I wonder when Chris will be home.  Although she's not one to pamper.  Her nurse persona kicks in and she is all business.  I miss her.   Psalms 145:1-2 says, "I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name forever and ever.  2 Every day I will praise you and extol your name forever and ever."   Father, thank you for this particular Monday.  I have needed one just like it for awhile.  Amen.

November 15 – “Sappy love story movie”

There was a pretty small crowd at church this morning.  Everyone had been there before, so there was quite a homey feeling.  It was nice to know everybody, and I love them all.  But I also want chances to talk to people who are not used to going to church all the time.  Galveston has plenty of those.    Once again I was amazed this morning.  Someone else announced in church the existence of this blog.  I had to remember the address on the spot, and I actually did it.  I have to look the silly thing up every night when I post it on Facebook.    Our guys are making great progress on the Seaside Christian Academy building.  Volunteers have begun hanging wires for the dropped ceiling.  We still really need a licensed plumber to pull permits and allow our volunteers to work under his license.    Chris went to Bay City again this afternoon.  Her Mom has another chemo treatment in the morning.  I really miss Chris when she's gone, especially when there is a sappy love story movie on TV.  It's called Definitely, Maybe.  I think I have seen it before a long time ago, but it is even sappier than I remembered.  Chris is supposed to be back tomorrow evening.  I have a rheumatologist appointment Tuesday morning, so she plans to be back for that.    This evening I took Mom over to Moody Gardens Hotel for some kind of banquet.  Her good friend Betty met her there.  Betty has been great with Mom.  She invites her to all kinds of events around town.  Mom can't even keep up with where she's scheduled to go next, and it is helping her immensely to stay active.  Friends are priceless.    Proverbs 18:24 says, "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."   Father, thank you for giving my Mom one of those kinds of friends.  Bless Betty.  Amen.