April 7 – “Pays to be short …”

Chris got a phone call yesterday.  Yep.  That statement always carries with it a bit of dread, doesn’t it?  Well, before we begin, everybody is fine, so reel in your own dread for a second.  The call was from Christina.  Apparently Kel had been in an accident on his way to work, and she wanted us to go check on him (He works here in Galveston).  We jumped into action and made our way to the car.  And just as we were about to pull out, my phone rang.  The photo ID that came up was none other than Kel, himself, so we paused to see what was going on.  He assured us he was fine.  He just wanted to know if he could drive over to our house and use our wet/dry vac to clean up all the glass inside his car, and on himself.  Of course we said to come on, and we went back inside to wait for him.  Well, actually, first I moved our car out of the driveway so he could pull in.  Then I got out the vac and ran an extension cord so it would be ready when he arrived.  It felt strangely like I was channeling my Dad.

Kel arrived soon thereafter, and the damage to his car was, well, unusual.  The passenger side window was shattered, and the windshield looked as if a softball homerun had landed in the corner.  The frame on top of the door was crunched in and badly damaged as well.  It actually looked like someone was trying to cut the top off the vehicle.  Along those lines, I liked one of the comments I saw when they put the photos on FaceBook.  Jim, a somewhat height-challenged guy himself, simply commented, “Pays to be short …”  Glass was everywhere, even all over the back seat.  Chris made the comment that she was glad the kids weren’t with him.  They would have been showered with glass.  So what actually happened?  As I understand it, a truck pulling a flatbed trailer was turning right.  Kel maneuvered around him to continue on straight.  However, as the truck reached a certain point in its turn, the trailer swerved around and smashed into the passenger side of Kel’s car. 

The insurance company called Kel back after he made the initial report.  The agent just wanted to clarify something.  “Did you say this was a 2003 Saturn?  Are you sure you didn’t mean 2013?”  Kel assured her that, indeed, he drove a 2003 Saturn and had never had any trouble with it.  She changed her tune with that knowledge.  “Oh.  Well, they’re going to total it, then.”  Great.  Now they have to find another vehicle that can handle two adults and five kids.  See, their minivan is not the most reliable instrument on the planet.  And so the search begins …

2 Tim 4:3-5 says, “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.  But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”

Father, please show Kel and Christina to the right place for a car that meets their needs.  Amen.  

April 6 – “The actual reason”

Last night was a late night for me.  Not Chris.  She went on to bed.  But I bravely stayed the course.  And why, you might ask?  What could possibly hold my attention long enough to keep me awake until after 11:30 p.m., a time when any self-respecting grandfather would be long asleep?  Well … I was making palm crosses for the Palm Sunday worship service.  Yes ... that was it.  Yesterday afternoon I cut down three branches from one of the nearby palms.  Then I methodically stripped and trimmed individual fronds so that we would have a hundred of them for the service opening.  Next I had to cut and trim individual strips to make another hundred.  Those, however, were specifically designated to use to make the palm crosses.  Hence my late night.  All about worship preparation.

OK, OK.  It didn’t hurt that the Astros just happened to be playing on TV.  Still.  See, we went to see Micah play first.  He just started in the majors division of Little League, and he was actually called upon to start the game pitching last night.  His team lost the game, but they did pretty well, over all.  Micah got on and even scored.  He has come a long way from when he used to hope for a walk or just close his eyes and take a mighty swing.  Gotta be a little proud of that, don’t I?  Way to go, Micah.  So after his game we came home listening to the Astros game on the radio.  Springer tied the game up with a two-run double, and it was extra innings for the first time this year (of course this is only the third game of the year).  The game went back and forth with neither side able to mount any sort of offense.  Chris gave up and headed to bed, thinking I would be following her very soon.  I picked up another palm frond and kept hard at my task, hard at work on the “actual reason” for my not joining her immediately. 

The game went into the tenth, then the eleventh, and then the twelfth innings.  I finished the palm crosses, but since I was awake anyway, and the game WAS still on right there in front of me, I settled in just a little bit … for the long haul.  It the top of the thirteenth the Astros brought in one of their youngster pitchers.  He proceeded to walk three batters in a row.  So much for his 2017 debut.  Next came another young guy, but this one at least had more major league experience.  He walked in a run.  But to his credit, he then got the next three batters.  So Houston came to bat for their last chance.  And on the mound for the Mariners?  The last pitcher left in their bullpen.  A young Double A player who was only in the stadium to hold a spot because another guy was on paternity leave, due back in the morning.  This would be his major league debut.  Not just for this year.  For any year.  Talk about pressure on a young guy.  He got two outs.  But in the meantime Gattis ended up on second and Aoki on first.  Springer was the batter.  Three balls.  Two strikes.  Two outs.  Game on the line for the young pitcher.  Would he get his first big league save?  And there’s the pitch … and Springer crushes it.  A three run walk-off home run.  He screamed and danced his way around the bases.  I love this game where grown men can act like little kids, and it’s OK.  Reminds me of something, somewhere about becoming like little children …

Matthew 18:2-4 says, “He called a little child and had him stand among them.  And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Father, help us remember that you love little children and you want us to learn from them the way to come to you the way they do.  Amen.

April 5 – “From The East Wall to Third Base”

Once again Chris got a jump on me, a head start in the painting the house game.  I was working on the Bible study for Thursday night while she tackled some more of the trim outside.  I did finally join her, though.  I ended up with the responsibility of painting the east wall.  Sounds rather ominous, doesn’t it?  East Wall.  Like there is something of extreme value on the other side.  Or like we’re determined to keep something - or somebody - out.  But it’s just that … a wall on the east side of our house.  And now it’s a completely painted, ready to go, looks somewhat better than when we began … east wall.  Chris’ job is harder, though.  She has to do double coats around the windows and doors.  Then once she’d done, I come back with the little brush and do the touch-ups.  Are you bored yet?  I could paint that for you.  Get it?  Bored … Board.

Last night Chris went to the last meeting of her ladies’ Bible Study until sometime in June.  Since I wasn’t invited, I went to Cailyn’s softball game instead.  I think I got a pretty good end of that stick (You know I can’t officially say that a softball game was better than a Bible study, right?).  The game was a good one, though.  The Barracudas (Cailyn’s team) were playing the Sharks, probably the best team in the league.  Most of their girls are on the eight year old end of the spectrum.  Most of the Barracudas are still just seven, or maybe recently turned eight.  The difference in one year of experience is mind-boggling.  In spite of the difference, however, the Barracudas fought their way to just a three point loss.  They even had a chance to win at the end, but a nicely turned double play snuffed out their hopes.  Cailyn did a great job at shortstop.  She fielded a grounder smoothly (she couldn’t throw the runner out because the first baseman wasn’t on the bag in time).  She almost caught a pop-up as well.  I told her she needs to trust her glove the same when the ball is in the air as she does when it is coming to her on the ground.  Her hitting, though, was the highlight reel of the night.  She smacked the ball into the outfield on a line drive every time she came to bat.  One of the hits even got past everyone and ended up a triple.  That’s my girl. 

2 Timothy 4:2 says, “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction.”

Father, keep those little girls safe when they play softball, and help them always remember to have fun.  Amen.

April 4 – “Baseball in the Twilight Zone”

I got a pretty strong start on Palm Sunday preparations yesterday.  Well, on the sermon prep part, anyway.  I still have to collect some palm branches from the trees around here and turn them into fronds and palm crosses.  I usually make about a hundred of each, so a bit of work remains out there for me. 

On my break from computer study, I joined Chris on the house painting front.  Gotta love it when you find something you can do together, right?  She was hard at work on the white trim and eaves.  I took on the actual bulk of the house, the gray that looks like blue color.  I finished one side of the house and most of the porch.  That still leaves me to finish up the porch, continue on around the windows in front, and do the complete east side of the house.  This morning while I do some more computer work, Chris is going after the eaves on the west side while there is shade over there.  Then she plans to work her way around the front, doing eaves and trim as she goes.  We’ll probably end up needing another gallon of the white paint she is using.  Still not sure about the gray/blue, though.  It has a primer built in, so it covers better than the white does.  We’ll see when I get further into my chore.

Last night we went into Texas to watch Josiah play a baseball game.  Let me say up front, he did a great job.  Got a hit that knocked in a run.  Made a great tag out at second base … while he was the first baseman.  Almost took a throw for a putout at first, too.  Very close play.  There were a lot of issues about the game, though.  The rules for the league (tee ball/coach pitch combined) state that each batter gets three pitches from his coach.  If he doesn’t hit one of those, then he gets two off of the tee.  After that he is out.  The opposing team totally ignored that rule.  Each of their kids batted until they hit something, then were allowed to stay on base even if they had been put out.  And they kept batting until they scored the maximum five runs.  It felt like we had stumbled into a Twilight Zone of YMCA baseball where the rules were ignored but at least nobody’s feelings were to be hurt.  That’s OK, mind you, but not when the express purpose of the league is to teach the kids what it is like to strike out and make successful putouts in the field … in essence, what baseball is actually like.  OK.  That’s the end of my rant for the day.  Way to go, Josiah.  You did great last night.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Father, thank you for those youngsters.  Help them to learn the baseball lessons.  In baseball, like life, there are some strike outs and near misses, but they only serve to make the hits you provide that much sweeter.  Amen.  

April 3 – “A Mystery on the Team”

We did something different at church last night.  We had a singing and eating fellowship.  Well, I guess that would be more accurately described as an eating and singing fellowship.  We did take care of the eating part first.  The idea was to sing through the songs we will be singing at the Easter Sunrise Service on the beach.  That way some of the folks in the crowd will be familiar with the songs and can help the others carry the tune.  We can have four or five hundred people at the event, so we can use all the “planted” music help we can get.

The food portion of the evening was just as excellent as I expected.  We had everything from pizza sandwiches to actual pizza to brisket to little sausages in Oklahoma barbecue sauce.  Someone made breakfast bread (AKA monkey bread), and Brennan discovered a brand new favorite.  Janell served root beer floats to the crowd later in the evening as well. 

The rest of the evening amounted to the praise team and Chris doing most of the singing and the rest of the folks listening in and tuning up occasionally.  I know I heard more than a few voices on Victory in Jesus.  Oh, and speaking of the praise team.  There was an extra body up there.  Jim was there with his guitar and banjo (though not at the same time).  Dale was back with his guitar.  Austin was up there strumming on his brand new electric guitar.  And Corey was there as well, fiddling away on his violin.  So who was the extra body?  Well, let’s just say he played a ukulele and stayed as nondescript as he possibly could.  I – er – HE had a hard time keeping up with the big boys on several of the songs, and on several occasions he didn’t even know how to play the chord being called for.  And then there was the issue of not being able to see the song sheet.  I think he was having some fun, though.  I don’t think he will join the team for the sunrise service, however.  Too much going on to worry about music as well as teaching and baptizing and being the general emcee flunky for the event.  Easter is just two weeks away.  I have to get the programs printed this week along with making all the palm crosses.  Time to do some palm tree trimming.  Oh, and I suppose Chris will have some house painting in the mix as well.  Bring it all on.

2 Timothy 3:14-15 says, “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

Father, thanks for singing and eating and gathering with friends.  Use the Easter service to your glory.  Amen.

April 2 – “It’s where?”

I officiated another wedding on the beach last night.  This one was right next to the Pleasure Pier, of all places.  And that means all the Duck Tour traffic was brought to a standstill when it became apparent that the bride had arrived and was exiting her car.  Speaking of the bride, she was the granddaughter of my Mom’s best friend, Betty.  The groom was in the military, and he was decked out in his dress uniform.  As is my custom, I struck up a conversation with the groom and asked where the rings were.  If a best man or maid of honor would be carrying them, I wanted to touch base with them about where in the service I would ask for them.  The bride’s Dad had her ring, so that was no problem.  However … Dad sent word from the bride that the groom’s ring was on his key chain.  And where was his key chain?  Back at the hotel where he was staying.  Not a problem, though.  He quickly improvised.  His Dad slipped off his own wedding ring and offered it for use.  Whew.  One problem solved.  Except then we noticed that the car containing the bride had just whipped out of its parking space and sped away down the seawall, leaving her Dad standing alone in its wake.  Speculation mounted among the ever-growing crowd.  Why did she leave?  Was the wedding still on?  Finally Dad came down the steps to the sand where the chairs were set up and delivered the news.  The bride forgot her bouquet back at the hotel and she was going to retrieve it.  The groom immediately commented, “She better not say a word to me about forgetting the ring.”

Ah, but he happened to be standing right next to his future mother-in-law.  And she was ever the protective mother hen.  She immediately replied, “There’s a lot more to forgetting the ring than the bouquet.”  Wisely, he chose not to pursue the discussion any further.

In spite of the early glitches, though, we got the ceremony conducted and all was well.  They even had a TV going with the Gonzaga basketball game over at the reception.  Gotta say that was an unexpected and quite welcome first for a wedding reception.  Add to that the meal they served and it was one of the most memorable I have ever been to.  Oh, the menu?  Pizza and homemade spaghetti and meatballs.  They also had some noodles with chicken and alfredo sauce (is that the white stuff?).  Oh, and a simple salad, too.  Good stuff.

2 Timothy 2:24 says, “And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.”

Father, walk with Cody and Amanda in their life together.  Protect him and his compatriots as they serve our country.  Amen.

April 1 – “Vandalism”

Well, that’s the last time I’ll ever do that.  We left the paint and brushes and everything out last night since we were going to hit the ground running this morning.  And what to our wondering eyes should appear when we woke up?  Someone had gotten into our back yard and splashed paint everywhere.  The back walls of the house that we just finished Thursday afternoon now all have to be repainted to cover up the graffiti.  I think we can power wash the concrete pavers to get the paint off them.  I have no idea what effect paint has on St. Augustine grass, though.  Guess we’ll find out soon enough. 

We’re still debating whether to call the police or not.  I suppose we’ll have to get them involved if we hope to have any restitution from our homeowner’s insurance company.  It’s their fault anyway that all of this happened.  They are the ones that required us to make the repairs that we were trying to save up for.  If they had just left us alone, we would have replaced the entire back part of our house with brand new siding and painted the whole house to match.  It would have been a glorious accomplishment.  But no.  They insisted the repairs be made and gave us about two weeks to get it done.  Now they get to cut us a check to cover some of these unforeseen costs.  Of course with the deductible it won’t be nearly enough to pay for everything, but we’ll just have to tighten our belts a little more this month. 

I’ve been wondering what all the police will need for an investigation (like they’re really going to do an investigation on something this trivial).  I guess we should take pictures of everything, but we have already painted over the worst of the graffiti.  Just wasn’t thinking ahead.  We both remember what it said, though.  Something along the lines of “April fool.” 

Gotta love it when you can tell all sorts of whoppers one day a year, and all is deemed proper as long as you add the disclaimer.  Lest there be any doubt … our house is fine.  There was no vandalism.  We are still painting today.  No police are involved. 

2 Timothy 2:23 says, “Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.”

Father, thank you for fun and pranks and especially friends to play them on.  Help us to keep them lighthearted and not hateful.  Amen.