A Funny Thing Happened...

A funny thing happened on my way to church...

Seriously! I was about to run out the door to church for my regular Saturday evening preparations when Lola said, "What is that sound?"

Me: "What sound?"
Lola: "It sounds like dripping. Come here and listen!"

Sure enough! LOTS of dripping. It turns out that the old drain pipes under the kitchen sink rusted to the point where they fell off. Everything under the sink was soaked and the water ran down through the floor into the laundry room.

It was a mess. It took two hours and three trips to the hardware store. (The cute narrow doors in the front of sink cabinet are not so attractive when you have your arm in past your elbow and you discover you are stuck!)

I got to church very late. I got home very late. When I got home I flooded things again because I ran a sink full of water down the drain - but found the drain was plugged below my repairs! It was a circus!!!

Oh, well. It is a good reminder that we don't know what is going to happen to disrupt our plans. By God's grace I handled this a bit more calmly than I might have done at one time. It is good to grow in grace. It is necessary to be tested from time to time.

Growing Pains

It was the early years of the church - and it was growing by leaps and bounds.
But growing can bring some problems - and they hit some snags.
So how did they address those problems?

Gravely Deceived - About the resurrection...

In modern America it is popular to suggest that this life is all there is. This view has a serious impact on how people live their lives.

But what if the people who believe this are wrong?

Jesus has something to say to them.

Obey God Rather Than Men!

The apostles were arrested and imprisoned and beaten and severely warned - "Don't teach or preach in the name of Jesus Christ!"

So what did they do? And how does it relate to us?

Sermon In A Sack: Matzo

Matzo - Unleavened Bread.  Why do we use this for our communion service? How does it remind us of Jesus Christ?

A Rough Day!

Poor Tiny! Today, at long last, I had the time and energy to groom him.

He was a mess! His nails, his ears, his hair were all too long. The hair was matted on his legs. He was dirty. He smelled bad.

He was in such bad shape that I thought about taking him to a groomer, but figured they would want $100 for all the work he needed. Besides that, I was ashamed that I let him get so bad! (Poor baby...)

So... we began at about 2:30 and finished up at 4:30. A scissor trim of his coat. Close clipping on his face and feed and undercarriage. Working with a de-matting tool and using the scissors some more. That took an hour and at the end he looked like he had been attacked by the moths.

Then he went into the tub. Lathered and scrubbed and lathered and rinsed. Gradually the rinse water ran clear again - instead of looking like he had been used as a paint roller. Another half hour had passed.

Then the towel drying. Then the blow drying and working over him with a brush and comb. Then scissors again to get rid of still more mats. Then the clippers again to even things out on his back. Then scissors to even out the hair his legs. Then combing and clipping and trimming his ears. The final half hour was over.

We were both tired of it all by this time.

That evening we were in the family room with a friend. It was only 8:30 but Tiny was ready for bed! So he turned his back on us, stuck his face in the crack between the pillow and the bolster and he went to sleep.

Poor, tired baby... He had a rough day.

Gratitude

It is a beautiful Spring morning! The temperatures are mild, the wind is brisk, the sun is trying to get through the clouds.

As I drove to work today through my neighborhood, I saw two people on the sidewalk, waiting at an intersection. As I approached from behind them I thought, "It looks like a mother and daughter." The "daughter" was slightly ahead. I saw the "mom" step closer to the "daughter's" shoulder. Their posture was erect as if they were looking off down the street. Two cars were waiting at the intersection - what was going on?

When I finally came to them, I saw the long white cane in the girl's hand. She has some visual impairment and the "mom" is really an instructor. They were making good use of the nice weather to practice navigation skills. They must have hit a snag there at the corner. As I watched in my rearview mirror the two cars proceeded through as the girl and her teacher continued to wait.

This scene that I viewed for only a few minutes struck me right in the heart!

On the one hand, I admire the girl for working to overcome her disability. I don't know her or the level of her vision, but to learn to navigate the neighborhood with a cane is difficult and potentially dangerous. In her I see courage and a spirit I admire.

On the other hand, I admire the work of the instructor. Teaching this kind of skill is special. She must have developed a good trusting relationship with her student. She must be firm, encouraging and yet patient while her student gradually gains confidence.

Finally, in this scene I am reminded again of how blessed I am to be free from such daunting problems in my own life. It is too easy for me to take things like my vision, hearing and physical wholeness for granted. It is good to be reminded that these are not a birthright. They are a blessing that I should use for God's glory.