Oh, my head!

4:50 p.m. Today's project was to get rid of the headache that started at 7:30 this morning.

I was very excited to see our tree trimming service arrive spot on time, with their giant truck, crew and wood chipper. Need I mention that jada was wildly excited too, as witnessed by her over-the-top barking through the wrought irn gate? She set up a determined opposition to these intruders in her bailiwick (the front yard), and held her position without wavering, the very picture of protection!

Steve and his caregiver Carlos were sitting on the living room couch waiting for the Special Transportation bus to take him to Care Connexxus, and watching as the tree service got their equipment in place. Carlos and I had both parked our vehicles on the street so the truck could come up the driveway. Jada was disciplined for her racket by me placing her in the crate in the garage with her bedding and water bowl.  She didn't quiet down, but at least she was out of the work men's faces and in a place of being ignored.

Absurdly, like a parent to a child in tantrum mode, I popped by head out and scolded, "No one is listening to you!" Whatever, my headache was coming on, and it was only 7:45! Steve's bus came,  Iwalked him out, paid the driver, and kissed Steve goodbye.  Carlos, with 20 minutes left on his shift, leashed Jada up in the garage, then took her for a walk-run in the opposite direction of our front lawn. Thank you, Lord, for a respite from her racket! Who would think that the steady roar and rumble of a tree chopper and a wood chipper could be described as a relief?!  As Roman11:33b says of God, "His ways are past finding out."

Carlos returned with Jada, I signed off on his shift paper, and Jada was once again consigned, bark and all, to her garage abode. At least I had the opportunity to escape the non-stop barking by taking Jung to school, so after turning down the owner's offer of a ride in the truck's "sky basket," she joined me in the Jeep and we were on our way. I remarked wryly to her that "I always inwardly grumble when the neighbors have some noisy, giant cement truck pouring a patio or a pool, or delivering lumber and taking up part of the street, but I don't mind when it's at my house!" She laughed along with me, because it's universally true--we don't want to be inconvenienced unless it's our own doing! It's Jesus' principle of the "log in my eye" vs. the "speck in my neighbor's eye" from Matthew 7:3-5. "Hypocrite!" is what our Lord cried out, and it's no laughing matter, but a sin that needs confessing.

By 9:00 when I returned, the work was almost wrapped up, and the crew were busy sweeping off our roof and removing every last twig. Ken the owner gave me a photo op of him up in the sky box while his men cleaned up. And a beautiful job they did at a fair price!

I let Jada out, refreshed her water, and left through San Timiteo Canyon for our "Wednesday Morning makeovers in Redlands. My nerves soothed away as I enjoyed a beautiful day and the curving road. I also felt blessed that I added a new and enthusiastic member to my team yesterday, and am inviting more guests to events and booking more parties. It had been a fine week in my business; Steve would be enjoying a good and active day with the weekly Bible study at Care Connexxus; the trees had been cut way back on their way to restored health; and after a hardworking afternoon in the garden, it's ready for planting. And my headache subsided.

God is indeed good, all the time!