Blew by me

6:43 p.m. Today's project was to get a new battery installed at the dealership where we bought the one that just died. I was rather puzzled that a battery with three years left on it could quit, but my mechanic checked out all other possibilities with the Jeep's electrical system, inside and out, connectors, etc., and indeed, the battery was dead!

Since I had a 10:00 appointment at Raincross at Riverside assisted living to discuss Steve's admission, 7:30 for the battery installation would give more than ample time to stop by the house and straighten up for my Mary Kay team member's later visit with her mom, leaving plenty of time to make the assisted living memory care meeting. I was quite disciplined last night, planning to go to bed by 9:30 p.m. since my cell phone alarm was set for 5. Naturally, one of the tribulations Jesus told us we'd suffer in this world (John 16:33b) presented itself at 9:30, in the form of Steve getting up out of bed wandering around the bedroom after being asleep for two hours. I took my phone in there for light, put an L-carnosine patch on his chest for sound sleep, and managed to put him back into bed, a painful and tough physical task for arthritic me. Jesus has been with me the whole time, however, as He told His disciples then and now,

In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

To bed at last! No matter what the hour, I like to read a selection from Minute Motivators for Leaders: Quick Inspiration for the Time of Your Life, by Stan Toler,  a general superintendent at the Church of the Nazarene's global ministry center. Some of the topics include excellence, courage, credibility, discipline, celebration, encouragement and self-evaluation, all with a scriptural basis. I have to think of my favorite Bible person, the Apostle Paul, when I consider--and apply-- self-evaluation, Philippians 4:12-14 (NLT):

I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I already have achieved perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing:Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
 
From the same wonderful epistle, Paul also shows that he knows how to celebrate, no matter what the circumstances are, as Philippians 4:4 (NKJV) says,

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

Unfortunately, I was not in a celebratory mood as it got closer to 10:00 and my Jeep was just barely being driven out of the service bay--once I went to the office and asked for it!Twenty minutes later,[2.5 hours total to install a battery] and after a paperwork hang-up was fixed, I called Ruthie at Raincross, and told her I'd be late, but nevertheless had to leave by noon. So my day was off to a crawling start! But on the blessed side, I had arrived in the customer waiting room with two possible scenarios in mind:

1. Since this was a work day, if there happened to be a nice woman to chat with, I'd try to make an appointment for a facial.

2. In case there were no women in the waiting room, I had brought my Bible study research materials to continue my preparation to teach II Samuel 12 [the prophet Nathan's excoriating rebuke from God to David for the murder of Uriah and the pronouncement of the king's future public punishment, leading to David's repentance and restoration]. As for me, God made His choice, there were no prospects in sight, so I set to work, not work at all, but sheer enjoyment! With my phone's Bible app for looking up supporting scriptures, I'd eliminated the need to add a physical Bible to the heavy commentary and large notebook I had brought. Don't you love using technology for ministry?

Though God brought me out of my nervous state and on to a productive meeting, the day really began to steamroll and blow right by me! My team member Sandra and her very elderly mom were parked in the driveway when I arrived about noon, pretty much signaling that I'd get no lunch other than the fresh oatmeal raisin cookie I'd grabbed from the help-yourself tray in the foyer at Raincross as I headed to my car. After getting Sandra's 90+ mother settled in the family room with a glass of iced tea, watching "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman," I helped Sandra work on her order and set up her account to be able to accept debit and credit card payments. Then I gave both ladies facials with our new Repair line, and matched her mom's foundation. Their lovely smiles were such a reward!

Steve came home, and I spent the rest of the afternoon with him and his caregiver, as I worked on arrangements for his medical and care needs. I faced down a mountain of paperwork and continual phone calls. I just had to keep in mind that one day there will be a blessed result, for both Steve's and my well-being. We need to remember that this life with its tribulations is not the end of the story as it blows by us!

There is a worship song played frequently on our local KSGN, 89.7 FM, with these lyrics:

There will be a day with no more tears,
No more pain, no more fears.
There will be a day when the burdens of this place
Will be no more--we'll see Jesus face to face!

Amen!