My daughter did not like to hear that I was out shoveling snow off of the sidewalk. She knew that such activity was a leading cause of heart attacks in winter. It's a good thing she didn't know that I walked the dogs later in our super-icy alley. Oops! But I'm still amazed at how snow makes everything look so beautiful. And when the sun breaks through, the snow begins to sparkle.
FOND MEMORIES
We had received a Christmas form letter from a family that attended our house church. They had moved westward in Tennessee and we hadn't heard about them in years. They were such a sweet couple and, at the time, had two shy, but adorable little girls. They've since added to their family. What struck me most was how warm and humble they were. We looked up their address and found that they were only a couple of hours from our Nashville daughter. It would be great to see them again. But you have to wonder what they would think of us if they knew what we believe now. Sometimes I feel like an undercover Christian. I have this gut feeling that many Christians are too comfortable in their faith, with no desire to challenge what they believe. Of course, I could be wrong, but it will be wonderful when, someday, we're all on the same page.
CAR TALK
With 88,000 miles on our car, I decided it was time to have the transmission fluid changed. The folks at Jiffy Lube remind me at each oil change of a number of recommended services for my particular vehicle, all of which hit my wallet with increasing intensity. I'm stuck between "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and "woulda-coulda-shoulda" when something goes wrong. So I checked the net and decided to accept the advice of my old friends (not personally), Ray and Tom Magliozzi (aka Click and Clack, the tappet brothers). They said do it. So I did.
GAME ON
After several straight days of holiday hustle, Lois and I found a little free time on our hands. I know, we're retired, so we should have a lot of free time, right? You'd be surprised how busy our days are. Anyway, today we took a break to play some Canasta. It's a card game that I started playing with my parents ever since I could hold cards. It would be interesting to know just how many games I've played in my lifetime. Lois and I seem to be pretty evenly matched --- or is it the luck of the cards? The game is relaxing, and we're both good sports. Of course, winning feels so good.
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Lord, thanks for sending those extra guardian angels to keep me upright on the snow and ice today. And thanks for friends of churches past, whose hearts will one day blend with ours in worshiping You. I pray for wisdom on things that I'm not very good at, like maintenance on cars and handling money. Thank you for relaxation, when I can unwind with my best friend. I know that rest was designed by You, and some of us rest too much, while others desperately need it. Help us to have a healthy balance in caring for these mortal tents You have put us in.
Amen
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