What in the thunder am I doing up?

There seems to be lots of unrest in our house tonight. Krl is having a fitful night, all the hound boys and girls seem to be really antsy. No one can get settled enough to "get settled in". Combine an oddity and I might be able to make some sense of why I am up. In the headboard of our bed there are some mirrors. Umpteen times a night I will glance in the headboard to see what time it is. I am always concerned first with the hour and depending on the hour possibly on the minute. Somehow, the clock was turned around during the night and what I was seeing was the reflection. The number one is O.K., can't go wrong with that, but the number two, at a glance, comes off as a five. Oh! Yes, I will admit it. Initially when I got up I thought it was five something but instead it was two something, and I am WIDE awake. Oh well.

Of course it rained today. Gotta love it! Thankfully we got the yard out of the way before it rained, but the shrubs are going to have to be worked in. I have to brag on Krl. Over the years she has put in a lot of time and effort on her yard and flower beds and it has really paid off the last couple of years. Even when we were on water restrictions she has been able to maintain a gorgeous yard. Thank goodness for lawn computers, Krl has done it within city guidelines as well. This year two of her neighbors have noticed that they too are benefiting from Krl's work, as her yard is spreading. We have one new neighbor to the south that has yard savvy. The last one thought the yard was a nuisance, never watered and made it a practice to mow and discharge her weeds and seeds across our yard and everyone else's! I think that Krl has one of the prettiest yards in the neighborhood and she is responsible, not a hired gun.

Krl and I did the unmentionable today. But I am going to mention it. Adventurous readers, read on.

I had gone on a fact finding mission and returned to the house to pick Krl up for our weekly trek to the grocery store. She wasn't quite ready so I sat down and began sketching some plans for a construction project for the fall job site. I finished a little before Krl did so I had a few minutes to contemplate our weekly project. Odd thing is we didn't do it last week. I have been very disgruntled with our regular store. I have talked with section managers, I have talked with front end managers, I have talked with the store director. I detest going there and then to another neighborhood store to complete our shopping. So, unbeknownst to my lovely associate, Krl, I had made the decision to be adventurous! We grabbed her umbrella, hopped in the car and took off. When she realized we were not on the regular route, she knew she was in for something out of the ordinary. We didn't stop in our neighborhood, we drove by store after store until we came to "the" store I had selected as our "contestant" today in our search for a new market. It was fun! Krl and I laughed, took our time, shopped, compared, and had a good time. Talk about a produce section, they had one! Gotta have that meat market with butcher where you can requisition exact cuts, they did! We had not prepared a detailed list, this was a mistake because I have gotten in a rut and know when I hit certain aisles what I need on a regular basis, but we did remarkably well. Krl thinks I am a nerd because as we walked through I would tell her what the pricing was at the "old store" in comparison to the new store. The Price is Right would be surprised if I was ever a contestant. Anyhow, it was a hoot. When we completed our purchase there was little difference in total from our old store. This wasn't necessarily the exercise. Each store has their own sacrificial offerings and each has their own profit generators. This was an exercise concerning availability and service.

O.K., Krl and I are easy to entertain.

I am looking very forward to church today. In some ways it is going to be like our grocery store adventure because after a long absence MC is going to be back today. It is also the first Sunday for two services, and I love going to the early service as I am always up early. After Krl's and my extended leave for the fall job, we returned to Highland shortly after the January wreck that saw one youth lose his life and several others were injured very seriously along with the driver of the vehicle. While some have recovered, some continue the process. Needless to say, the Highland family will forever carry the scars of that mid January day. It seemed as though all the pieces of the church community didn't fit like they once did. Many people have struggled and continue to deal with this tragedy, some on a much more personal basis than others. Through a stroke of luck and Divine intervention, 2005 saw the fruitation of the Into All the World campaign. Over five hundred of the Highland family served in missional roles throughout the world. It seems to have been a good diversion with miraculous healing powers. Numerous people have witnessed about their trips and God's work. There has been a steady stream of willing and capable people who have filled the pulpit throughout the summer. This list has included some from within the membership but has also included local Bible professors like RH (who I have referred to as the "Gene Hackman" of the pulpit) and JT who delivered on two powerful Sundays. Thankfully, Highland is a community where there are a lot of options available when necessary. Today with MC returning along with the return of the ACU students, I suppose many of us are looking for answers along with that warm fuzzy feeling we all once enjoyed. I suppose we are anxious to see progress, to continue to adapt and refit the pieces as a whole, to see GOD's powerful powers of healing and renewal. This is the season for a new anointing.

FATHER, thank YOU for weekends. Thank YOU for rest, for renewal, for healing. Thank YOU for caring. May this day be blessed. May it honor and glorify YOU. Be with all those traveling. I continue my thanks for Krl and ask for her healing and renewal. I pray for Addie, Memama, Pepa, Hag, B., Lillie, Aimee, Jennifer, Ashlyn Kate, Jess, Dr. Mackie, Jeanine, Verlin, and S.T.. I ask YOUR miracle of healing for them all. I pray for those hurting from loss and ask YOUR comfort for them. I pray for those of us who stumble as we attempt to follow YOU. I pray for our spiritual family and our leaders. I pray for the efforts being made to expand YOUR kingdom. Into my heart.