watching the traffic come and go

I followed Jack in the door with my arms laden with heavy boxes of our brand new product.

It took us about an hour to get things the way he wanted them to look but in the end it was worth the effort to put the little jars in 'just the right spots'.

We had driven the 35 miles in anticipation of what we might experience but came away the first day disappointed at only making one sale the whole day long. Had we made a bad decision choosing this mall over others that might be better for what we have to offer? Only time would tell.

The following day started out much the same but by noon we had sold some product and filmed several testimonies for the website. I felt considerably better and I could easily see the more relaxed expression on Jack's face. I was sure there were other factors in play because the mall itself seemed inviting and well setup.

Sure enough, the answer came about 7 PM as a tall, lanky cowboy came up to me and asked me about Jack's Answer. We visited for a few minutes and he informed me that there was a baseball tournament in town for the weekend and that we probably wouldn't see as many people as might normally shop on a given weekend.

That was it! I hadn't considered the possibility that there might be other activities going on that would take traffic away from the al and send it somewhere else. After all it is the first of the month and everyone would 'have to ' come to the mall, if for no other reason than seeing what everyone else is doing, right?

I had left out the most important aspect of reasoning why we didn't have traffic. There are other choices in life when it comes to what other people are doing with their time. I just hadn't considered them being more important than buying some of our new products. I really must get out more.

...the rolling of the waves across the bow.

I was looking at my emails and read God at Eventide. How true the statement that we must learn fom our Lord if we are to truly succeed in life. We learn from so many other sources why not consider what God has for us over what man tells us is the direction or the instruction? I marvel at God's ways. I would never do things the way he has shown me, for the most part, because it seems to be against my nature to do it that way. Am I making any sense here or is this falling on deaf ears? I pray not because it is so true how God orchestrates our lives in a marvelous mystifying symphony only he could create.
Those of us that love music can so easlily relate to the day to day operations God has put in place for us. They always work and they always harmonize. The 'beats' are filled with a type of joy that radiates and envigorates and travels long distances to 'match up' with people that are apart in distance yet together in spirit. The Word even says there is no distance in the spirit.... somewhere. I need to look that up and read all around it to get even more 'music' for my soul.
The therapy is so nice.

....bang, bang, bang

I find myself reeling from the torrent of aggravating conversation being thrown at me. I'm not afforded the opportunity to respond and it frustrates me to the point of distraction. I haven't had to have this kind of patience in a long while and I wonder how I will bear up under the strain, not withstanding it could mean my job coming to an end abruptly if I don't handle this properly. I'm doing everything I know how to do what is aked of me but it doesn't seem to be enough and I'm at a loss as to what would be the best approach to solving this dilema amiably. How do you make a point when you can't finish a sentence? And better still, how do you gracefully correct someone that doesn't think they are wrong unless someone else points it out to them?
I do know one thing though, if I can weather this storm I just may apply for a job as an Ambassador to the Middle East.
On another front, I found out, or at least greatly suspicion that one of my friends has been lying to me about a project he wants my help with. I have invested a great deal of time in it thus far and he keeps telling me that 'the big payoff ' is just around the corner. I can't count the times I've heard that story.
I only know one thing for sure at this point, maybe two. I know how much I'm loved and appreciated by my sweet Love and by the Lord. That's good enough for anyone.

rollin', rollin', rollin'

As I touched my feet to the floor I wondered what I would have for breakfast. The bed covers were cool and felt soft to the touch. I so wanted to just roll over and go right back to sleep but I knew I needed to be "in the street" by at least nine, so I made my way to the bathroom and brushed my teeth.
The schedule has drastically changed in the past two weeks and I anticipate an even busier agenda in the coming weeks. Jack, my new boss, even has me on a diet in an effort to look after my health and probably get me in shape to keep up with him. He may be 76 years old but you would never know it by the way he gets around. I would have thought he was not over 65 if I didn't know him.
Things will level out eventually and I'll have a better idea of what to expect in a few weeks, but until then, I intend to do my best to keep up with him.
I'll let you know how well I do.

...as the winds blow

I walked out to greet the day and wondered how high the temperature might get. We have been experiencing the nicer days after the two big storms of the past few weeks.
I drove along 10th street with the rest of the traffic and seeing the residue of the melted snow from the storms. All that was left was the dust and dirt that had been caught up in the beautiful white stuff, turning it brown and gritty.
I turned into the alley along the back of the church and noticed how much bigger the potholes had become; a very telling indicator of the weather's effects on the environment.
I long for the pleasant glimces of bright, warm sunshine through the windows. That feels so good, so comforting. It means that summer is just around the corner and I can have some watermelon!
And so, I stop for a moment and reflect on what we have been going through and compare it to the weather. I intend to grow more in the coming weeks and months than ever before. There are things "in the wings" that , should they come to fruition, will make a new book in the library or several songs on the radio or maybe even a better house for the Lord's to occupy that doesn't have steps to menace me each day.
I'll just have to wait and see... as the winds blow.

disappointments are temporary... aren't they?

I got my hopes up. That's not a good thing. I was expecting something big and it didn't happen. How many times has that 'promise' of prosperity been dangled like the proverbial carrot only to be dashed to bits against the wall of disappointment as you arrive at what was supposed to be a very positive end? I really can't complain. I have been so blessed it isn't funny. God has gone 'out of his way' so to speak to make sure I have what I need and I know it.
It's just that I wanted this thing to happen so badly and it didn't. I kept telling myself, 'Don't get your hopes up', but I did. It's a down right shame too. I had made some really neat plans.
Even if it doesn't come about, I can say that I had a good time planning the fun that didn't get to happen. Because in the end, the situation isn't over. It was supposedly poseponed for a month.
Now, will I get all built up again and get my feelings hurt again? I certainly hope not, but I'm the eternal optimist and ....
Disappointments are temporary, aren't they?

waiting is so fun.

I marvel at the unique experiences I am involved in from time to time. I think that sometimes we are being tested to see if we "pass" or not in the patience department and the 'am I gonna stick to it' department. It is far too easy to give up and let a chance go by that might be a life changing experience. How many of those do we miss in a lifetime? I wonder.
I arrived at the church to find that my internet connection was down, again. It seems that whenever they have the Wednesday night meetings, some people like to turn off everything before they leave. The only problem with that is the connection to my internet is in the office where everyone goes on those evenings and they always seem to turn off my connection by mistake. They have no idea that it is my internet connection upstairs, they just want to conserve electricity, blewss their hearts. The only bad thing about it is the fact that it takes about an hour to get the system restored to functionality again and I don't really like to do it. I'm rmindied of the movie, Cool Hand Luke. The warden stands, elevated above the prisoners, looking down on them in mild disgust and says, "What we have here .... is a failure to communicate...." How appropriate.
And so, I have just finished another hour going back and forth from downstairs to upstairs, making several trips in each direction, until I finally restored the blessed connection tom the outside world once again. Praise God.... from whom all blessings flow, as the song says.
We are up and running once again!