Respite

June 13, 2017

Dinner tonight was exquisite. A text from our daughter mid-afternoon invited us to join them for swordfish and chicken on the grill. That was just the beginning. Rosemary potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, along with squash, yellow peppers, onions, mushrooms, and red peppers added up to a dinner par excellence. A rousing and somewhat innovative game of softball followed, with a combination pitcher, infielder, outfielder, and catcher facing three batters. Home plate was the deck step, first base a fence post, second a soccer ball, and third the slide on the swing set. With three grandkids, our son-in-law, and myself, score was meaningless and unnecessary.

It was a welcome end to what began as a frustrating day. Four hours on the phone and online with government agencies to solve what should have been a simple problem, with no end in sight is not my idea of a fun day. It got better as I put unfinished business aside to glue some rubber roofing together to make a liner for our fish pond. Another day or two, and it will be ready to use. Sometimes God uses ordinary things to calm a troubled soul. My problem is solvable; it will be inconvenient, but it's solvable. Lots of people are facing issues for which there are no earthly answers. I am grateful tonight for an evening's diversion. Tomorrow is a new day. I'll tackle the government again. Goliath will eventually fall when I find the right stone. Putting all things in God's hands lets me let go to enjoy the moment unsullied with the frustrations of the morning, and causing me to give thanks tonight.