Unplanned Blessings

August 22, 2017

Sometimes it doesn’t take long to figure out how the day is likely to go. Linda’s car was scheduled for some minor repair work for this morning, so at 8:00 am, we were on the road, her in her car, me following in my truck so she’d have a ride home. About six miles down the road is the four corners of Gerry, which is where my truck started dinging, drawing my attention to the temperature gauge which was spiked at the max. Of course, she hadn’t taken her cell phone with her, so my calling was in vain. She was all the way to Jamestown before she noticed I wasn’t behind her. 

I called son Matt for a ride to pick us up. Fortunately, school isn’t yet in session, so he was available. As soon as we got home, I headed to the funeral at which I was to officiate. Funerals always make me nervous. My stomach was churning as it usually does before preaching. Once we were finished, a call to our daughter Jessie secured their second vehicle for our use for a couple days. Then it was down the road to pick up the truck and get it to the mechanic. By the time all that was done, my original plans for the day had totally evaporated. A quick supper was going to be the backdrop for about an hour to just relax and rest my left foot which was throbbing with plantar fasciitis. That is, until unexpected company stopped by. Men’s group for me, while the women met at our house for the evening.

The day didn’t go as I had planned, but I have no reason to complain. There are plenty of people for whom this would be the best day of their life. Even with the things that were unplanned, I was surrounded by beauty in the blue sky dappled with snow white clouds. I have a wife who wasn’t rattled by my absence at the body shop, and kids who are more than willing to lend a hand. 

On top of all that, we witnessed an eclipse, a minor miracle in itself. Other planets have moons, but none have the exact convergence of size, distance, and orbital trajectory to produce an eclipse. In the entire solar system, earth is the only planet to have such an event. While that isn’t proof that there is a God, it does give us cause to reflect. This unplanned day, as well as those that are everything I dreamed, are gifts from God, for which I am thankful tonight.