Legacy Bible Reading

My church turned 60 this week and to celebrate they decided to have volunteers read the Bible aloud. The whole Bible. Our pastor read the first chapter of Genesis last Sunday, then various members began early Monday morning reading in 15 minute sessions. Sign ups were from 7 am until 9:45 pm for the next 6 days. I chose 3:30 pm on Friday afternoon and I was excited. I found these instructions when I arrived.

When the 3:15 person finished, he left and I stepped up into the pulpit. It was very relaxed. There was no one in the auditorium to hear me. I got to read Luke 18 & 19 to Jesus alone before the next person arrived. When I finished the chapter, I did as instructed by drawing a line under the last verse and writing my name in the margin. I had no idea that I would get to put my name in that big, new Bible.

This Sunday morning it was announced that the entire Bible was completed just after noon on Saturday. Those who were signed up after that started again in Matthew and read almost half of the New Testament.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

So a church turned 60 and every word in the Bible was uttered in the auditorium that week. It was so cool that I was a part of this Legacy!

Friends

I was getting stressed about a deadline at work and my office was like sitting in the Arctic, so I sent out an S.O.S. email to a colleague at another school.  I simply stated that I needed her help and I could come that day or on Monday.  Within the hour she responded and told me to come on Monday. She didn't ask why, when or how long I needed her.  It was just, 'come'.

I showed up in her office Monday at 9 a.m. and sat with her and another person for 3 hours.  I asked questions, listened to responses, got examples, offered my views and talked through the work issues I needed solved.

Proverbs 27:9 Ointment and perfume delight the heart, and the sweetness of a man's friend gives delight by hearty counsel.

I was so grateful for their guidance, but I was even more thankful that I have friends who are willing to give good counsel when I feel like I am at the end of my rope.  I am also thankful to have friendships so strong that I feel comfortable in admitting my troubles and asking for help. And I am sure she knows that I would do the same for her.

Grumpy Me

I walked into my office on Friday morning to a rather cold 63 degrees. I had put in a work order the day before when the temp dropped to 66 degrees, so I decided to call Plant Operations and find out why I felt like I was sitting in a cooler. "Problems with the boiler," he said. So I whined and complained until my office mates surely recognized me in this verse.

Psalm 55:2 Attend to me, and hear me; I am restless in my complaint, and moan noisily,

I borrowed heaters, put on gloves with the fingertips cut off and threw a blanket around my shoulders. I was able to work, but stayed uncomfortable until it was time to go home. (I was very thankful for our 3 o'clock closing that day.) I drove home with the heater blasting and the seat warmer on. At home, I cuddled in my chair with a book, a blanket and several pieces of fudge for comfort food. Within 2 hours I was fast asleep. The cold was gone and surrounded by warmth, my body and mind relaxed.

It's amazing how my physical surroundings can affect my mood, but with a change of location I am at peace. It seems petty and immature. And, I have a sneaking suspicion that this could be applied to anything that makes me uncomfortable, whether from people or circumstances. I am certainly glad God is patient because I am sure that I have modeled this verse on many occasions. And yet, in each circumstance, God leads me to comfort and peace.

Ants

After a week of bad weather and travel disruptions, I had a full agenda lined up at work. It was Monday and I was ready to jump in. I sat at my computer and noticed a couple of ants crawl across the desk. Smack! Then a few more. Smack, smack! Where were they coming from? I lifted up my phone and out ran at least 30 ants. I yelled for help. We used bug spray and I began to clear off the desk. I killed ants, cleaned and tried to answer emails for the next couple of hours. I placed everything back on my desk and watered my plants.

Within 30 minutes the ants began showing up again. I stood up and started searching for the source. I found literally hundreds of ants crawling out of one planter. Once it was taken outside, I had to spray again. Then I cleaned a second time, even having to empty a filing drawer they had invaded to escape the water. Outside I pulled the plants out of the container and found their home in the styrofoam peanuts under the plastic insert that held the plants. Aside from an anthill, I have never seen so many ants!

Proverbs 30:24-25 There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise: The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their food in the summer;

Yes, I might be able to end an ant with a smack of my hand, but what they lack in individual strength is more than compensated for by the sheer force of numbers. I spent the entire day fighting with them. Still, good came from it. My desk got the cleaning it needed and I was able to reorganize my workspace to hopefully make me as efficient as the ants.

Adventures in Flying

Based on my current schedules, last week was my final time for air travel this year. The airlines and the winter storm warnings ensured that I would always remember it. Beginning innocently enough last Friday, I had a 10:50 am flight from Atlanta to Memphis. All was well until the descent when the captain told us the Memphis Airport was closed because of freezing rain. He said we would be in a holding pattern for 20 minutes hoping to land, then we would return to Atlanta to refuel. Yes, we flew back to Atlanta.  Ok, so our trip time would more than triple. We could handle that, no problem. But just before landing, the pilot told us the flight was cancelled. What?!? You can imagine that a flight with 150+ passengers all trying to rebook for Memphis ASAP was not fun. My new flight was rescheduled for 5:40 pm.

I arrived at the hotel around 7:30 pm Central Time, having missed my meeting and the group dinner. I did get to eat a nice meal at The Peabody, which was delicious but very expensive to me with an $8 baked potato and a $32 piece of grilled Mahi Mahi. I settled in and had a good night before my day long board meeting on Saturday.

The conference was very good and I learned a lot, but on Tuesday I started hearing about the winter storm warning for the south beginning the next day. My flight home was not until 3:30 pm Wednesday, so around lunchtime I called the airline and moved to a late morning flight. Then the storm warning was moved to an earlier time. By Wednesday evening I had rescheduled again for the first flight out of Memphis. It was at 6 am the next morning. That doesn't seem too bad until you realize you need to be at the airport by 4:30 am, which is at least 20 minutes from the hotel, where you must check out and get a cab to the airport. So, I was up before 3 am, checked out by 3:30 am, and waiting in the lobby of The Peabody for three other GA friends who were taking the same flight.

I was back in town by 10:30 and went straight to the grocery store. I had been gone almost a week and needed everything. I retrieved my child and went home, waiting for the storm. My child ended up at a friend's house while I took a much needed nap.  I woke to sleet and quickly took a short drive to pick up my girl. We saw some huge snowflakes for about 20 minutes, then the sleet returned and that was it. No great storm, no snow to play in, and no snow cream...but I was safely home with an extra day off from work.

Well, this verse is not talking about flying on an airplane, but rather a description of fleeing during the end times. However, it succinctly stated my thoughts regarding my latest adventures in flying!

Mark 13:18 And pray that your flight may not be in winter.