4:45-Get up and make an excellent cup of coffee for Maryanne, help her get off to work, take a shower.
6:30-Maryanne is zooming away. Do the dishes, 2 loads of laundry, eat the omelette Maryanne made for me at 5:45.
Around 7:30 the phone starts ringing(do phones RING any more?) I put on my headset so I can talk while I do the housework. I used to try and keep account of who calls me/who I call; I gave up a long time ago.
10:00-Out the door. Haircut. Go to Herbs-R-4-U to get Leslie's phone that she left there yesterday. Nice to touch base with Barbie and Rachel Cheney (best massage therapist on the planet!).
Now I head to PF where some faithful folks are working to transform the downstairs into a space odyssey. Spend some time with everyone, have lunch with them in the Cafe.
I leave PF for Jamestown. Head to the Honda dealer for some parts for a single mom's car. Takes 1/2hr because I explain to Mark, the parts guy, what the Car Clinic is all about. He loves the idea...gives me a discount!
Now over to visit Karen at Auto Zone. She and her sister Mel attend PF, but Karen works a lot of weekends. They bring their mom to church when she's up to it, but aging issues make it difficult. I LOVE Karen. The weight of life is heavy on her shoulders, and I can see in her eyes she's struggling. In our 15 min. together across the counter I hope she got a glimpse of a Jesus who cares deeply about her fragile life. I know I do.
Auto Zone is conveniently located across from Wegmans and next to Starbucks. This is my Happy Place. I go into Starbucks where Crystal is my barrista. Crystal used to be in Higher Calling in the old days, as well as in the Wegman's bible study. Now she's 20-something and I can't know why she seems to like it so much when I come in. We talk back and forth while I get a tall-in-a-grande caff for me and a grande-in-a-venti caff for Charlotte.
BTW, Rick has called me from 3 Starbucks locations so far on his Alaska trip.
Next stop is Seneca Eye Surgeons..where Charlotte is thoroughly exhausted. She eyes my gift of Starbucks coffee like a person dying in a desert eyes a glass of icewater. She's able to talk for a while about her daughter, her niece, and some serious health problems she's had for months.
Next to see Brian Adelgren DBA Southern Auto Exchange. I'm sort of a blue-collar kind of guy and I feel completely at home here. I ask Brian a few questions about a car clinic case we're working on, then we talk about motorcycles, then I'm off.
Stop at the Adelgrens' home to see Stephen and his recently-collapsed lung. 45min. or so with Donna, Stephen and Lucy, then out the door.
On my way to Mo and Judy Cheney's, I turn right instead of going straight and pull into Brian and Mickey's driveway. Just for 5 minutes. I promise myself. We talk about everything, with the added blessing of a visit from Lois Bentley, and playing with Chester. About an hour later...around 6PM, I left with The Civil War DVD's in my hand.
Since it's on the way home, I finally stop by the Cheneys' farm to check on Judy's broken leg. She and Mo and I spent quite a while together, and she's doing well though it'll take her 3 weeks or so to get back on her feet.
I never did make it to get Jodie Lindell a White Mocha from Fresh Cup. I'm sorry Jodie. I'll try tomorrow. I did, however, manage to leave Jodie a comforting message and we did talk on the phone later somewhere.
I was eventually reunited with my long-suffering wife. She made a great sandwich for me and I sat down and watched the first disc of The Civil War (including special features).
To all of those I saw or talked with on the phone...or prayed for...or prayed for me...thank you for being the part of the Body of Christ that I hang out with. I wouldn't change a thing.
John <>{
Awesome!!! I love your life. Thanks for being you. And yes, Jim, Tim and I visited the same Starbuck's 3 times today. Once by accident. We were lost and accidently drove right past it.
ReplyDeleteI so much appreciate everything about what you do, John. It's been an honor to have known you for as long as I have.
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