Warning Lights

It starts every fall - for some reason. One or more tires lose pressure and the warning light goes on in my Toyota.
One season, all four tires checked out okay and I was informed that even the spare tire can lose air pressure. So, this year, when the light went on, I checked all four tires and they were okay. But decided to get help checking the spare when I next visited my mechanics - it did not look possible to gain access to the valve easily.
So, today, since it was time for new tires, I asked my friends at my favorite Tuffy - the only men who have worked on this vehicle since I purchased it over four years ago - to fill up the spare tire with air when they replace the other four tires. The visit took over three hours - I was promised it in 1 1/2 hours, but I understand busy and tried to be patient.

Now, I am always interested in tipping for good service. So, I tipped the man who worked on my car and as I drove off, I noticed the warning light was still lit. Doing a u-turn, I returned and as he approached my car, I asked him if he had accomplished filling the spare tire with air. "Yes - all your tires are the right pressure", he assured me.
"Well, the warning light is still on." I answered.
Then he said, "You may need to go to Toyota to ask about something in your electronic system - OH! - Wait - this happens to my father's car sometimes. It takes time to reset itself. Could take a week or two."
"Are you sure the new tires have all been checked?" I asked.
"Yes", he assured me - "pressure is good on all of your tires."
So, I drove off - and looked at that little light again every time I turned on the car - hoping it would reset itself soon.

Then, the thought occurred to me - they were really busy today. Could he have lied to me and not had the time to work on the spare?
Not a nice thought, I agree. But, my car has had very good warning lights in the past.

So, before going to bed tonight, I read the instruction booklet and lowered the spare tire so I could reach the valve to measure the pressure. I learned it was not that difficult to gain access to the valve. And, I took a reading looking for a 31 - but found a disappointing 24 - low enough to set off the warning light.

I have been lied to - and I will return to Tuffy tomorrow - after filling the spare with air - to ask for my tip back.

Blessings on your warning lights :)

Middle Woman

Standing in the doorway, blocking my entrance, the young Mom finally noticed me. She moved her stroller and waited her turn. The young lady at Mrs. Field's Cookies in the Outlet Mall took her order. I waited. She then asked for my order and I asked for the large cookie ordered for Trace's birthday party today.

"OH!" The young Mom exclaims as she is paying for her order. "I have a coupon on my phone - you get six free cookies with that large cookie!"
"Really?", I ask.
"Yes, I will show you!" she says as she pulls it up on her phone.
"It says it must be printed out, but let me ask - can she use this coupon for her order today?" she quizzes the sales clerk while showing her the coupon on her phone.
"Yes, I will give them to her." The sales clerk adds to our conversation.
"Well, thank you!" I say to both.
"I will take two chocolate chip, two oatmeal raisin and two peanut butter." I say as I surmise the case packed with treats.

I pay for my large cookie and as I walk out of the store, I notice the young Mom, now bent over feeding her child in the stroller, and I thank her again.

Walking into the Designer Fragrance Store a ways down, I gently slide the large cookie and the bag of smaller cookies on the counter near the register.
"Is that for us?" the sales clerk asks.
"No, but if you buy one, you get six smaller ones for free." I share.
"OH - I am just kidding. But it would be nice to get cookies for my employees." She says as she walks to look for the bottle of fragrance matching the empty one I pull from my purse.
As she returns with the fragrance and rings it up, I ask,
"How many employees do you have here today?"
"Hmmm" she says, as her eyes move slightly toward her eyebrows and she thinks, picturing each one in her head.
"There are six of us here today."
"Well," I say, "Here are two chocolate chip, two peanut butter and two oatmeal raisin cookies - six in all - enjoy"
"Really?" she says.
I place the bag on the counter.

So, I was simply the Middle Woman - walking in between a young Mom with a coupon to share and six employees at the fragrance store that needed a cookie break today.

We never know when The Good Lord may use others to bless us - and use us to bless others :))
Walking with Him is fun!!

A Clean Car

There is something beautiful about a clean car - well, actually, a clean anything is my preference. I have been accused of being a "clean freak" - maybe it is just a strength and a weakness.
So, getting ready to pick my boyfriend up from a long trip tonight, I decide to use the final coupon on my summer coupons for a car wash. The weather app on my phone predicted 0% chance of rain until tonight - after the airport run.
So, excited to have all the prior dirt and bugs removed, I enjoy the bubbles hitting my window - again, maybe the clean freak in me - or the child who likes bubbles - and I slowly pull into the stall to have it dried. I "over" tip the gentleman drying it - after all, he did spend a lot of time on it - and I am in a generous mood.
Making two stops on the way home, I avoid a dirty part of the road - driving slowly around hardened construction mud - and pull into the club house at Carillon for time on the elliptical machine before heading home. Twenty minutes on this machine always blesses my body.
As I get out of the car, I notice some drops that trailed down the windows after the young man's hard work.
So, I find paper towels in the back of my car - thank you, Lord, that I always carry them - and walk around the car with the finishing touch applied. It is a beautiful car, if I say so myself.
After ten minutes on the elliptical - while enjoying quick stepping praise music - I notice something happening outside the window. We call it rain.
Really? Really!!
I watch it - thinking of all the unnecessary work performed in the last hour on this car.
But, I still finish my workout - I don't know if rushing home would have saved me any drops.
And, as I exit the club house, the rain has stopped and the sun is out - brightly shining on all the wet drops on my car.

It reminds me that the best intentions in our lives may not always be the right timing - even if the timing makes sense to us - and we check with apps - and whatever other knowledge we have on earth.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart - and lean not on your own understanding." - OH - I love that verse.

And, I do know that whatever my car looks like for the rest of today - it will always be beautiful :)
Have a beautiful day!

Kevin & Jennifer's Best Man Speech

Time To Write

What exactly encourages us to write? It is our thoughts needing form, a desire to be heard, a story to be shared, or simply a gift from God - writing - language - and expressing this gift.
Well, whatever it is, I choose to write. I enjoy writing. I guess I enjoy talking, too, so basically, I enjoy communicating. Lately, I think of this gift - communication - and the desire to be in relationship with others.
It is a privilege and an honor to know the people I know.
To think - we could have been put on this planet at any time - any century - then, any country - have learned any language - be given any genes from any parents - and through those genes, any form of body walking this earth - and, or course, any family.
So, as I focus on this century - I am so grateful I get to know about air travel, computers and information about the world - communicating with any part of this world - in seconds. It is amazing to be born in this era.
Then, Country and language - I love our Country - and I think I would choose English - and my accent. Just the other day in California, a gentleman asked me if I was from Chicago because he heard it in my accent - HA!
Now, family, which includes parents, genes and my body -
What a wonderful God we serve. I think He gave me the exact family He knew I would need - the exact parents and genes that would create a fascinating body - yes, fascinating - the way it works and supports my spirit - I am truly amazed every time it repairs itself - and how good it feels after a healthy meal. Then, there is that "happy" feeling in my body after I exercise - amazing!!
So, as I sit here amazed at God's creation of me - I pray you can be amazed at His creation of you.
And, I pray you realize how blessed I am to know you - to be on earth the same century and in the same country - and able to communicate with you - truly blessed.
God bless your communication with those in your world today - enjoy His timing and expressing His gift!!
And, as life changes and we may not have as much time together as we would prefer - remember - thanks to Jesus, we will have eternity together :)
For Jesus' Glory,
Mary

That Involved - Really?

Really? Can God be that involved in our lives - each detail?
The Bible says that He knows the number of our hairs - how minute is that?? - yet I rarely give enough thought of His complete involvement.
Then, today, there He was again - reminding me.
I had two different grocery lists on the same piece of paper - because I did not complete the first one yesterday.
Walking around in Jewel with my list, I realized I must have dropped the piece of paper - and could only remember one of the two remaining items. Did I want to back track all of my steps - each aisle I had already visited searching for my piece of paper? Well, actually, no, I didn't.
Turning into the aisle for my second to final item - a simple thought - "God, can you help me remember the final item? What was it?" - Blank mind. A rare thing in my head.
As I picked up an item in the aisle, John, the man from the dry cleaners next door, enters the aisle. "HI!" he says. "Hi, John!" "Good to see you!" I say back.
"It is hot at the cleaners today - we need more drinking water." He shares as he passes me with his empty cart.
I stop.
REALLY?? Yes, really. Bottled water was the item I could not remember. Then I remembered that there were only two left in my fridge and it was on my list.
John came down my aisle - the exact aisle - and not the water aisle - at the time I asked God a question - with my answer.
Really??
Yes, God is that involved.
Enjoy His involvement in your life today:)
Blessings,
Mary

Order

We are made in God's image - and, when we are at our best, we are imitating His attributes.
Today, I am focusing on order.
God is a God of order. How else could the sun be as hot as it is and not burn up the earth? Or the earth rotate at the exact speed it needs for life to survive? How could a moon orbit the earth in exactly the correct path to give us light at night and influence the oceans perfectly?
I love order. Coming home from a short trip - putting everything in its place - restocking the fridge - throwing out things no longer usable - organization - OH - I LOVE ORDER!
Maybe a little too much? I have been known to throw out things others were not ready to get rid of yet - and have used a "one year" policy with clothing - if you have not worn it in a year, you will probably not wear it, so give it to Salvation Army - or someone who can wear it this year :)
Now, my little world is nothing compared to the large galaxy God put in order - or, should I say galaxies!! But it is what God has put me in charge of for today - and I want to please Him with keeping things in order like He would.
So, enjoy what you have charge of to keep in "order" - enjoy God's attribute of order in you -
"Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea ... over all the earth ..."
Enjoy today!!
For Jesus' Glory,
Mary