Rainy Days and Mondays

Today was a catch-up kind of day, after being gone most of last week. One of the people we have gotten to know better since the storm is Mr. Free. I met Mr. Free several times over the years as he would come by the church building for a bag of groceries from our pantry. I always enjoyed talking to him, but never really got to know him. He is at nearly every service at Central since the storm, and in the limited way he is able, has helped as he could. Having suffered some strokes over the past months, his doctor is suggesting that he take up residence in a nursing facility. As an objective outsider, I can see the benefits of this arrangement. Three nutricious meals a day will be healthy. Medical care nearby. There can be further observation for what are almost certain to be complications from his strokes. Physical therapy could restore some of his movement. It's a practical - but heartless - view. Because in spite of all of those things, the loss of dignity, independence, and his current lifestyle will all be lost. And his FEMA camper will be lost. If he is assigned to a home for a certain period of time, they will move someone else into his camper. This is a terrible decision to have to make. Of course Mr. Free does not want to live in a nursing facility. But would that be a better choice? It's tough to think about. David Kilbern told me today that we have given away almost 40,o00 sheets of sheetrock. Isn't that awesome? That's a lot of homes being made new. We have a large crowd here this week, and they are staying busy. My friends in Yukon, OK are Richard and Jeanna Lynn May. Their son Brad is here, and I talked to him today. This high school student spent the morning hanging drywall, and in the afternoon helped wire a house and place recepticles. This will be a great experience for Brad and for the 150 other high school kids here this week. My granddaughter sat in my lap this evening and kissed me on the cheek and said, "Poppy, would you go to Block Buster and rent a movie for me?" Well, we have rented that movie enough to have bought it four times. So smart Poppy said, "Why don't I just go down to Wal-Mart and buy it for you?" She was very happy. Maggy got in on the conversation and started writing a grocery list. So I head out to Wal-Mart. Oh Boy, my favorite place! (Thanks, Charlie!) There was a big rack of those movies right inside the door last week. Now, of course, they are gone. I looked in every bin of DVDs in the place. No sign of the movie, or the second-best movie request she made either. So I picked up Maggy's items and got in line. The 20 items or less line. Now I have to tell you that I NEVER get in that line with 21 items or more ... I am a stickler for this 20 item law ... but no one else is!!! A lady who clearly had 40 or more items was at the front of the line being checked out. Now directly in front of me was a little old lady, nervously glancing around me. She finally told me she was awaiting her daughter and figured she'd be back by the time she got to the register. But she didn't make it. (She was looking for a DVD, I bet!) So the nice little old lady, who had some things in her hands, said, "I'll just let you go ahead of me, and I'll take your buggy to put my items in." OK, sounds reasonable ... but as I'm checking out I'm thinking ... yes, I have less than 20 items, but some of my items are heavy and I no longer have a basket! Snookered by a little old lady. It's happened before...it'll happen again. So I carried my bags out into the parking lot where there was a new rainshower blessing the earth. Well, the asphalt where I was. It was one of those drenching rains ... not a deluge, but big drops that make you soaking wet in the first ten steps. So I laughed in the rain about the woman with 42 items, the lady who thoughtfully took my basket, the movies that couldn't be found, and Big Poppa soaking wet walking fast to his van in the rain at Wal-Mart. All for the love of a beautiful eight year old. Hope your Monday was a good one, and that your Tuesday will be beautiful.