Yesterday was one of those days that I’d just as soon forget about. I got up very early (around midnight), and worked late (8 p.m.) tackling some monumental problems. We had multiple events going at the resort all day, not the least of which was a celebrity guest (and entourage) at the Spa, complete with her security detail and VIP pampering needs.
All day long everywhere I turned it seemed I had to deal with difficult problems.
I was talking to my son late yesterday evening about my problematic day and was unsuccessfully trying to generate a little sympathy, but he would have no part of it, stating that his bad day was worse than mine. He got up very early to come into work to catch up, only to discover workmen were painting his office. He then drove all of the way downtown to his Tallahassee office and discovered that he’d forgotten the cord for his laptop and soon it was drained. Disgusted he went home to work, only to encounter more problems, this time with a very unreasonable customer who called him at home. Yadda, yadda, yadda…
Hmmm…I wanted to be cheered up and not further depressed, I quickly told him I had to take another call and got off the phone.
I went to my study and decided to call my father. No comfort there. He was bellyaching too. I shook my head as I began to listen. It was like I’d accidentally rammed into a fire hydrant and water had begun gushing skyward.
Hint: Don’t ever try bellyaching to a Supreme Bellyacher.
I patiently listened as he told me that he was recovering from a cold and didn’t feel well at all and he was exceedingly tired and didn’t know why the Lord didn’t just take him on home where he could catch up on some rest. Yadda, yadda, yadda…I was just thinking that I couldn’t catch a break and that I was completely surrounded by bellyachers when he started whining about not being able to do what he once could.
Finally exasperated I said, ‘For crying out loud dad, you’re 92 years old, what do you expect? I’m just 66 and I can’t do what I used to either”. I told him about a friend of mine who is much younger than me that went water skiing over the weekend. This guy used to be a world champion water skier and he decided to put on some jumper skis and try a few platform jumps and relive his youthful glory days and show off a little.
When I spoke with him yesterday, he was driving to Dallas with a knee the size of a beach ball and had stopped at a store to buy Advil to try and quell the pain.
Dad laughed and then told me that even though it was exceedingly difficult he did teach his Sunday school class this past Sunday. He told me that it was very arduous to prepare for it anymore due to his Parkinson’s disease. His hands shake so badly he has challenging problems just trying to write his lesson, he gets tired easily, especially when he studies and reads, and his stamina is very low. Nonetheless he still faithfully drives himself to church every Sunday. He somehow manages to retrieve his walker from the tank like Cadillac that I bought him and he hobbles inside the church.
I told him that I was very proud of him. I know far too many people who are in perfect health that don’t even go to church at all. What an example of faith, courage, and love for God to the rest of us. I think maybe that is why the Lord has not called him home.
Well I was going to whine a little more and complain, but the wind has been taken out of my sails in that direction, so I think I will be positive today and tack them in another direction. Join me today in making this the best day of our lives. Remember it is a day that the Lord has made – Let’s rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalms 118:24
This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.