Another week has gone by in our “little condo on the prairie”; highlighted by my first opportunity to preach in about eight months since I have been sick. Libby will be delivering our first grandchild soon, and we are still enjoying the close fellowship …

TMI
One evening as Michael was watching me study in the living room, he remarked: “There is something about the way Dad has that yellow highlighter in his mouth while he is typing that makes him look … pensive.”
Me: “‘Pensive’, from the French, ‘penser’, ‘to think.'”
Michael (quoting Mr. Bennet’s response to his bespectacled, tedious daughter in “Pride & Prejudice”): “Thank you, Mary, you have entertained us long enough.”

WHAT’S SHE WORTH?
One morning I was having my quiet time in the living room when I heard the door being unlocked and someone coming in. It was Libby, who had been awakened by a semi-emergency call that she had to deal with regarding her pregnancy. Thankfully she was able to take care of everything, and when she had finished, she stayed at our place and talked.
After a few minutes, Cheryl said, “Libby, I really like having you over this early in the morning; it’s nice!”
Michael nodded in agreement and added: “Yeah, it adds like 20% to our enjoyment factor.”
Leave it to Michael to put a NUMBER on the value of someone’s company!

CLEAN HIM UP!
One morning after I had shaved and put on my usual “Obsession” cologne, my kitten Eponine jumped up in my chair, sniffing my hand. She immediately pinned her ears back, and with a very workmanlike attitude, began licking and cleaning every nook and crevice in my hand. Her attitude seemed to be that it was a dirty job, but someone had to get all that stinky stuff off of me. I am pretty sure I am loved. 🙂

INTO THE DRINK
Michael had waded into a ditch in the park next to our condo to dredge up the frisbee that I gracefully tossed into the drink while attempting to play frisbee golf. After some time, he not only found my frisbee driver, but an extra one as well! I congratulated him on a job well done, and as he was climbing out, he said, “I would never have waded into a ditch in Louisiana. That frisbee would just have been gone forever.” True dat.

WHAT GAME?
One Friday, Paul left the condo and said he was going to watch the OU girls softball team, which had a special venue in Oklahoma City that night. He couldn’t talk anyone else into going with him, so he headed out alone.
About an hour later, Libby got a text from Paul: it was a picture of the ticket he had just bought. Evidently, there were TWO games in OKC that night. He was at the wrong one — the AAA Oklahoma City Redhawks were playing at home that night. He literally did not realize it until he had waited in line, bought the ticket and looked at it on his way in. Paul is perhaps our most “laid back” child, so he did what he could with the situation: he sat there and enjoyed the game! “Go Redhawks!”

WHAT WAS THAT?
One Friday night I was getting something in the kitchen, and I could hear Cheryl & Libby talking but I didn’t think they were talking to me. Suddenly I heard Libby say to Cheryl: “He’s not listening.” I have been guilty of that more than once, so I apologetically called into the other room, “I’m sorry; were y’all talking to me?”
“No”, Libby said. “Not this time. I was trying to tell Josh a story. But I didn’t realize I married someone just like you.” I hated to break the news to her, but I’m pretty sure most guys are exactly the same way.

CELEBRITY PHOTO?
I was excited to be back in the pulpit again last Sunday for the first time in about 8 months. The service was at Trinity International Baptist in Oklahoma City, which is a neat multicultural church, comprising four different language churches which meet in one location. This particular Sunday, a young woman was celebrating her graduation from nearby Oklahoma City University, and her family was visiting from Malaysia and Singapore. Following the service, her uncle came up to me, with compliments on the message, which he said had points which would be very pertinent in his home country. Then he asked if he could have his picture taken with me. Of course I agreed. Cheryl said, “That’s fun; has anyone ever asked to have their picture taken with you like that before?”
“Not AFTER a message!” I shot back.

But I was very grateful to be able to preach again, and I felt very well physically. As a precaution, I sat through much of the song service, but had absolutely no problems while preaching. I even spoke without notes, which was a blessing since POTS had caused me some memory problems, but I had no difficulty with that Sunday. I awaited a “crash” afterwards, but it never came. I even came home and made guacamole for our Mothers Day lunch! So we are all very thankful this week for God’s blessings on our “Little Condo On The Prairie”!