I'LL HAVE A "TRIAL AND TRIBULATION COCKTAIL"( With a LITTLE LESS VERMOUTH)

One of the benefits of being self-employed is that I can take a day off pretty much when I want( God had to heal me before I found this out- I used to think I had to work ALL the time- more about this in another blog).. so the othe rday I took a day off and took my son John Calvin to the local Jr. College so that he could SEAL the DEAL-he took the entrance exam, convinced the Religion professor that Presbyterians named John Calvin are kinder, gentler calvinists, and he filled out a ton of paperwork.. SO I think he got in... !!! While all this was going on, I decided to go to the local chickfila and Chill.. and relax.... or as the young people say," CHILLAX"( Those young people better stay off my lawn, I hear em talking and I have picked up some weird words from them) so there I was enjoying my coffee, chillaxin and in walks one of my good friends- he is a teaching Elder( ok my Baptist buddies- He's a PASTOR).. and we talked about all the wonderful things that God is doing in the life of his church!! AND we talked about the challenges.. ministry is HARD WORK... we need to pray for those that shepherd the local flocks... so I prayed for my friend before we said goodbye- we prayed for each other- our prayers were kind of similar. We thanked God that He is our Father, we thanked Him for HIS blessings .. and then.... we downed a HUGE GLASS OF THE HARD STUFF- yep... we asked God to "REMIND US THAT EVERYTHING WE GO THROUGH IS USED BY HIM TO MAKE US STRONGER IN OUR FAITH.. and let me tell you something... those"thankful for trial and tribulation cocktails " kinda burn going down.. they taste yucky- we do'nt deal with hardship very well9 Hey Lord, It's kinda uncomfortable here.. could I have a pillow, and one of those coconut drinks with a little umbrella?).. so I drove away feeling REAL spiritual- FAST FORWARD TO NEXT DAY- I am trying to get started on new project in Newnan, drive to get material, get to Newnan, discover I LOST my phone, drive back to ALL the places I had been that morning, looked for phone- didnt find phone-wentto AT&T place to get NEW phone, couldnt get phone because my NAME is NOT on account, called Maria to come to AT&T, Got new phone, went outside to see ANTIFREEZE pouring from my truck- went to Parts store, got part, went back to fix truck, I am trying to put on new hose and HUGE rainstorm crashes down on me, I am soaking wet( Baptizoed??).. I jump inside truck.. and all of a sudden I see an image in my mind- It's me and my Friend at the chickfila, praying for each other, and the first thing I think is this: " IF I GET THIS TRUCK FIXED, I AM GOING TO MY FRIEND'S HOUSE AND PUNCH HIM IN THE NOSE.. and HOPE HE PUNCHES ME BACK....What were we thinking?? what were we praying??? well.. then I started laughing uncontrollably... now I mean LAUGHING.. not a "sniker" not a "chortle"- I am talking FULL BLOWN laughter..it was HOLY LAUGHTER, see my charismatic friends, you ai'nt got nothin on us baptised, catechised,sanctified presbyterians.. we got Holy laughter too.. and It's all because GOD SHOWS up when our vehicle breaks down and we are stranded, He shows up when we lose our phone with all our business contact numbers, He shows up when we are caught in a rainstorm, or a LIFESTORM- the REAL ONE, you know when the bad test result comes back from the lab, when there is not enough money to pay the bills, in THOSE storms there is'nt any laughter... but He still shows up , He taps us on the shoulder and says:: I will NEVER leave You,All things work together for good for those that love me,Nothing can separate us from the Love of Christ"I will comfort you like a mother comforts her child"... these promises are ours... we have to TRUST HIM, HE will susutain us- He "proved" His love for us more than 2000 years ago- the tomb is empty-whatever HE tells us, we can believe... for sure.. and Oh yeah- NEXT TIME I have a little time to kill, I am going to hang out at Waffle House- all the "name itand claim it" preachers hang out there...