Shade tree wisdom 3/3/12

          Life does take unexpected turns, often surprising, often quite pleasant, and often unusual.  Like the third birth for a couple in Provo, Utah on leap day.  A son born Feb 29 in 2004, another son born that date in 2008, and a daughter born on Feb 29 in 2012.  That ties the record of the Henriksens in Norway which logged births in 1960, 1964, and 1968.

          But then, one's most pleasant memories often come from just such unexpected detours.  Someone once said unless we enjoyed the scenery along life’s detours, we missed much of what life is.

          Reminds me of returning from a vacation visit one summer.  We were driving on highway 66 through Illinois when we blew a tire.  (That was the only time we ever had such a flat).  Anyway, the wheels had been mounted with a power wrench and my tools did not do the job, so we waited by the side of the road and watched traffic flash by.

          Here, finally, comes a trooper, flying along with his lights flashing.  He waved to us, we saw him take his mike, but he didn’t stop.  But soon help arrived.  A tool truck. BUT, he said he was sold out, but he knew of a garage near by run by a cousin of his whom he would send with his truck to help us.  And he did appear in short order, changed the wheel, and we were ready to go.  He even waved off our offered payment.

          It was now nearly dark, and we asked if there was a place to spend the night.  He pointed us to a restaurant and motel about half a mile off highway 66 that, he said, “Will do you proud”.  We went, checked in washed up and stepped into the nearby restaurant.  Special was a steak dinner.  We ordered that.  Turned out to be the best we had ever tasted.  Prime steak, new potatoes, green beans, and peach pie.

          The lady who owned this with her husband came and sat and chatted a bit.  Turned out this was sort of a family affair.   They ran a farm, had opened this restaurant and motel because here was a need, and they wanted to have something to keep their children busy too, and we enjoyed the benefits.

          Ruth and really felt the truth of the Psalm.
               “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”
                Indeed, “His eye is on the sparrow,
                And I know He watches me.”

          This truth came back in these Lenten days when we think again of the God who loved us so much He sent His precious Son to suffer and die for the sins of the world.  Bless His holy name.

GPD 3/3/12