Jack And The Beam Toss

Yesterday I went to the dentist. I needed two fillings. I know two, but it had been about 15 years since I've needed any and figure the average isn't too bad. One was at the back of wisdom tooth on my left side. I know, I still have my wisdom teeth and planned on keeping them until death, that is until yesterday. I had forgotten what a goofy sensation Novocaine is and how you feel like your tongue is going to close off your air passage. He drills, drills, drills, oh this one is deep. It went from the inside of my mouth all the way to the outside of the tooth. Not proud of that, I do brush, I do floss, not as much as I should, I know, I know. But all three other wisdom teeth are fine. So anyway, I finish at the dentist, get my referral to have the wisdom teeth out and head back to work. First hour is fine, then by the time the Novocaine wears off I can feel all of my teeth are screaming at me. All I remember from previous fillings are you go, get the shot, get the filling, mom buys you a milkshake because it is weird to eat anything for a while, then you go home. I was NOT ready for this kind of pain. I took Excedrin, didn't work. That works on migraines and it didn't work. Oh, I knew I was in for it then. Time passed so slowly. I was so hungry I drank whole milk. I don't drink whole milk, it is kind of gross, but it tasted good yesterday. So, by three in the afternoon, I don't care about anything, I'm not calling people back, it hurts to open my mouth, people tell me I look terrible, thanks by the way. I heat up a mug of water and stick the mug to my face. That's right, sitting in the front office as greeter that afternoon, I'm sportin' the mug o water to my face. Don't be jealous. By closing time my boss says, Jack Daniels will do you good. I'm not a drinker per se. I've had things, but maybe one or two drinks a year. My liver is fine, Mom, don't you worry. So, I'm going to get me some liquor. I can honestly say that yesterday was the first time, and let's hope last, I have ever prayed that the Lord would help me remember where I can find the liquor store. Praise Him, he let me to it! I went in and I didn't see signs for whisky, then I remember that it is bourbon. Then I saw that there was rum. I know I like rum, whisky, not so much. So, I go up to pay, holding the side of my face that hurts I ask if rum will work for my tooth the same as whisky. He says no because it is sugar cane based, learn something new everyday. Plus, he's probably thinking, give up the act lady, I'll sell you the rum. I say, I'll be back and go to get the whisky. Now, I look at Jack Daniels, even the small bottles are 20 bucks. I only got out 20 bucks and I wanted to get a milkshake. Still hungry and milk was my friend yesterday. So, I see Jim Beam. It is cheaper. Then I have a very sad inner dialogue. I think, Jack Daniels is better than Jim Beam, I should get the Jack. I hear black label is good, oh, they both have different color labels, but Jack was in a Dave Letterman joke, Dave Letterman likes Jack... I don't even like it, what the heck to I care if it is Jack or Jim. By now I feel like a jack because I am completely the product of my over sold generation. Only the best for me, me and my sore tooth from decay. What the heck! So, I bought the Jim Beam. And you know what it is gross and I had to force myself to drink it. It did work though and I'm very thankful because yesterday was a very very long day. Perhaps the saddest thing is that I wasn't even carded. The sign on the front door said if you look thirty or younger be prepared to show ID. That cut straight to the heart and no amount of whisky will do jack for that.

With a mother like that, who needs an enemy?

I was sitting here at my desk writing the last blog and the phone rang.  That is weird because while I do have a home phone, no one uses it.  I'm expecting it to be a telemarketer.  I say hello.  They say hello.  They ask how I'm doing.  I ask how they are doing.  Silence.  They ask if something is wrong.  I ask who are you.  They say, you don't know who this is, you dingbat? I say, I'm going to hang up now.  They say, oh, did I dial the wrong number.  I say, yes you did.  They say, oh, I was trying to reach my daughter.  Weird.  I hope that if my mom ever calls me and I don't recognize her she insults me.  I wonder why that little gem of a scenario has never been made into a phone commercial.  Sometimes we can be colossal jacks to the people we should be most loving.  I know I'm not always a gem, but dear heaven's give someone a break.  I bet her daughter is in counseling, not that there is anything wrong with that.    

Lake Wallenpaupack and a Whole Lot of Somethin"

So, I was in Lake Wallenpaupack last week.  Very nice weather, very nice house, and a whole lot of people.  Most of my family was present which was really nice.  My Nana was able to be there.  That is always fun.  Time goes too quickly when you are on vacation and super super fast when you are working.  That is not so fun I must say.  I even had to go through the days and count them because I thought for sure I thought it was the wrong day.  There is no way time went that quickly, but alas it did and now I am home.  I think Heaven will be awesome for the obvious reasons.  But it isn't ever going to end.  I used to wonder if we would ever get bored or if it would ever feel like groundhog day, becoming the same events over and over.  That is my flesh talking obviously because Hello, the saviour of the world will be there and I will be praising him, how could I get bored.  But I just thought how much fun my vacation was and how time seemed to speed up.  Then I thought, how wonderful heaven will be.  I'll never have to say good-bye again, never have to pack up everything, get home, do laundry and then head off to work.  Oh, that is going to be fantastic!

I hate you Morgan Freeman!/ Click on this title to see this video

Have you seen the Visa commercial with Derek Redmond in it? The British runner from the '92 olympics that was injured during the race. If you haven't seen it or have no idea what I am talking about, I will sum up. He starts out the 400 strong, but he gets injured, it looks like a hamstring injury. He kneels, cluthing his leg, he is still, then he stands and he continues the race, hopping around the track. His dad comes along side of him and helps him finish the race. I saw that commercial last night for the first time and it got me, I started to cry. Put me right there with all of those card and telephone commercials. The marketing department did a good job on that one. Although, I must say, I had no desire to go out and charge items on my credit card. I did however have to check it out on Youtube. What the commercial does not show, but is the best part, is that his dad ran onto the field and was originally restrained by olympic crowd control. He pushes them away and runs to him. People continue to come up to them trying to get them to stop. He yells at them and waves them off. The whole time supporting his son, quite literally, and continuing to walk with him. Put that to chariots of fire music and you have an oscar! Perhaps it tugged the heart strings so much because I go to the track and I jog, not fast, but I jog my rear around that track. It is hard work for me and no matter how slow I'm going, I'm going to meet my goal of 3 miles. Derek trained for years. Darn right he's finishing that race! His dad, while not a competitive runner trained with him. He encouraged, supported, cheered, rejoiced, you name it, they went through it together. So to see him enter the track with the intention and resolve to help his son finish, knowing his son had the will to do it injured, is just so beautiful to have seen. To see him run, fight off people who are standing in the way of him getting to his son, and to continue to disregard the people telling them to stop. Wow! I thought of the verses in Hebrews 12:1-3, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." I was so encouraged by this video because so often reading this passage, I envision the Lord standing at the finish line of life, if I may be so philosophical, cheering, encouraging, supporting. But what makes even more sense is that he is right next to us, holding us up, Supporting our legs, giving us the encouragement because he is as involved as we are. He feels the pain, the burn of muscles that are tired. He knows. He knows. And the video shows Derek, determined, eyes forward, his dad comes alongside, and then he knows, he is not alone. Praise the Lord for beautiful human pictures of His love that cannot be remotely understood this side of Heaven.