What'll It Be?

     Friday morning we ran the routine for a spontaneous road trip:  dishes and laundry up, trash and food out.  Michael and I finished off the deviled eggs Melody made from the ones they'd colored.   No, we don't "hunt" eggs, but I ease up enough to let them color some.   Since we secured the help of friends to feed the animals, we left easy.  What kind of friends feed your animals on Easter Sunday?  The best. 
     I so seldomly have to drive in the morning that I didn't consider how much I'd need my sunglasses.  I'm gonna give my husband due props here for making it possible for me, to be home about the business of the household every morning. 

     Mike decided it was time to venture down south to our parents and eldest daughters.  We surprised both girls by showing up where they work.  Megan was at lunch, so the dealership staff called to tell her she had an irate customer in service and to get straight back.  Poor thing, her hands were trembling from stress when she returned, mostly because there was an accident out front and she was afraid it was from work she'd advised.  Miranda stopped short of tackling us when we came through the entrance of the restaurant she serves in.  We hadn't seen our girls at these workplaces, so it was a treat for us all.

     We got right into the thick of things when we arrived at Memaw and Pop's.  Mike, Michael, and Pop went straight to work on replacing our brakes.  Memaw and Melody started a cake.  Macklynn and Madalynn had the toys from the closet drug out in minutes.  Soon, some of them were fishing, but not before Madalynn ran full force into the glass door.  She's a tough one; she just bounced off, paused long enough for us look at her red forehead, and kept going.  

     We slept with the window open.   Saturday morning Miranda jumped in our bed.  We didn't know she had texted McKala to let her late after she got off work.  Mike and Memaw took the older kids on a search for prom garb for McKala and Michael.  What better place to do it than in the Atlanta area?  Success!   Meanwhile, Pop rode Macklynn and Madalynn around on the 3 Wheeler he restored from the time Mike and his sister, Mandy, rode it. 

     When we all converged, Pop showed Michael how to use his lathe.  That's where the baton of heritage is passed on and was worth the whole trip. 

     When Megan got off work, she eagerly took Mike, McKala, and me to a special service at the church she and Miranda attend.  She had also invited Mom and Dad.  Since they didn't know we were even in the state, they too were surprised!   Everything there was contemporary for sure, but the sermon was straightforward and faithful to The Word that if we have been "rescued" by The Cross, then we will be "rescuing" others. 

     Sunday morning we went early for the traditional service at Memaw and Pop's church in Peachtree City.  I was greeted immediately by a woman with nothing but compliments for my blog.  I need to apoligize now for the oversights I make before I post.  Oftentimes, I drop and run, not realizing how many people are reading.  Anyhow, I really, really enjoyed having all the kids in a row and getting to sing "He Lives" ..." Because he lives I can face tomorrow, Because he lives all fear is gone, Because I know he holds the future, And life is worth the living just because he lives."  (The last sentence makes me want to rename my blog :)  I don't like organ music, even so I can't for the life of me figure out why "contemporary, worship oriented" churches can dismiss the magnitude of a song like that.  It's truly a shame.  And our kids agree.

     Memaw prepared some great food.  Mandy and Gregg showed up with some more.  We adults haven't all sat together for a meal in a long time and it was very nice considering we almost lost one of us a few weeks ago to what would've been a "widow maker".  

     The kids sped over to "Bubba's Pond" to get in some real fishing time.  Bubba is Mike's closest friend and has been since they were 15 years old.  Mike and I spent a good bit of time there when we were dating.  Bubba's pretty daughters were also there Sunday; so everyone, especially Michael, was happy.  They've all been friends since they were as young as Macklynn and Madalynn.  

     We pulled them together in time to be "fashionably late" to Mom and Dad's.  Good food is always found there, so is some kind of fun in the garage.  Melody, Macklynn, and Dad played pool for hours and came back in time to watch the sobering final episode of "The Bible" on The History Channel.  

     Monday we straightened and gathered to leave for North Carolina.  Madalynn was still out following Pop's cats in the fish pond garden.  It was a relief not to be on constant guard of a toddler, but she kept me on my toes because she moved about so much, comfortable in her surroundings.  

     We stopped by Megan's work again because Madalynn left her stuffed cat on Megan's bed when we got to see their place for the first time.  Macklynn said, "I can tell this is Megan's bed because of how it smells." ~ sweet!  I found on her bookshelf the book I've been looking for for 6 months!   Macklynn found his fishing pliers in her car door.  Melody left her makeup in Miranda's car Saturday, so she brought it to her at some crazy hour Saturday night and then took McKala to buy something for church she'd intended to get until "we showed up".  It was all fun until they noticed a guy following them.  
    Going through Atlanta, "The Varsity" was a given.  "What'll ya have?  What'll ya have?" is a tradition.  Mike, blind to the events that would take place a few hours later, took a picture to post of his onions rings and 3 chili dogs.  He kindly got all the kids Coke instead of water.  It was a miserable mistake because the little ones were rambunctious all ...the ...way ...home.   I remembered how nice it was to have the TV in the new Sienna we had.  Though, I'd be an idiot not to appreciate how great it is not to have a payment on our '05 Caravan.  Hey, a minivan's a minivan to me.  It ain't never gonna be a Challenger SRT ;)
     Suddenly, one of the kids realized that "NONE OF THE ADULTS HAD ARGUMENTS ON THIS TRIP!"  Okay, maybe you don't know us, but take my word on this, THAT'S a big deal.  We had to admit that Mike's way worked. 

      As good as the trip was, Mike's neck hurt along his Carotid Artery the entire time.  We decided he should stop by Urgent Care before we went on home.  I hadn't even returned with supper, when they had him transported by ambulance ACROSS THE STREET to the ER.  I told them in no uncertain terms that it wasn't necessary.  The paramedics and ER doctor agreed.
     So, here we are, admitted into a room.  I've had time to cover more of C. S. Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters", written in 1942.  It's not an "easy read".  I think I'll narrate it to the kids, so they can get the most out of it.  It's a wouldbe playbook for the devil himself.  It shows how subtlely he makes us ineffective.  How foolish we are! 
     There's a letter fired specifically toward gluttony.  Screwtape tells his protege, "One of the great achievements of the last hundred years has been to deaden the human conscience on that subject, so that by now you will hardly find a sermon preached or a conscience troubled about it in the whole length and breadth of Europe."  "She would be astonished - one day, I hope, 'will' be - to learn that her whole life is enslaved to this kind of sensuality ...to produce querulousness, impatience, uncharitableness, and self-concern?"  "The real value of the quiet, unobtrusive work which Glubose has been doing for years on this old woman can be guaged by the way in which her belly now dominates her whole life."
      I think the worst thing about blatantly and willfully remaining in our sin is it gives the impression to people, especially younger ones, that because we appear not to pay for it that it's somehow overlooked.  You know, each of us knows someone who smoked 'til they were 92 or drank 'til they were 85 or was fat 'til they were 73.  Do we believe that a passivist sinner is better than activist one?  Of course, we do.

     So, now Mike's had all the tests.  He's all right but is a prime candidate for things that won't be "all right".  What'll it be, Mike?  What'll it be?  As far as that goes, what'll it be, Michelle?  What'll it be?