obey that voice

our chemist-son was traveling
over the holidays
during the winter storm in the 
mid -USA. 
between having type a flu
and flight cancelations
there were challenges.

we were praying for his health.
we were praying for his safety in 
the 3 hour trip to the airport,
and the actual flight.

part of me would think,
"once he gets to houston, 
he'll be fine."
but...
in my mind i kept hearing
this persistent sentence
"he still has the cab ride home
from the airport. he's not safe
until he's home".

so i prayed for the safety of
that journey.
and thanked God when 
we got the text
"home".

3 weeks later i get to 
visit with our son.
we are discussing flying
and preferred airlines.
and then he said
"oh, i never told you about
my cab ride home".

the cabdriver wasn't impressive.
he wouldn't buckle his seat belt,
didn't listen to the directions
so the trip took longer,
and seemed to have had too
much to drink.
"i'm glad i made it safely"
said my handsome chemist.

"me too Son."
and then
"thank you God for that
persistent reminder to pray
specifically for his cab ride. "  
 
        
              
   

my ladder climbing wonder-dad

chirp. chirp. chirp.
last fall dad's smoke alarm was speaking
so he changed the battery.
a few weeks later it continued to speak,
sister-bird and i 'helped' dad work on it.
things were quiet for awhile.

chirp. chirp. chirp.
sigh....so
last week we moved the step ladder
from the kitchen to the bedroom
to pull down the offender.
dad gets ready to climb up i ask
"do you want me to do this?"
dad: "you might have to"
as he climbed up to the top step!
 i just shake my head and pray.
 
he discovers he can't quite reach the alarm,
so he gently rests one foot on the dresser
and stretches a bit more. 
i continue head shaking and praying.
due to torn rotator cuffs in both shoulders
he is very limited in mobility.
but not tenacity.
his persistence prevails and
soon the 'chirpy' is off the wall.

in the course of the step ladder
climbing-dresser-dancing,
my sweet stubborn independent
 poppa said to me
"i've done all kinds of things YOU
don't know about last week!"

oh ho!
i wait a bit, then ask
"what did you do?"
dad: " i got on the roof".

big eyed head shaking on my part
but i calmly respond
me: " okay...why?"
dad: " that vent had come off."
aha! 
me: " did you get it fixed?"
dad: "YES"

i wait a bit then said
"good job pop, and 
 you didn't get hurt that's good."

honestly, i'm thankful he felt like
he could do this.
his fiestiness is returning.
even though i wish he wouldn't do 
things like that.


yesterday i called dad to visit.
me: "hey dad. we need to take the 
Christmas lights off the house, 
and wondered if you wanted to help?"
he chuckled.
i chuckled.
and then with a voice of confidence
he said: " i bet i could!"