This past Friday began as many of my Fridays do, at 4:30am up in my office/study. I prepared for the Bible Study that I lead with the Middle School students and for my homily at the school Mass which follows. Now the night before I received inspiration from a book that I read to two of our younger kids, Monica (4), Andrew (2). It's called "The Little Engine That Could". Yes God does give inspiration in strange places and I am open to anything. No matter what I am reading, thinking about, or experiencing, I aways like to see what I can gain and share from it. Life is full of "God Given" teaching moments, we just have to pay attention to them when they come.
In the story a train full of circus worker and animals are trying to get over the mountain to take their treats to the kids who live on the other side. But sadly their train engine breaks down and they can not make it. They do not give up, three other engines come along but they all have excuses why they can not help the circus out. Then this "little" engine comes along and she is able to help them over the mountain because of all things, she has faith. She keeps repeating, "I think I can, I think I can". So this hit me as an important message for us today in the Church and told in a way kids could grasp. We are all trying to claim the mountain of faith. Walking with Jesus up a step and steady hill. Along the way we meet many other train engines that might entice us to go the other way or not make the climb at all, but Jesus is always there leading our way. I also thought this fit will into the readings that Mass had that day, especially, when Jesus says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." (John 14:6)
It was around 10:00 when I left church and headed for work. I met the guys at a job site who were already in progress. They had done a great job so far and I just jumped in to help. From here, we separated out and started doing our planed list of jobs for the day. The fun began around 12:00, when I opened a door to where the homeowners pool equipment is kept. And what is waiting for me?? A BIG FOUR FOOT LONG BLACK SNAKE - raised up and ready to strike!!! Luckily for me, I was standing far back outside the door and saw him early enough, that he was not a immediate threat to me. But, as the saying goes, "a snake is a snake!" and I had to go in that room. You can imagine my reaction when I saw my new friend. Snakes always give me the creeps no matter what. Certainly helps me understand why a serpent represents the Satan in the Garden of Eden. My fellow worker went to get the necessary snake removal tool, a garden hoe and the "crafty one" was removed from my path.
Upon leaving this exciting scene I received a phone call that the man who drives the truck that delivers water to some of our jobs, had gotten STUCK in the mud. Now this would not had bothered me so much, except that more and more lately, problems happen around these deliveries. Last week on a job he lost control of the tractor trailer and run over a two large bushes with many big rocks around them. Just a big mess! So I was not happy about this turn of events. But being that I was an hour away from the mishap, others handled the problem and a tow truck was dispatched for removal. I just have to go back latter and fix the customers yard. Always a fun activity, when the pool man becomes a landscaper, right!!
Then the day went well until about 2:00, when I ate some leftover pasta that I had brought for lunch. I took it out of my cooler for about 20 minutes so it would warm up a bit before eating. I was not long after this that I got that queasy feeling in my stomach and things went down hill from here. At first I thought to myself, maybe I just needed some water to drank. Well that did not do the trick. Over the next couple of hours my stomach got worse and worse, and I got weaker and weaker. I dropped of my helper I around 5:30 and thankfully headed home. When I got there I could hardly walk and get into the house. Yes, I had gotten FOOD POISONING!!! This being said, I pretty much spent the rest of the weekend in bed. Wow, so often in life things never go the way we ever plan them to go.
So, a day that started with such promise and inspiration, ended with much time for me to slow down and think about my truly, "Wild and Crazy Friday". God Bless.
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