Carpentering for the Carpenter

It's Friday! It's my "normal" day off (we are on a 4 day work week).

5:34 a.m. The radio comes on. I hit the snooze button.

5:43 a.m. The radio comes on again. This time I struggle out of bed and get moving for the day. After warming up the truck and checking my bank balance on line I hit the streets of Sexsmith. But I'm low on fuel and make a quick stop at Tags.

6:15 a.m. I arrive at our weekly prayer breakfast 15 minutes late. But we are soon enjoying pancakes and bacon and conversation. All 7 of us are there and we have a great time of fellowship. We pray for one another and for everything from the Sexsmith Fire Department to Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

7:35 a.m. I pay for my meal and head back into the sub-zero weather. (I've been known to forget to pay a couple of times!)

7:55 a.m. I arrive at the Sexsmith Clinic and get in line to see the doctor about more cold medication. (You have two choices here: make an appointment three weeks in advance or wait in line as a walk in. Today the line is surprisingly short.) I get a new prescription from one of the three South African doctors at our clinic. (It's interesting to hear them communicate with each other in Afrikaans).

8:50 a.m. I venture back out into the cold and let the truck warm up as I pick up our mail.

9:15 a.m. I arrive at work. I put in some overtime to catch up. In the renovation business this is the busiest time of the year.

11:34 a.m. I head back out into the cold to go to the Chiropractor and run some errands. The doctor is behind schedule so I'm still early for my appointment even though I'm late. After hitting the bank (It's mortgage payment day and I have to transfer some funds from another bank.) I go to Wal-Mart to get my prescription filled. Fortunately, Colleen is ready for her lunch break so we go to McDonald's together. A half hour later I kiss Colleen good-bye, pick up my prescription, and head back into the cold.

1:15 p.m. I check back in at work. I have a successful afternoon building doors with a minimum of interruptions from the sales people or front end staff wanting me to build a rush order or "just" do some not so little thing for them.

5:15 p.m. I check back out and head back into the cold. Fortunately this night I'm not locked out of the back area. (The previous night I had to drive to the nearest gas station wearing only a fleece and a ball cap.) Driving past "the Mall" I notice how busy it is with Christmas shoppers. Before going home I stop at "Superstore" for a water filter, some trail mix, and a Cherry Pie (Colleen's favorite!). The pie so fresh it's still warm in the box. I have a chance meeting with my former "helper" from work and have a good chat.

6:25 p.m. I'm home at last. Colleen already has a new kind of pizza in the oven. There's nothing good on TV so we pop in a Bill Gaither DVD featuring Guy Penrod and his family of seven (count them) boys! Then a "Homecoming" DVD. How those songs and the general atmosphere lift our spirits and encourage us in the faith!

11:00 p.m. It's time for bed. Truly it has been a good busy day! "Thank you Lord for a stream of not so small blessings today." Tomorrow will be another busy day of work for both of us, followed by a church games night. This time Colleen and I will get to travel together.