Closing Time!

Closing Time
Waking up at 6:30 not knowing is it was a.m. or p.m., I could only see light shining from the tiny portion of the curtain left open. I could remember sending a text message to see if someone would like to be taken out to breakfast but I wasn't sure when that was, last night or the wee hours of today? I had not gotten a response so it was still up the air, morning or night? I read through a great Starbucks article  before deciding to start with the morning routine because somewhere and somehow I decided it was indeed morning. I headed to the workout room and I literally wheeled into my friend’s (Sharon’s) car as her and Lynn were parking and ready to go to the workout room as well. This caused me to become so excited because they are such a highlight to my mornings.
I knew that I had to hurry because I was informed that I would be picked up at 8 for breakfast... Do what? My favorite meal of the day? Life is good! My adrenaline was pumping and I knew that had to make me work out faster than ever before, faster than ever before I tell ya! Sadly I learned that no matter how fast I run or how hard I work out... a certain amount of time still takes that certain amount of time.  Hold fast! I potentially found a solution for being short on time… yesterday I got a little carried away with the resistance level as I only had 15 minutes and I had to make it count! The resistance level was extremely high but trust me, I was satisfied -- sweat was dripping and I could feel the burn!
After the quick workout I was brought to a restaurant that I had seen on many of my adventures but I had never eaten there. Doug’s was absolutely amazing and the company even more so! Although I didn't realize it then, and and I'm being shown the truth as I write this, God's blessings are not always received with arms wide open. This was actually a relief. I am trying to convince myself that I deserve blessings from God that look different than what I have been given, but who am I to say that I know the Lord's plan better than He, Himself? Second Corinthians explains how God's blessings are made perfect in our weakness. “In our weakness,” I think to myself. Although there are places and times that I must be strong, surprisingly, more often than not God calls me to be weak. Being weak is being strong, what? Being weak will not always look the same, but for me accepting when other people want to b a blessing in my life was difficult but it is much easier now, now that God has encouraged me to always be on he look out. Look at every event and see how it is a blessing.
How beautifully that  leads into the next fun filled excitement for the day.
Not unlike most days I went to Starbucks to get Grandpa T coffee. I didn't have the ample time that I normally have, but it was clear that it was where I needed to be. Matthew Clark, a friend who is retired firefighter who lives far away now, met me at Starbucks. We examined medication and discussed his firefighting years. It started pouring outside so I was “forced” to stay at Starbucks until there was a break in the showers. Well I thought I was there waiting on the rain to subside, but when I was leaving I ran into Jim Garcia! It makes me so excited to run into people I have met before! It makes me even more excited when I have other connections to that person, thank you Clare Mihalko!
After finally catching a break in the rain and arriving home I only had a short time before going to the Arabic Christian Church. There I finally got to meet Elias’s brother, the pastor. It was such a blessing to have a man who sat next to me and translated the entire service. Feeling God's presence as His Word was read and illustrated, this beautiful group of people was absolutely amazing (John, a middle school aged, bilingual, special needs child was my favorite)!! I am nonchalantly reminded often that summer is coming to a close-- school starts soon. I am simultaneously being reminded to keep my eyes open; it may be closing time for summer break but God's blessings do not have a closing time!