St. Patrick's Day, Give-Away Ending, the Death-Of-All-Things-Battery-Operated, and Lessons from Anna

Inspiring title, no?

This is a post wherein I hereby bestow upon you a potpourri of such thoughts and happenings as have so defined my wee Monday.

*ahem*

Part I:

Happy St. Patrick's Day!! I almost forgot to wear green, had soggy iceberg lettuce instead of cabbage (apparently brothers don't tend to notice the differences between the two when shopping...I mean, the label "iceberg lettuce" and "cabbage" have at least 3 letters in common) and didn't even remember to watch this 'dorable tradition-of-a-video with the Littles:

Nevertheless, the sentiments expressed in this post (coincidentally one of the first posts on my blog) remain the same as I consider the day. Pray for Ireland!

Part II:

I realized there was rather a lack of information regarding last week's give-away! It officially closes Tuesday night (March 18th), at 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time. Wednesday's video post will reveal the winners!

Part III:

And now, for a sad tale.

Once upon a time there lived a girl (that's me) who had a job (that's music teaching) to go to upon a Monday morn (that's today). She ventured forth into the sun and cold (that's March weather), only to be rudely stopped dead in her tracks by a dead car (that wouldn't even start!). Said girl (still me) called upon her helpful bro (Mr. Doesn't-Know-Cabbage-From-Iceberg-Lettuce) to assist her, and since said brother was brilliant (despite some minor deficiencies in reading skills), he righted the aforementioned wrong (that is, a dead car) in record time. Thankful girl (who had only had to cancel the first two lessons of the day) drove off into the sunshine, sure of a happily-ever-after ending.

But it was not to be.

Several hours later, tired girl (that is, the first person) returned home and opened up her computer to check email (that is, paperless communication). No sooner had she loaded the page then said laptop (that is, Polly) "popped off as you might say" (who knows that quote?), never to be resurrected again. Aforementioned girl (SarahJayne) nearly cried with remorse that all things battery-operated were thus withering beneath her touch, and bravely called her father (on a battery-operated cell phone which did not die), who promptly reassured her all would be well.

And so she hopes for her happily-ever-after ending...

Part IV:

We were studying Anna this last week in our girls' Bible study, and I found these discussion questions particularly convicting. Too often, I am tempted to think merely that how I act around people is testimony enough to my Savior. I mean, with the Holy Spirit in me, how could the difference not be obvious? These questions challenged me to look for every opportunity to faithfully, verbally point to Christ. If I am the only one who could speak to them of Truth...what a tragedy for me to say nothing and wait to be asked.

We don't know what happened to Anna after the experience described in Luke 2. We can only imagine that she told everyone she knew about God's revelation. What do you tell everyone you know? If their encounter with you is their only spiritual encounter, what are they learning? - John MacArthur, Twelve Extraordinary Women

What are ways you speak of Christ, even when just having met someone?

Car Story...Kind Of

It was inevitable. As soon as I opened my big mouth, volunteering to do daddy's "errand," I knew it was a mistake.
"Great!" he said, "I need you to go to Les Schwab, have them patch up the tire with the nail in it, and get inner tubes on the tractor tires."

Ok, I get the part about the nail (see here), but...um...inner tubes on tractor tires? Aren't inner tubes those things in which you slide down mountains or skim over water?

"Um, ok?" was my tentative answer, "I don't know what exactly I should say when I get there."
"I'll write you out a script," he rejoined, mock-rolling his eyes at me.
"Yes. That would be good."

And so, script in hand (really!), and juggling the two front lawn mower tires, I found myself strolling into Les Schwab about twenty minutes later. Almost as soon as I entered the building, the tractor tires were whisked away from me, with the...uh...Les Schwab man (what do you call those guys? Store attendants? Waiters?) calling over his shoulder for me to "make sure that they get rung up."

O...wait...that's not in my script - and you just stole the first part!

"Hi, I just brought two tractor tires in to get inner tubes put on, and I have my van out there that has a nail in the..." remember the script "...front-passenger-side-tire." Gracious, I hope that was right.

"Ok, is the tire leaking air?"

"Uh...." I assume so, why else would we need it fixed? Is this a trick question? What changes if I answer incorrectly?? "I think so. My dad just told me to bring it in and have it fixed." Great, now I sound like a totally clueless, ditzy girl. No secrets here.

To his credit, the...LSG2 (Les Schwab Guy 2) didn't even chuckle at me.

"Ok, great. So it's the green Ford van out there?"

"Yes." Ok, that wasn't in the script, but I can go with it.

"Do you know what year it is?" LSG2 queried, but even as he looked up at me, my dismay must have been painfully evident (I've always been told I have a terrible poker face), because he immediately grinned and answered his own question: "You probably don't, do you?"

Year? I have to know the year of the car? I demand a new playwright! "Uh, no, sorry, I don't."

"No problem...
Do you have the key?"

"Yes!" thankful dad had reminded me to have the key ready, I handed it over and went to go sit down, breathing the smell of new tires. Have you ever noticed what a nice smell they have?

I was fine until I was again called to the counter to pay for the services.

"Fifteen dollars," LSG3 (but it could have been LSG1 - I don't know) informed me.

Fifteen, huh? Daddy said it wouldn't be more that $50...I wonder if LSG3 is counting the mower tires, and the van tire. It would be better to find out now, I suppose. "Ok, is that counting the two mower tires I had fixed?" I asked, trying to sound like I new what I was talking about.

"Yeah, I put them in the van - that's where they came from, right?"

"Yes, well, and I had the tire fixed on the van too..." Why am I trying to convince this guy that I need to pay more?

"Right..."

"Well," clears throat, "so I had the two things done, inner tubes on the tractor tires, and the nail fixed on the van."

Finally, LSG3 understood what I was trying to say - which is good, because otherwise we would have been there all day - and, looking suddenly tired, and a cross between exasperated and amused, he explained, "We don't charge for fixing the van tire, because it's our tire."

"Oh. Great!" Yeah yeah, I new that. Was that what dad mentioned about "free"? Finally convinced that the bill really was only fifteen dollars, I slid him my card, and got out of there before anything else could happen.

So, maybe I have some things to learn in the car department. Like, can a nail be in a tire without leaking air? What year are the cars I drive (and why does it matter)? And, most importantly...what does one call a tire shop guy?