Primary Voting Day & Good Excuses

Ginny and I go to the polls today to vote for a candidate among the scads of people running for President, and to vote about a change in local taxes.

It’s a duty and we do it.

Enough said.

Now, on to important issues:

Our bathroom plumbing remains broken. To be fair, yesterday the plumber did run a snake through the sluggish tub drain and it does drain better than it did before. ... But that was a side issue from the reason I called in a professional in the first place.

We called the plumber to come out because the pipes are old, leaky and rusted and need to be fixed. For only $60 he told me that our pipes are old, leaky and rusted and need to be fixed.

He fiddled with the faucets and left them leaking worse than before he arrived.

I will have to get in there and do the job myself.

I resent having to do this because it’s such a mind-consuming task.

I’m in the middle of proof reading the diary manuscript, a task which requires some focus; I still haven’t finished that fire history book, and here I have to think about plumbing and paint and tile work.

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…”

Yeah. Sure.

And while I do that, I’m supposed to let water run down the inside of the walls?

I’ve tried to avoid getting tied up in material things but I’m being forced into home repair projects now which I intended to get to this Spring after I finished the fire history book. The projects are worthwhile and will improve our quality of life, but I can’t do plumbing and edit copy at the same time.

And, I used to have some minor-grade spiritual life which I’ve lost while preparing the area for carpenters (who proved unreliable and did not show up when they promised), and while re-hanging the sagging gate and while stringing up that birdfeeder for Ginny, and while repairing the ruptured steel pool wall.

Thus, I feel torn.

And pushed.

And pulled.

And pressured.

And I faintly hear the voice of Jesus saying, “Come; for all things are now ready”.

He said that’s what happened when a certain man gave a great feast and invited many people to it. But they all began to make excuse:

One said, “I have bought a piece of ground and must needs go see it”.

Another said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen and I want to prove them”.

Another said, “I have married a wife and therefore I cannot come”.

Every one of them had a perfectly good excuse.

But Jesus said, “None of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper”.

He said, “Likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple”.

Responding to His invitation is more important than repairing faucets, or building walls or editing copy or writing history or even voting for a new president.

Yet all these lesser things command my attention at this moment.

Somehow, the trick is following Jesus in the midst of all these mundane things.

I haven’t learned that trick yet.

I’m working on it.