Monday, in Brief: VH 5

This was my Monday, the paragraphs borrowed from an email.

I got up, showered, prayed with the house. Then I sat in a chair in the library and read some Brennan Manning (Abba's Child), then sat and prayed/rested in God a bit. Prayed that prayer I wrote on my last post. I felt that that was a true prayer, that it defined my position and declared motion. It was very good, and encouraging. Then to homework.

It took way too long to prep for a presentation, so I didn't finish prepping. and I did not finish my reading for short fiction. I didn't get my online assignment done. I barely made it to class. I botched a convo with the professor afterward. Then, on to the next class, in which I had forgotten to revise my IRB application. And my presentation notes wouldn't open on the computer. So, after a brief consultation with the professor, I ran back to my car, flew back to the house (within the speed limit, of course), got upstairs, started to print the paper. While my computer loaded (takes forever) I ran downstairs to review the last chapter of the book that I hadn't read but seemed important. I immediately discovered, to my chagrin, that I had left the book (on which I was presenting) back in the classroom. No review, then. Finally, I collected the newly printed outline (not at all ready to present) and got back in my car.

That's when I noticed the smoke.

Now, following the rest of the day's events, the smoke would likely be coming from my car. But no, that was last week. Today the smoke was coming from down the road. So I headed off to campus, but towards the smoke, just to see what was up.

The house on the corner's yard was on fire. And the day was super dry and super windy- fire flying back and forth across the yard. I was the first one to stop, called 911 and watched as the big beautiful cedar trees were incinerated. The fire hopped the road twice, catching the edge of the woods and more grass on fire. The firemen eventually arrived and put it out before it really spread or reached our house, but not before I realized that, had I not been completely unprepared and not-in-control, I would not have been there to call the fire department. Who knows what would have caught. I mean, other cars pulled up after me, phones out and all, but man. Isn't it wild that even our weaknesses and inabilities can be used by God for really big things?