Life's Little Reminders

Just when I thought I had nothing to write about today, BAM! Life tosses me something.

I was all excited about going to the Kansas City Remodeling Show at 10:00 this morning, but wanted to have my Gospel music in the bathroom with me so that I could practice my song in the shower--great accoustics in there. ; ) So, I go out to the garage to get my purple choir folder out of my car where I left it Wednesday night. I can't find the folder. I find the clipboard that I had with me that night, but not the folder. I remember moving it all out of the front passenger seat yesterday before my daughter and I went out for lunch. So, I knew it was out there--somewhere. I looked around the garage thinking that maybe I had taken it out of the car and just never carriede it into the house. I even checked the trash can--you never know. Not there. Now I'm having flashbacks to October when I lost my entire set of keys. Oh no!

Okay, it's cold in the garage, I'm going back in. I will practice my song later. What? The back door is locked! How'd that happen? No problem, I'll get my keys out of the car. I had new house keys made when I lost my others so, no problem. Uh....where are my keys? Oh no...they're in the house on the counter. I carried them in yesterday when we got back from lunch. No problem...I'll just call Angela and she'll come right over and use her key to let me in. Yes! My phone is in my purse in my car where I ALWAYS leave it. Uh....where's my purse? Oh no....it's in the house too. What is going on?!! God, why is this happening to me?!! What have I done to cause this?

Now I'm crying. Not just sobbing...crying hysterically. I'm losing it. Why? Because over the past year or so, it has been brought to my attention on more than one occasion by my children, that I'm losing it. And at this moment, I'm convinced they're right.

I try to calm myself down by talking to myself--another recent development in my life. I decide that I'd better look for a coat in the closet out there because I'm freezing. I hadn't gotten dressed yet. I'm in my slippers and PJs. I find a KC Chiefs hoody. It looks real nice with my black & blue print PJs and my gray slippers. Oh yeah, and my hair. Not pretty. It NEVER is in the morning. There is no way I'm going to open that garage door and walk to a neighbor's house looking like this. So, I start kicking the door. That's how crazy I was at that moment. Kicking the door down seemed like a better idea than going to get help. Funny how kicking a door down always looks so easy to do on TV and in movies. I'm thinking it's because those big burly guys aren't crying while they're doing this. Just a thought... Now I start hurling my body at the door. OUCH! Nope, that's not going to happen. I decide to start looking for something I can use to slip into the small opening by the lock. You know, like a credit card--also something I've seen done on TV. Plus, that's how my daughter got in the last time I got locked out. BTW--I did NOT lock myself out then or now. It was the twins. Yes, it was the twins. They mess with that lock almost every time they come over and they were here yesterday. I will NOT take the blame for that. No luck finding a credit card lying around the garage. And my purse is in the HOUSE!!!!! I do find the rubber mallet I got for Christmas last year and decide to beat the hell out of something. I start banging on the door. Nothing. I decide to whack the knob. Oops, those things dent easily. Somewhere along the way, I hurt my hand. My knuckles are swelling up and it hurts.

I'm defeated. I have to go get help. I reluctantly push the button to open the garage door and head over to the neighbor's house. No one answers the door. I'm afraid they've looked out the window and saw the condition I'm in and the look in my puffy eyes and they're afraid of me. I sulk back home and beat the door again. No luck with that. I head over to a different neighbor's house. They let me in. I call Angela, knowing she's the closest and she has a key. No answer. I leave a voice message. The neighbor starts suggesting that I leave a key somewhere in the garage from now on. Thanks lady--just give me your credit card and shut up! She does---well, actually I didn't say that and it wasn't a credit card. I was just thinking that. The neighbor gave me one of those little cards with the hole punched in it that you carry on your key ring--that's what Angela had used before.

I go back to my garage and I try to figure out how this is done. After about 5 minutes, I'm in! I almost fell into the kitchen when it opened. I can't believe it!! Angela called me moments later and I relayed this story to her. She swears she's never claimed I'm losing it, but she may be rethinking that now. While I've still got her on the phone, I go back out in the garage to look for the purple music folder. I open the back passenger door and I see nothing--at first. Then I see the folder up under the driver's seat. I shreak with joy! Instantly I'm happy.

This is how life (God) works. We are brought to our knees until we cry Holy, and then we're full of joy when our prayers are answered. BTW, that is the song I was going to practice this morning for choir--"I Bowed Down On My Knees And Cried Holy". He works in mysterious ways, for sure.