real time

thursday, 12:30 a.m. and inexplicably I am awake. The waking was abrupt, urgent, with me thinking, "I need to do something!" But what that something would be escapes me. There is so much stuff piled around the 'master' bedroom, the living room and outside on the patio. Sorting and cleaning at nearly one a.m.? Instead, I get on-line. It is amazing the number of people on facebook at one in the morning. Off FB, I sift through internet cafe devotions, the teaching is on envy, actually, the teaching* is on following Christ (and on battling 'envy' Peter-style). It is good, but really, how much do I REALLY want to follow Christ? (But I don't wanta be a pirate!(Seinfeld)) How much do I truly want to lay down my life? HAVE I laid down my life, or is it just lip service...it is nearly two a.m. when I turn the lights off. Someone across the street is lighting bottle rockets. I go to bed grumpy.

11:35 a.m. thursday
The morning begins earlier than I would like with the cat (Star) clawing at the window screen, saying "Let me in." It is 6:35 a.m. There is coffee with milk and thank God I took a shower last night because it keeps me from having to spend time taking one this morning. Breakfast is one slice of toast spread with peanut butter and honey and raisins. There is a drive (one last one?) to the old place for a last look-through. The traffic is not bad but a young guy in a silver Ford Ranger is tailgating me. Whatever.
The old place smells musty so the first thing I do is go around opening windows--on every floor. There are seventeen windows on the second floor, twenty four on the first and only three (one is a slider) on the lowest level. I leave the slider open and go, returning with cleaning supplies and Febreze.
The windows are horrible, and yesterday--let me tell you--there was no swimming, no sombrero. Basically, I cleaned, drove to Walt's, went to the radio station to shoot the breeze with the station manager for a good hour, returned again to clean more, drove home to eat dinner, returned one last time, went home, showered, went to bed. Exhausted.
This morning I spent an hour at the old place, cleaning and wiping and still, and still, there is all that exterior painting to do..well...he's buying it 'as is' so.....

An hour later I am sitting in a 'closing' room with Carlene at Boone Central Title. Between cleaning up and arriving here, there was that inevitable visit to the bank to get a 'cashier's check'. Of course, the machine was not working. The guy behind me was a saint. I turned around and apologized. "That's okay." he said, resigned. At BCT there are the numerous papers to sign, the room is stuffy, she waives the 25.00 processing charge, I thank her (eternally grateful), give her the last key and leave.

The day is mild and sunny and let me tell you, it is a miracle that this place sold. It is a MIRACLE the WAY it sold. It is TRULY a miracle (no kidding). To God be the glory, forever and ever, amen.

*(typically I read my bible rather than the internet cafe devotions..but at 2a.m...)