Steal, Kill, Destroy.....REMAIN

Oy! Satan loves nothing more than to steal, kill and destroy. However, despite his efforts, I remained in Christ today. I am not saying I didn't skirt around the edges of sin. I will admit I crossed over the line a few times. Let's recap this day (as if it would excuse my sin, not)

• Awoke at 6:30 a.m. (ok, 6:55).....after not falling asleep until 3:00 a.m.
• Arrived to work 15 minutes late and discovered I had computer issues to deal with
• Coffee and breakfast were set aside untouched
• On the telelphone by 8:00 a.m. with tech support
• Hung up the phone with tech support at nearly 10:00 a.m. with no resolution to the issue
• Called my local computer guy who informed me the anti-virus program he recommended to me several years ago is now "not catching all the viruses". [gulp]
• Finally was able to eat my breakfast & drink coffee at 10:00 a.m.
• Began to shuffle through papers left over from before the new year holiday to see what I could do that did not require an internet connection
• Worked feverishly without many interruptions until 1:30 at which time I took lunch
• By 2:00 I felt like lunch and I were having WWIII in my stomach
• At 3:00 I begin to feel better and I can see the finish line of this day when suddenly the telephones decide they DO work and it is one call after another. I am talking like 2 calls at a time, several times in a row. Note: I am NOT the multi-tasker I once was [sigh]
• I walk to my car at 3:45 (15 minutes later than usual but considering I was 15 minutes late this morning, I guess I won't complain, lol)
• Pick up Aunt Maggie at 5:00....head to Wal-Mart. Have I ever mentioned I detest this place any other time except at 7 a.m. on Saturdays when the majority of folks are still sleeping?
• While Aunt Maggie returns some items I start getting some items on both our lists on that side of the GIGANTIC WM (not super, gigantic)
• We meet up and she takes her list back from me and we look at blankets before heading over to the other side the the GIGANTIC WM!
• Once on the other side she proclaims "veggie basket" to which I reply "oh crap, Aunt Maggie I could slap you". Oh yes I did say it. Told ya, I crossed the line several times.
• We finish in the food section....men's jeans section and work our way WAY back to the other side towards the kitchen gadget aisle ONLY to discover our "super" WM does not carry the hanging 3 tiered, wire veggie baskets. [insert your choice of expletive here as I probably said it....line crossed again]
• We check out.....we load the back of my vehicle with $125 worth of filled plastic bags between us.....we crank up the heater cause 'baby, it's freezing outside'!!!
• I arrive home at 7:00 p.m......pooped out.

This was not an ordinary day but by NO means was it a tragic day. Yes, work hangs in the balance and for the first time in a very long time we are facing serious hard times. Yes, computers are in need of H1N1 vaccines. Yes, WalMart sucks between 5-6 p.m. on a Monday night.

As I sit here and it nears 8 p.m. I am tired but I am not feeling quite so weighted down. Though I crossed sin lines today (mostly while driving) I also cracked many jokes and tried to see the obstacles as just that....obstacles. Not cancer....not death....not any kind of 'suck-the-breath-out-of-you' tragic.

I remain in Him and Him in me. Did I bear fruit today? Eh, not so sure about that. But, the peace I have in my heart tonight reminds me I am not cut off from the vine.