Perfect Timing

I could not have left today.

My father ran out of his medication Sunday night, like most people, he figured that one night would not make a difference and that he would just refill the prescription the next day. One sad truism, though, is that the body continually adapts. After several years of taking his heart medication at set intervals his body had come to depend on it; yesterday morning he woke feeling odd. My father has an unusually strong heart - both literally and figuratively. So his normal resting heart rate is normally in the 30s; yesterday it was 105.

I woke to my mother's voice: "your father isn't feeling well; we're going to the emergency room."

This wasn't the first time.

So I spent the day doing small errands and looking after the family dog.

I also took apart a tree.

It sounds awfully dramatic doesn't it? You probably imagine me, ax in hand tears streaming down my face, screaming with every swing of the blade.

Actually, it took the whole day.

Over Christmas, I planted a vegetable garden for my parents. We have never been that big on the gift giving and had decided to do our own version of the Advent Conspiracy. My parents new house is on a fairly shady lot and I've spent several days taking down branches to make more pasture for Mom's horse - Raz - and clear space for the garden. So yesterday I took down a fairly young Blackjack Oak. Unlike my mother's adored Live Oaks with spreading branches and majestic arches, Blackjack Oaks are gnarled and quickly covered in tick infested spanish moss.

Cutting down a tree by hand takes some time, taking it apart and making stacks of wood from it requires a mind-numbing methodicalness. It is slow, repetitive work that allows a lot of time for prayer but requires enough attention that you can be lost in contemplation of the next step for hours.

It was exactly what I needed.

"'Have faith in God,' Jesus answered. 'I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, "Go, throw yourself into the sea," and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.'" (Mark 11:22-24).

I confess, I still don't understand this verse. But yesterday I prayed and I worked. But I did not worry.

Oh yea, and I asked God to let me keep working, because I needed it and it was kind of drizzling, and it was supposed rain. But it didn't.

My father came home in time for dinner too. Now he is at the cardiologist and its raining. But I'm writing - not doubting.