When God Serves Your Day On A Silver Platter

I thought it only right and fair that if I'm going to bring up the more frustrating days full of little pesky problems, then I should certainly also make it known when God has rocked my world in such a good way as well! Today had perfection interwoven through it like detailed needle point. You won't believe me, it went so smoothly.

First, I got up on time. And considering I went to bed 3 1/2 hours late last night and was very worried about being too groggy this morning, I popped right up. So did the kids. Well, O.K., but still we made it out the door on time. And it was a good hair day! No reason why. And that just makes it so much more special, ya know? Oh, admit it, you do. If you have any kind of estrogen coursing through your veins, you know exactly how shallow but thrilling that is!

And what wonderful timing. On my list of to-do's today was to get my car tags and driver's license renewed. Nothing like good hair on your driver's license to add icing to the cake. I had a class to teach mid day today and would have to divide up my chores on either side of it, so I decided to get the tags first. They expired in August and it is SO NOT LIKE me to let something go that long! But, for the past two years there's just not a whole lot that HAS gotten done in the organized fashion I prefer. In fact, I haven't even handled this chore for a couple of years because of switches in our business and signature requirements and other boring stuff like that. So, hubby has been pressing me for about week to do this, but I had no idea how long expired the tags actually were. I just dutifully went to the tag agency with the papers he handed me tucked neatly, un-read, inside my purse.

I sat down, the lady quickly filled everything out and requested the specified payment in a friendly tone. Only I realized I hadn't brought a business check. Normally, the amount for tags for two vehicles just simply wouldn't be in our personal account this late in the week, but wouldn't you know it, I had just made a bonus deposit for Christmas shopping the day before. And since we just "happen" to be doing our business accounting tonight, we can replace the Christmas money before the check even clears.

Now for the driver's license. After glancing it over, the nice woman looked at me with sweet sympathy instead of the subdued delight normal tag agency attendants seem to have when customers squirm. She reminded me of the new law about having to visit the DMV with an official birth certificate once you've let your license expire. I was sick the week before our trip to San Antonio and then I had just decided that our trip was more important, so I'd deal with the extra steps when I got back, which would be in December, four days after my license expired. No trouble I thought. One extra step that will be worth the extra day away on our trip. Until she warned me "you might want to try to go now before the schools let out. They all rush in at once to take their driver's tests and the wait tends to take hours."

Uuuuuuuuugh...........

But I had to go within walking distance of DMV for another of my listed errands anyway, so after my class I decided to run that errand, then pop in to ask the best time of day to return tomorrow.

ON MY WAY THERE, I got pulled over by the police!

Oh, nuts! I was thinking. What on earth?

"Ma'am, did you know your tag's expired - has been since August?"

(This is when I found out how long expired.)

I couldn't help it. I was smiling ear to ear. I must have looked like a poker player with no game face holding the ace of spades!

"Sir," I said. "I JUST now came from renewing my tag. I haven't even had a chance to pull over and put it on, yet."

"Well, I ran your tag. It's not even showing up on the computer. The tag agency puts that in when you renew it." He was all serious and authoritative.

"Yes sir. But I JUST pulled out of the parking lot from the tag agency within the last 10 minutes!" I was beaming like a little kid as I whipped out my tags, still stapled to the receipts with today's date in plain view.

He glanced - then WITHOUT asking for my driver's license gave a cheery and astonished "Welllllll then.....have a great day!" I don't think he could help but be tickled by my luck! The whole stop lasted less than 90 seconds.

When I got to DMV (less than a block away - ha ha ha ha ha!), there were only about 8 people in the waiting area and I still had about 45 minutes until my next appointment. I decided to take a number and just see how fast the line would move. Fifteen minutes later, my number was called and I went up. Most people were being asked to explain their situations, then being sent back to the waiting room to be called again. I figured I only had time to find out the best time to return later, then leave for the appointment. Nope. He handled everything I needed in record time. I was shocked!

A little aside here, but if you are a conspiracy theory type person, you would have been ALL OVER the new requirements for proving your U.S. citizenship and securing a basic driver's license. They scanned my face, my voice, both thumbprints, my right forefinger and my signature, plus had a notary public verify that it was indeed me who physically signed the paper swearing that I was aware that I was really born here! They EVEN pointed out that the 110 lbs. description put on my original license at age 16 - and never before questioned - needed to be ammended - with that guy beside me still listening!

Anyway, the guy beside me smirked "Dang, ya'll are really slammed today, huh?!" To which the guy completely mocked him with roaring laughter and deadpanned "Sir, you have no idea how lucky you got. We literally have had no shorter than a 2-3 hour wait at any time of the day from open to close for more than 5 weeks! We (pointing to his co-worker) were just wondering how the heck ya'll got so lucky!"

OH YEAH!!!!! Thank. YOU. God!

Okay, Okay, so I left there, went to my appointment and finally noticed my coat that I haven't needed but have looking for all day. I grabbed it, went in and returned 10 minutes later to discover that a fierce cold front had hit while I was inside! Can you believe all this because I STILL CAN'T!

I picked up the kids from school, then headed over to another tag agency, that JUST OPENED UP --- RIGHT BY OUR HOUSE --- THAT SOMEONE JUST TOLD ME ABOUT EARLIER THIS WEEK and sat down, good hair still rockin' to have my license picture made. The first one was awful because I winced for a sneeze at the moment it was snapped. And you know what? I didn't even have to embarrass myself asking. The nice man chirped helpfully all on his own "Oops! I think it looks fine, but if you want, I'd be happy to do it again." THEY NEVER DO THAT! I didn't even have to fake a smile because we were all laughing about the timing of the sneeze. And would you believe that when he handed me my new license, it touted my weight at 110 lbs.? He had followed my old license instead of the new form. Hee hee.

So, I walked out with a driver's license picture that I can actually show without shame. And that's a rarity I think. It's like basic rules of the universe. Driver's license pictures notoriously look like a mug shot on a rainy day and department store dressing room mirrors always make one look fatter with bad posture. It's how the world works.

On the way home, I was feeling celebratory and festive. I decided to pop into a little store we recently noticed, but never went to, just to check it out and see if there might be anything cute for Christmas.

JACKPOT!!!!!

All of their Christmas decor was marked down across the board, some to 50% off already. And it was good stuff, not cheap junk. Okay, I HAVE to tell you, I got the CUTEST, classiest little golden spiral hooks each encasing a red jewel for hanging ornaments. I didn't know they made such a thing! I can't wait to decorate now tomorrow. (Our pre-planned day anyway.) They're like tree jewelry!

Finally we got home (yes, this post is ALMOST over!) and you know what? I stepped out of the car to find my hubby putting up his Christmas lights outside. He has wanted and wanted to do that for two weeks and couldn't fit it in. I was so happy to find things working out for him too. I thought I would wait to share my day so I wouldn't interupt his concentration, but he greeted me with a story. "You are not going to believe this, but something happened today that has NEVER happened before! Supplies showed up four hours early today....."

"Oh no....." I tried to empathize. "I bet that messed up your schedule."

"No!" he beamed. "Because right before it happened another client called to cancel HIS job for the day, so I was just trying to figure out what I was going to do instead. And then since that one finished so early, I got to come home at 2:00 to start working on lights! Then, on the way home.........."

Really, God. THANK YOU SO MUCH for letting us look up at your smile today!!! And thanks for knowing when we really need it!