I should have gone to the bathroom before we left.

Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

We had a leadership meeting today; well, by the time you read this it was yesterday. I also had a meeting with a friend about helping me with the Social Responsibility committee, that was yesterday too. I was going to have my last meeting at 3pm, and then I was going to drive Padme to Ridgefield, Washington. We had a donor that was donating cases of water for our annual "Healthy Kids Day" event that is happening tomorrow, well by the time you read this it will be tomorrow. 

At 2:30pm Esmerelda comes to my office and says, "Coffee?", which we all learned from our "Padme is a big tea drinker" bread, is code for wanting to talk, and as we also know from our "Padme is a big tea drinker" bread, I said, "Sure." I was getting ready to leave, prepared to be back in time for my 3pm meeting when Padme walks up and says, "Bill (Not his real name but a story always goes better with a name attached, which you already know if you have been reading these breads) has cancelled." Esmeralda invites Padme to come with us to get coffee. 

Padme says, "Sure, but I need to get my wallet."

Esmeralda response, "No you don't, I have a Starbucks card." Yes, that is their real name, but I don't care if you know that.

Padme, says, "I don't want you to spend all the money on your card buying me a drink."

Esmeralda response, "Oh, I don't mind, and don't worry about it; it is Roger's Starbucks card"

It isn't easy being me. Besides, I was busy wondering what Padme was going to buy at Starbucks that would use the whole card.

Padme says, "Ok." and we start to walk out of the "Y."

That is when Esmeralda asks, "Should I go to the bathroom before we go?"

Padme answers, "We won't be gone long."

Esmeralda says, "Ok." and we walk out. 

Esmeralda calls dibs on the back seat, I am not sure why, but she did.

I drive them to Starbucks.

When we get there and go through the drive through, Esmeralda says that she wants to do the ordering; which is fine with me because I can never get the Grande double frappe chino with  a shot of chocolate, whipped not stirred, cold but with goose milk and antelope hooves...and one Splenda order correct. So, I have to drive past the speaker until the backseat is parallel with it. and Esmeralda orders the drinks. Twenty minutes later she is done ordering two drinks, how the barista's keep these orders straight I will never know.

I drive up to the window. I drive past the window and the girl inside thinks I am driving off and starts to yell, "Hey!" I stop with the backseat parallel to the window. Evidently, I can't be trusted with a Starbucks card. 

Esmeralda handles the complete transaction, and is thrilled to find out there is still $10 left on the card. I was actually surprised too, I forgot how much was on the card, but evidently it was enough to pay for the $37.86 for the two drinks and still have $10 left over.   

As I pull out of the Starbucks parking lot, Padme says, "We might as well drive to Ridgefield and get the donated water, that way we can get this all done at once and save time.

I looked at Esmeralda and Padme asks, "Is it ok Esmeralda?"

Esmeralda in true Esmeralda fashion says, "Sure." But I notice she crossed her legs.

We drive to Ridgefield.

When we get there Padme says, "Esmeralda, have you ever seen where we are going to build the new "Y?"  

Esmeralda response, "No" I notice she isn't smiling any more.

Padme directs us to the vacant lot where the "Y" is going to be built. I stop the car and Padme starts talking about where everything is going to go. 

Esmeralda says, "A-ha." Like she is in a hurry or something.

I drive to the company donating the water. Padme gets out of the car and makes the mistake of walking in front of the hood, I honk, Padme jumps, Esmeralda laughs, and then says oops. I don't know what that was, I wasn't going to ask though. My spiderman-chappy senses said it wasn't good. 

Padme rings the bell and a warehouseman answers the door. And Padme explains that she is there to pick up four cases of water. The warehousemen points at the direction of the cases, and Padme smiles, bats her eyes and says, "Could you load them for me? They are so heavy." 

Padme, yes the all-American pitcher just pulled the girl card. 

The big strong warehousemen said, "Sure little lady," and picked up all four cases at once. he grimaced a little as he did so. I hope Padme didn't cause a workers comp claim, just say-in. As the warehouseman put the cases of water in the car, Esmeralda kind of jumped for joy. At least that is what I thought she was doing.

On the way back to the "Y" traffic began to slow, and that is when Esmeralda said, "I should have gone to the bathroom before we left. I had no idea we would be gone this long."

When we finally got back to the "Y" I parked right by the door. Padme got out, lifting all four cases of water at once (without a grimace I might add), and carried them into the "Y." I never did see Esmeralda get out of the car, but she wasn't in the back seat when I looked. I never did know where she went, I guess she will tell me sometime. 

As I parked the car, I thought about how lucky I am to work with such great people. The "Y" is full of great people. I get to work with people that show the love of Christ to people that are hurting, hopeless, and lost. 

We don't do a lot of talking, no, we are more in the doing. 

People that put others before themselves. Even if it means sprinting to a bathroom after you have done that. 

We like to say, "We are teaching a community to truly love its neighbor," I love that.   

At the end of each day I like to reflect on it and ask myself the question, "Have I positively impacted a life today?" 

Do you ever ponder that, or is that just another one of my quirks?

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger