"Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes....including you!" ~ Anne Lamott, novelist

Today is Monday, the 30th of October, 2017. Tomorrow is Tuesday, the 31st of October, Halloween, 2017. Early Wednesday morning, if I have not by then turned into a pumpkin, the wife and I will be leaving on a jet plane, just like the song says, but we do know when we will be coming back again. We are taking a very brief respite before our holiday season starts in earnest. Our plan is to return Saturday evening. I am scheduled to teach the following Sunday morning and the wife has choir practice as they get ready for a huge Christmas choral presentation. I am unsure if I will be able to do my blogs since our little laptop went kaput some time ago. The wife will be taking her tablet and I might be able to use it, but, I haven't before, therefore, if you don't hear from me after Wednesday morning, don't worry about it. Out on the highways, I see those silver amber alerts on the huge neon message boards and immediately wonder if they might be looking for me. The other evening I was talking with one of the boys on my cell phone when I immediately got up out of my recliner looking for something. It wasn't in my pocket. What did I do with it? Where did I lay it down? Oh yeah, that's right, I found it, I was talking on it. Now you know why I need a getaway. I hear you. For those problems, the getaway may not help. It's more or less a surprise to the wife and while she knows the area we are flying to, she really doesn't have a clue what we will be doing after we get there. I'm trying to remember if I've got that piece of business, the planning of our itinerary, on for today or tomorrow. Go ahead. All prayers are appreciated.

And, lest you think I'm one of these impulsive, spontaneous fellows, I will have you to know that I made the reservations and paid for the hotel and airline tickets back in March. I even bought that cancellation insurance, because with us, you just never know. That's true, even with just a few days to go in the countdown. We will be gone four days. I requested that we pack together. One suitcase. She said that should not be a problem since they will have a blow dryer at the hotel. I've seen her pack for a weekend trip to see her sister. I don't think the blow dryer will be the issue. But, I am very happy she is cooperating. Now if she comes up with a suitcase that will have to be put in a trailer behind the car, well, that could end up being troublesome. She said something about how we could use our carry-ons. I'm not sure that works so well anymore, but, we've got today, tonight, tomorrow, and tomorrow night to figure all of this out. I typically like to do my packing on the morning of the departure, but, this particular trip may require a wee bit more preplanning. I suppose the only thing lacking at this point and time is the excitement we used to feel when we were getting ready for a trip like this. Maybe it will hit me on my way out the door. The security situation at the airport and all the other procedural matters to be attended to, they don't contribute to any positive vibes. I haven't flown in a long while. They had just started asking that shoes be taken off. I did get pulled out for a personal search. It wasn't nearly as invasive as what I read about today. And, they kept my little trimming scissors. I'm still angry about that one. They were such good little scissors.

A lot has been written and reported on the Astros competing to be major league baseball world champions. They return to Los Angeles, leading the series 3 games to 2. People around these parts have gone nuts. Some season ticket holders complain about those climbing on board at the end. Come on now. That's capitalism at its best. They can't keep enough team apparel as people stand in line to gobble it all up. The Astros have an amazing player named Jose Altuve. He is a little guy. Literally. He doesn't fit the image of what is typically seen at this level. Yet, he has smashed records, and if he doesn't get the Most Valuable Player award, there may be a riot. One lady we know put up her own fashioned meme in big letters on Facebook in support of Altuve. It said, "Go-o-o-o Zaccheus!" (That's a Bible character described in Luke, Chapter 19. There's even a popular children's song about him, "Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he. He climbed up in a sycamore tree For the Lord he wanted to see.") I am an interested observer. There was a time in my life when I would have been churning on every pitch. Now, I watch it during the commercials, and I turn it off at my regular bedtime. I do. I really do. Yes. I do check it first thing when I get up at 3:30 a.m., but I can't have it making me all messed up when I need my rest. I hope they win the world series. And, I hope little Zaccheus has a great series. It will be great for the community, and, folks do need something to feel good about these days. That's why, me, you, and they too need to find their ultimate satisfaction in God's Provision through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Have a great rest of the day, and Go Astros! May God bless. Amen. ....More later.