Blood, Oil, and Teeth

What a month! We transitioned back into school mode from a month of family, festivities, laid-back mornings, and too many snacks. We had Student Training Program the 3 days before the start of the semester and then right into 2 hours of Philippians, and Payton had Oral Communications. Both he and I have already taken speech in college, but I opted out, and he was the more studious one and chose to take it. We already switched to Colossians/Philemon after we finished Philippians on Friday morning. Payton and I are both taking a Hermeneutics Practicum, which basically means we’re going to practice exegetically studying the Bible, specifically the book of James. We have that all semester on Tuesdays.

In between the start of the semester and all of the classes, we had to get our car fixed. What we thought was just a tiny oil leak that you could smell in our car turned out to be the headgasket. And while they were in there taking apart the entire engine (because it’s a Subaru), they need to fix other things on the way like the timing belt and water pump. But wait…before you begin to that yucky feeling that all of us get when we go see a mechanic (and especially if you know what a headgasket is), I should warn you that we kind of asked for it. The night before we had it inspected, Payton and I were talking about money. Payton felt that we might be trusting in it too much and wasn’t sure if we needed to do anything about it. That conversation moved on into what it means to trust God. We both reflected on the fact that in order for our trust in God to deepen, He has to provide circumstances and situations that give us that very opportunity. I came to realized that we needed to actually look toward those opportunities with anticipation. I also realized that the trust level can increase, particularly if the situation is intense. So, when we heard the estimate and there was that initial sharp inhale of breath, I remembered our conversation. This was the opportunity.

Oh, and then there was the dentist appointment we’d both been avoiding for 6 years or so. I know, I know, that’s not very responsible of either of us, but that’s what you do when you dislike (maybe it’s more of a fear) dentists, don’t have insurance, and your teeth don’t hurt.

And the verdict…

I got the first good report I’d ever got from my dentist. I have 5 small holes and old fillings he’d like to patch up (probably because he knows I’ll disappear for another 6 years), but no decay! Payton went in for a tiny hole he’d discovered a while back, but the dentist found a bigger one that was actually a problem. So, that was that. Payton got his teeth fixed and we both have a follow-up appointment. As Payton has said frequently, “I have to remember that money is meant to be spent.”

And while I’m writing about weird things, I have a blood story for you. Payton gave blood the next day (after the dentist). After he had pretty much filled the bag, he noticed blood dripping out of his arm. I guess the lady who put it in didn’t put it in far enough and didn’t tape it down well. So as blood is leaking down his arm onto the chair and then the floor, he’s trying to decide what to tell the guy. “Hey there’s blood,” doesn’t sound right because it’s the Red Cross and of course there’s blood. Payton finally got his attention. The guy fumbled with his gloves, and finally stopped it, but there was already air in the line so all of the blood was ruined! And they didn’t even have any Cheezits like my sister told him they would. “Foamy” cookies were on the menu. So, he donated to the guaze and not the cause–and didn’t get a sticker.

Don’t worry, we survived. Payton’s just a pint-and-some short and a filling-and-a-half heavier.