After the storm comes the calm

Dear Family and Friends,
As I write we are sitting here in the motorhome with the sounds of the surf in the distance. We arrived about 7:30 after a uneventful trip down. If you consider being buffeted with high winds, passing through dense smoke and enduring a bit of traffic here and there then it was pretty mundane.
This morning I woke at about 5 and was very troubled. Anxiety filled my heart and I prayed and discussed everything with our loving Father. Finally I rolled out but the dogs were not even close to getting up and looked at me and then went back to sleep. I pulled out a raggy robe and headed down to begin work. I grabbed a 32 oz glass of water and started to work. Before long I had an appraisal completed and emailed to the lender through my favorite management company, why you say, well for starters they only charge $10 for each appraisal order. Once it was 8 am I began to call potential clients seeking an appointment for today. One lady could not see me until Monday but the second agreed to my coming during the morning. So a little later I left for Patterson. On the way I passed near to the huge fire burning near the Highway 5 and the smoke was incredible but was being pushed away by high winds. I enjoyed meeting the nice lady and inspected her home. Then after a quick burrito I was on the road back to Discovery Bay. A nice lady at the bank had called to say I was overdrawn and could I bring money in. It was what I was talking to the Lord about, where to locate some money to cover the PG&E payment.
As I neared home I began to talk to myself, its OK if there is no money, things will work out, how, well they will. So I opened the box and there was nothing. When I opened the door Marilyn told me, no money today, so sorry. That was a hit. So I took the mail from her and went through it and there in a typed envelope was hiding a check for $400. It was more than enough to bring the account into a positive state, tears crept to my eyes as I felt the impact of once again the Lord helping out. It was payment for an appraisal I had forgotten I had even done but they had not forgotten. How good it felt to walk into the bank and make the deposit.
Then it was a quick trip back home with a lifted step and hope once again filling my heart.
Marilyn packed the motorhome box with food items and we loaded up quickly for our trip. Just before we left a new order came in for a 2 million dollar property in Livermore and earlier in the day another order had come in for a driveby in Antioch. It was a good way to end the week.
As we drove down I began to really enjoy the rewards of more air in the tires. Mind you we didn't just put a little air in. We took tires from 64 psi to 88 psi and what a difference it made. The motorhome leaned less, turned easier, stopped more quickly and behaved better. Thanks to Ken and Ray who urged me to get the tire pressure right and to make sure I check it more often.
So here we are with Jason, Jo and Timothy tonight. When we arrived Jo brought Timothy out onto the porch and he watched us get out. He smiled and totally charmed us all evening. How fun to read books with him, play with him and hug him. Mission accomplished, our trip is worth it.
So as I conclude this evening I am thankful for family, blessings, basic income and life itself.
As I write Nikki has arrived home to spend a glorious weekend with her family, I am glad that they can be back together.

Love to all and have a great Sabbath, a great weekend, love, touch, care, get off your butt and do something loving for the people that you love most.

Tim