The Wheels On the Bus go Round and Round!

The other morning I had the day off of work  and was babysitting my 4 month old grandson at his house. After he roused from his morning nap, I was to give him his bottle and take him to my house for the rest of the day. Not known for his tolerance of car rides, I had the radio ready to placate him for the ten minute ride to my house. Halfway through the drive, he had realized that he had been had! His cry started with a murmur and grew to a loud plea for rescue from his car seat! I rolled my eyes, shut off the radio and started, as my daughters usually bemoan, to sing "The Wheels on the Bus" . My enthusiastic rendition quickly silenced my grandson and for the remainder of the ride I provided the only wailing in the car!

As I guided the car into the garage and opened the back door of the car, two little wide eyes met mine with astonishment! "It was YOU!" they seemed to flash. I grinned and sang one more verse as I rescued him from that dreaded car seat. He seemed satisfied that his needs would now be met and scanned the garage and subsequently the house as we entered together.

We all have certain needs that will not be met through conventional means. Yes, I have a wonderful husband and family, a good job, excellent health, and many friends whom I could call on in times of trouble. But, as my grandson's song preference reminded  me, there are only certain songs sang by certain voices that calm my 'wailing'. The last few months have been extremely busy months. 'Keeping my head above water' would have understated my schedule.   I can say now that I completed almost all of my tasks in a positive fashion, with only a few weeks of cleanup demanding my immediate attention.

Now I needed to hear 'that song'. You know,"the Wheels on the Bus",  the song that would make me stop thinking of  the aftermath of these past months and  would enable me to focus on what's ahead.   I glanced at the bulletin and saw that the parish healing mass was scheduled at church at 7:00. Yes, conventional wisdom told me that there was not enough time in my schedule after work to attend something so unnecessary as a healing mass.   "No REAL healing takes place at those things., I was told. "Just the power of suggestion makes you feel better." I decided that the 'power of suggestion' was what I desired and I cleared my schedule of all those necessary things that others would want me to do.

So, I drove to town, went into the church, participated in the mass, Father laid his hands over me, I prayed a little afterward, chatted to a couple of people and then walked out back to the street to go home, and I believe  I was humming...."The wheels on the bus go round and round......."

A Check for $1.80

In my usual flurry to clean the house and grounds before Easter, I packed the recyclables in the Jeep early this morning and vowed to take them to the Center after work. I usually donate my aluminum cans to someone else who takes them in by the truckload for a little spending money. But, today, as I did not feel like unloading a couple of bags on any one's doorstep, I threw them in with the small bag of steel cans and plastic.

Dutifully after work, I pulled into the recycling center and started to sort the skeletons of past grocery shopping. After I finished sorting the bottles and cans, I held the larger bag in my left hand, and watched my right hand reach for the bell to summon someone to come and weigh my aluminum cans. I shrugged when I saw the "$.45' per lb' sign by the window and thought, "Let's see what a couple of bags of aluminum cans are worth. Maybe a cup of coffee?" I swear the lady who raised the garage door to take my cans stifled a laugh, but she took my bags and went to weigh them. Panic set in and I thought, "Oh, just tell her to put them in the donation bin standing a mere six yards away." But no, before I knew it she had announced "4 lbs.!" All reason screamed at me to smile and leave but I thought I was in to deep, so I smiled and went to the window to grab my change and leave. Would I leave a cup of coffee to sit on that ledge? Just quietly take the money and run!

But noooo again! She smirked and wanted to know if I had an account. When I muttered 'No." She asked my name and then sweetly asked, "Who do you want the check made out to ?" Yeah, okay, I lost! I told her to make the check out to me, and then innocently asked what organizations most people donated to. In earnest she read off a litany of organizations and I acknowledged to her that next time I would probably donate my cans to one of those. I drove away from the building with what I thought was my dignity and a check for $1.80.

As I drove home, "I can only imagine" , one of my favorite Christian songs, started to play. The first time through I sang along with reverence. The second time through I extended my right hand, 'opened in prayer' and thought how long it had been since I actually prayed 'as myself'. I was not leading Confirmation students, I was not following the approved script of the Church, and I was not thinking anything. I was harmonizing with God. I was more relaxed and peaceful than I had been in a long, long time. Underneath my outstretched hand, lying on the seat was that check for $1.80. I had earlier been willing to endure ridicule for to collect such a meager payout. Why couldn't I do the same spiritually? Was I exploring all the available spiritual avenues that I could? Or hadn't I because others would ridicule me for a perceived small, insignificant payoff? Whose ledger would accept my true tithe? Knowing the answer, I turned the volume up even louder and practically bellowed the song the third time through. I had quite the good laugh when I was done, especially when the poor gentleman tiling the field across from my house looked up from his work with a quizzical look on his face! Yeah, I saw him, and could have stopped singing, but I wanted him to get all of that $1.80 from my soul. Insignificant to some, but invaluable to others. It just depends where I plan to cash that check!