"It's okay, I've got you."

Trolley ride through the Rivermarket - $2.00
Watching the Peabody ducks march back upstairs - $0
Spending time with my wife and kids - Priceless

Okay, sorry I beat that dead commercial but it really was priceless. Anyway, I'm squatted down in the Peabody lobby with Jackson waiting for the Duck Master to cue the fowl. Jackson is used to ducks because he feeds them down at the lake. So we perch ourselves up front with our toes right on the edge of the red carpet - front row, reach-out-and-touch-em seats right at the bottom of their stairs. When they climb out of that fountain we can shake their hands?...feet?...wings?

I'm positioned behind Jackson with my hands on his arms - doing the whole "daddy commentator" thing. The Duck Master cues the music and let the show begin. As soon as that first duck starts down the stairs Jackson tenses up and begins backing up into my chest, pushing ever so slightly to allow a lot more distance between him and that quacker. Then the whole downy family heads right for us (or so it seems to a 2 year old). Let the pushin' and shovin' begin!

"It's okay buddy...I've got you. They won't hurt you. I'm right here with you. Daddy is bigger than those ducks and I won't let them hurt you."

I wanted him to work through his uncomfortableness (new word) so that next time he will be more relaxed. So with that he settled down just in time to see the ducks load in the elevator, give a rousing wing flap goodbye, and off they were to their little duck house on the second floor. In less than a minute it was all over. And Jackson stood there...applauding to his heart's content.

Hmmm. Got me to thinkin'...

How many times in my life am I faced with uncertainty and as I try to push back on my life God says, "It's okay...I've got you. I'm right here with you. I am bigger than this and I will protect you."

But I keep pushing away from what makes me uncomfortable. But God wants me to work through my uncomfortableness so that next time I will be better equipped to handle it. What looks menacing and dangerous and insurmountable to me is no match for the God of the universe. And He wants nothing more than to celebrate with me as I load my challenge on the elevator and send it up.

Then He will stand there...applauding to my heart's content.

The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. And he thrust out the enemy before you and said, Destroy.

Deuteronomy 33:27

""Be watchful..."

Okay. So I decided that today would be the day that I ventured into the Revenue Office to license the van. One week into the month...middle of the day...should be in and out, right? Yeah, I know, I know.

So, I'm already anxious because I just don't like dealing with stuff I do not fully understand (like the Revenue Office - no offense Brenda). And, this trip is not cut and dry because I sold our Civic and need to get it off of our record.

My plan goes like clockwork: I walk in - no waiting (YES!). Saunter up to the Assessor - done (SWEET!). Take a number - called before I can sit down (WHO'S THE MAN!). Lay my offering of paperwork out on the mercy seat of "Tammy". Click click of the keyboard. Shuffle shuffle of the papers. Oh, the printer is firing up! I made it! I think I made it! Screeeeeeeeeech!--Red Light!

"Mr. Ashberry, I am not finding any record of the Honda."
"Huh?"
"This car is not in my database."
"Really?"
"Let me go check with my supervisor."

[While "Tammy" made a bee-line into her supervisor's office I paused to allow random thoughts of illegality to run rampant. See, this was my first private sale. I printed paperwork from some "official" website for the bill of sale, tried to navigate my way through signing the title upon transfer, yada yada. Have I messed this whole thing up!? All I could think now was that there is a poor young guy driving around in a Honda that he purchased illegally! He's going to get pulled over and arrested! And I am the fraudulent salesman!]

"Mr. Ashberry, you said the title was in your wife's name?"
"Yes, she has had the car since BEFORE WE WERE MARRIED." (threw that emphasis in there thinking they might let me go and nab Tressa - after all, it was HER car).
"What is her maiden name?" (Oh, wait a minute...)

Click click on the keyboard again...

"Here it is."

So anyway, got to thinking about this experience while driving away and knowing there had to be a lesson here somewhere.

In all of this process, even when "Tammy" was repeatedly saying that the Honda we had been driving and had registered for years did not exist, I kept my mouth shut, my patience in check, and my integrity intact. That was good...for Tammy, for me, and for anyone who might have been watching my example.

Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. Proverbs 21:23

Who's watching you today?