My Favorite Senior Moments (18 page)
Read My Favorite Senior Moments Online
Authors: Karen O'Connor
Buddy had a
great idea for gifts for the relatives on his Christmas list. He'd take some great photos during the summer and fall and then frame them. He worried a bit, however, because his eyes were giving him fits of late, and he wanted to be sure he did a good job. Maybe it would help if he got a prescription for dark sunglasses so he wouldn't have trouble when he was shooting photos outdoors.
All went as he hoped. Soon Buddy was taking pictures of flower gardens, the trees in the nearby woods, and some of the exquisite architecture in his home city. After developing 100 or more of his beauties, he set out to place them in threesome frames so each person on his list would have two nature photos and one cityscape.
On Christmas afternoon he gathered with family and friends for dinner at his sister's house. After the meal he handed out his gifts and sat on the edge of his chair waiting to see the expressions on his family's faces when they opened them.
They were surprised, all right. But he was even more surprised! His sister Melanie opened hers first and held it up. “Very unique, Buddy. Thank you.”
Oh my!
Buddy saw something very strange. He'd placed the photos upside down in the frames. Of course, it could be fixed, but that's what can happen, he realized, when he wore dark glasses to do work that should be done in the light.
He was reminded of something the apostle Paul wrote in a letter to the believers in Corinth: “Now we see only a reflection as in
a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12).
Today's Thoughts
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
M
ATTHEW
5:8
Lord, thank you that my silly, small mistakes can be fixed easily and that my big ones can give way to major, positive changes when I walk with you and keep you as my focus.
Leslie opened her
mail on Friday afternoon. She slit one of the envelopes and pulled out a check. “Yippee!” she shouted to her cat lounging in a sunny spot on the kitchen floor. She'd received a capital refund of $400 from the electric company. Surprised and excited, she decided to pay all her household bills before their deadlines. Leslie entered the amount into her checkbook and wrote several checks. She drove to the bank to deposit the check.
“I wanted to avoid the long line in front of the teller windows, so I opted to sign the check, put it into a deposit envelope, and pop it into the deposit-only box by the bank entrance. After I did that, I took off to mail the bill payments.”
The following Monday an employee from Farmers Bank phoned Leslie. “We have your deposit here⦠”
Before the woman could say another word, Leslie blurted, “But, ma'am, I don't do business with your bank.” She told the lady the name of her bank and was ready to hang up, when the woman stopped her.
“Wait! That's what I'm calling you about. I have your check for $400⦠”
Leslie interrupted her again. “I deposited that check into
my
bank.”
Calmly, the woman continued. “You must have come to our bank by mistake. Remember, they're just across the street from each
other. Would you like to come by and pick up your check? Or shall we return it by mail?”
“I'll come and pick it up,” Leslie replied.
Later Leslie shared, “I had my doubts about what happened⦠until I returned the next day and drove into the Farmers Bank drive-thru. Sure enough, it looked very familiar. It had been my mistake. When I approached the bank manager, she was all smiles and said it could happen to anyone. I thanked her and left, feeling a bit chagrined at my senior moment but grateful to God for kind, honest people. The only thing I had to live through was my embarrassment.”
Today's Thoughts
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles.
2 C
ORINTHIANS
1:3-4
Thank you, God, for seeing me through one embarrassing moment after another now that I'm a bit forgetful. If I asked you for guidance each morning maybe I would reduce my mistakes and multiply my feelings of peace. Remind me to do that, please.
“Peggy, I'm going
to call Dr. Albert for an eye checkup,” Reggie said as he sauntered into the den and plopped down on the sofa next to his wife. “The last couple of days have been terrible. I'm seeing double when I read. I guess it's time for a new prescription.”
“That's pretty sudden.” Peggy frowned. “You were just there two months ago. Now you've got me worried.”
“Me too.” Reggie lowered his head into his hands and let out a sigh. “Getting old is the pits. From one minute to the next I don't know what's going to happen. And I'm not just talking about the change in my vision. We don't need another medical expense right now.”
After dinner Reggie sank into the sofa in front of the TV. “No more reading for me for a while.” He set aside his newspaper and the novel he'd just purchased.
Peggy joined him with her knitting. She stroked his hand and kissed him on the cheek. “It'll be all right,” she said. “We'll get through this together.” She picked up her needles and the scarf she was working on, then suddenly put down the yarn. “What am I doing?” she blurted. “I can't knit without my specs. Where are they?”
“Don't ask me,” Reggie said in a somber tone. “Mine are now totally useless so I can't help you search for yours.”
Peggy walked out of the room and returned a moment later, carrying a pair of generic reading glasses she'd bought at the local
pharmacy. “Whew! They were right where I left themâon the kitchen counter. I just forgot for a moment.”
Reggie sat up. “Wait, those are mine.” He reached for them but Peggy pulled back.
“No, I bought these a few weeks ago at West Side Pharmacy. You were with me, remember?”
“Oh my! I put them on this morning, and I couldn't read a thing so I got frustrated.”
Peggy broke out laughing. “Well, that explains things. You were trying to read with these generics when you should have been wearing your prescription glasses.” She poked him in the arm, and they both laughed.
Reggie blew out a breath. “What a relief. No appointment needed. Now all I need to do is find
my
glasses. What would I do without you, Peggy?”
Peggy patted his head. “I shudder to think of what would become of you!”
Today's Thoughts
Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.
3 J
OHN
1:2
Dear Lord, here I go again, jumping to conclusions about my health when you've got me covered. Thank you for taking away my fear and reminding me to trust you.
More Great Books by Karen O'Connor!
365 Senior Moments You'd Rather Forget
Gettin' Old Ain't for Wimps
Gettin' Old Ain't for Wimps! Gift Edition
God Bless My Senior Moments
The Golden Years Ain't for Wimps
Grandkids Say the Cutest Things
Grandma, You Rock!
Lord, How Did I Get This Old So Soon?
When God Answers Your Prayers