The Best Laid Plans

Dear Lord; Happy Friday Father!

Well Lord, it’s certainly been an eventful week in the Malmstrom household.  Between hectic work schedules, symphony and quartet performances for Shannon, schoolwork and associated activities and then on top of that Shannon and I both getting a respiratory bug yesterday afternoon, we’ve been running non-stop it seems.  This illness nailed us both out of the blue and hit pretty hard, so this evening we’re finally settling down and trying to get some “quiet time”.

I was actually feeling a little down tonight Father.  Being as tomorrow is my birthday, Shannon and I had been planning to go out Saturday evening for a “Date Night”, but with both of us catching this bug we ended up cancelling our plans.  I’d been looking forward to our night out for a couple weeks, so it was a bit of a disappointment when I realized there was no way either of us was up to it.

Sitting around the dinner table this evening, it was a little on the subdued side; with both Shannon and I projecting raspy voices, conversation was somewhat limited.  About half-way through the meal, Shannon gave me a thoughtful look, and handed me a gift bag from across the table.  I protested slightly that my birthday was tomorrow and that I’d wait, but she was insistent so I gave in and took the bag.  Inside was a beautifully romantic birthday card, a FastBreak candy bar, a bag of jelly beans, and this:

I have such an amazing wife Father…   🙂

Heavenly Father, thank You so much for Your Constant Presence in our lives.  Whether we’re healthy, sick, energetic, or tired You remain by our sides, ever-faithful.  As my loving wife’s gift reminded me this evening, our disappointments pale in comparison to the Blessings You grant us each and every day when we choose to see them.  Amen.

~Phather Phil