Some Days are Just Like That

Wow! What a gorgeous morning! Cool enough to wear a flannel shirt for my walk with Scout; sunny enough to add a luminescent golden border to the edges of my world as we came up Laurel Oak for the last stretch; inviting enough that I could open the French doors when I woke Rebekah and served her morning coffee.

So this busy, busy day has already been launched in terms of wonder and gratitude. That's a good thing considering the amount of work that has to be accomplished.

But, as I frequently tell people, I'm too busy not to spend a good chunk of time one-one-one with my Creator at the beginnings of the day. If I skip my devotions because there's "too much to do", then I have already started behind and never catch up. I find I'm always significantly more productive if I have my spiritual ducks in a row at the onset.

A few days back I had a 9:00 AM interview with a magazine owner over in Plant City (see picture, above). I had to hurry my routines in order to make it on time, but I didn't skip my daily re-commitment to follow Jesus. Consequently, although things were stacked up, I entered the coffee shop below my subject's offices and had time to prepare a cup of premium Joe and reflect again on the gift of the day.

After a really good interview, I made a 10:30 tee time at the Walden Lake golf course. Seventy-five degrees and gentle sunshine. Things went unusually smoothly, and I finished with a birdie to log my first sub 80 round (78) in over a decade.

Then, on the way home, cruising with the roof open, windows down and rock-'n-roll blaring, I was pulled over for speeding! First time in thirty years.

• The cop said, "You were doing 52 in a 35 zone. "
• I said, "I was full of myself because I've been having such a great day!"
  
• He said, "You're Derek Maul! I read you all the time; you wrote a great article about my mother last year."
  
• I asked his mom's name, then told him, "Your dad hired me for my first teaching job in this county a dozen years ago."
  
• He said, "I could right you a really big ticket for speeding".
  
• I said, "Yes, and I know I'd deserve it."
  
• He said, "But I'm not going to..."
• Then he said, "It's so great to meet you - I'd like to shake your hand."
  
• I said, "I can tell it's going to be another really great day."

That's all.
Love and blessings - DEREK