Another Uncle Billy Blunder!
One of my first articles on this blog site has proven to be one of the most popular. To date, there have been nearly 3,000 pageviews of “Uncle Billy Moments!” It features the absent-minded uncle of George Bailey in the beloved seasonal film favorite, It’s a Wonderful Life. I think the reason we are drawn to Uncle Billy is because he represents the failings of so many of us! We see ourselves in him!
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| When iPhone Meets Car Tires! It's Not Pretty! |
Well, I
had another “Uncle Billy Moment” this past week. I don’t know what it says
about me (or maybe, I do!), but it seems I am having these moments more
frequently lately. I used to pride myself in being able to multi-task, but the
ability to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously is getting harder to achieve
with age!
Last week
was an unusually busy time with a doctor appointment, some Serve by Design
consulting, church calls, and visits, preparing for a Sunday small group
teaching assignment on top of the regular commitments of blog writing, posting,
and leading the online Tuesday study group. Then, there was the Saturday
funeral added into the mix. Even using daily to-do lists, it still stretches me
to keep track of and manage multiple responsibilities!
So, it was
inevitable that there would be an “Uncle Billy Moment” of absent-mindedness
thrown into the week! And it was a doozie! In changing into my sportscoat at
the funeral home parking lot, I put my cell phone on top of my car in a rush to
head out and onto some grocery shopping before coming home. Yes, you heard that
right! I drove away from the funeral home with my smart phone on the roof top
of the car. And sure, it was not a smart move on my part!😒
We didn’t
even realize the absurdity of this until after coming out of the grocery store
parking lot. It was then that I asked Monique, “Where is my phone?” She
naturally replied, “How should I know? Don’t you have it?” We then began a
cursory inspection of the car’s interior without success. Finally, I said, “We
better check your phone’s “Find My App!” Within a minute or two, we were backtracking
a mile or so down the same busy street we had traveled about a half-hour
before.
The app
indicated the exact location of my phone in front of an oil change business! I pushed
on my warning flashers to alert speeding vehicles and then exited to find
pieces of the phone case scattered about! It was a pitiful sight to see my
crushed phone with tire marks all over the surface. It was still trying to send
a signal to us about its location but was on its last leg of functioning! We
knew that new phones were in our future!
I’m not
one to get too sentimental about addressing inanimate objects like cell phones!
But in the hours after this embarrassing Uncle Billy Moment, I kept saying,
“Bless its heart, Monique, it kept trying to get our attention as if to say,
“I’m here! Come quickly and rescue me!”
An hour
later, when I carried the phone pieces into the store in a plastic baggie, the
Verizon store agent touched what remained of a “crushed beyond recognition”
condition. She kept saying, “Your phone is still so hot!” I answered, “I know,
it’s still mad at me for leaving it out in the middle of the road!”
The
prophet of Isaiah often reminded God’s unfaithful people about the compassion, forgiveness,
and gracious salvation that the Holy One of Israel was offering them. Urgency
and action were required in the promise of His everlasting covenant. God extended
this invitation, “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon him while He
is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
return to the Lord… for He will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:6-7, ESV).
Paul
expressed the same urgency to the Corinthian church, “In the time of my favor I
heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you. I tell you, now it is the
time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation!” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2, NIV).
We are in
the second week of Lent. It’s a season of renewal and repentance. We must open
our spiritual eyes and seek the Lord who is accessible and near to us. In
humility and repentance, let’s not wait any longer, but call out to Him today
for the pardon we need.
Previous Uncle Billy Moment: Link
active churchman and
doting grandparent.
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I can relate. Those senior moments seem to be coming more frequently. I have yet to lay my phone on the car roof, but I have been on my phone and said, “Where’s my phone, I’ve lost my phone.” Only to have Bob say, “It’s in your hand.” We both laughed so hard.
ReplyDeleteI resemble that remark!! :)
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