Day #203 - Puzzle Solving

This morning I had various errands to run. Took the van for a wash. Two pennies found at the 99¢ store next door while waiting for my car. (Coins #1&2). Three more coins trapped by a display case. Could not get to those. (Forgone Coins) Another penny at the convenience store. (Coin #3). Then a penny when I entered the Tuesday Morning store to get new doggie pillows. (Coin #4) (We were feeling guilty that we were planning to go to the cabin without taking the doggies along).

I picked up my twin nephews and then we swung by the house to get U

ncle Doc.

We were headed for a cabin sleepover - a 24 hour Play Session. As we started up the mountain, Uncle Doc was planning to stop at Starbucks. As we reached the intersection to make our turn to the store, local police were shutting down the highway and Doc was “forced” to go for coffee (a police detour!)There was one penny in the Starbucks planter. Doc spotted it from inside the van and I did not see it even though I was outside searching there. Then there was a nickel and penny by the window. (Coins #5-7).

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We decided to take a detour - but not until we had checked around

for coins. Brandon found ‘a shiny’ within moments of hopping out of the van. Then a second one at the Del Taco, a dime and two pennies at the KFC, and four pennies at McDonalds. Brandon and I were having quite a collecting Adventure (11 coins) while Nicholas and Doc were enjoying their “coffees”.We heard there was a fatal truck accident on the highway so we could choose to wait a few hours in that area or take a longer route to get to the cabin. (Neither of those options are desirable to 8-yr old boys).

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We headed up the mountain without any more stops. Nic and I assembled a balsa wood dinosaur puzzle before dinner while Brandon and Doc played Chinese checkers, card games, Soduko, etc. There was Alphabet pasta for dinner so each person spelled out their names. Later Brandon and I attempted to assemble his balsa wood jeep puzzle. Major frustration. He quit after an hour. I kept working on it for long time, then for another hour after everyone else went to bed and still could not figure it out. I remember thinking, “WHY am I doing this? This makes no sense to spend all this time on a silly puzzle. I don’t get it. I am frustrated. This is stupid. Am I totally incompetent? Why can’t I get this? This has no value. There are more important things. Heck - even sleep would be a more ‘intelligent’ decision.”

Today as I am typing this to you, I realized I did not ask for help! I just kept pounding my head against the wall relentlessly. Would things have been different if I said, “Angels, Show me. Give me understanding. Guide me. I am doing this out of love, not out of bullheaded stubbornness”?

Hmmm… a small thing, but the concept translates to our “bigger” puzzles in life.