How I Spent My Day Off (an homage to kids who will soon be asked to write "What I did on my Summer Vacation!"

Not that you asked about my day, but since you are reading this perhaps you would be interested . . .

I had the day (mostly) off work today and it was packed full of errands.  Two of which involved taxing authorities . . .  yes the local tax authority thought they found a mistake in our 2011 return and asked us for more money.  We sent the letter today reminding them of the tax law and why we don't owe that money . . .  who do you think will be victorious?

I also got to stop by our local state representative's office and solicit their help to release our current state tax refund.  The dear Commonwealth of Pennsylvania asked us to resupply some information (that they clearly already had - but this was a good stall tactic on their part so they can keep earning interest off our money).  We supplied the requested information right away.  Every time I've checked  on the status on line I get the message, "We have received your documentation; please allow 8-10 weeks from today for a response."  That's smooth - any day we look at it the clock starts over with 8-10 weeks from "today" - not the day it was received.  Thankfully our representative has a phone number to a direct connect person at the Dept of Revenue.  She was told that yes they had received our information but it had not been sent for review yet.  Nice - so for 8 weeks it's been sitting there gathering dust.  The kind agent on the phone said she would send it in today for review with a note that the Representative's office will call back in a week for a status update.  Here's hopping we'll be 2 for 2 with both of these taxing situations!

Another part of my day involved taking Jerry's van into the shop for service on the lift and the air bag warning.  If you are not intimately familiar with life with disability you may not know that there are a limited number of shops who do this type of work, and we really are a "captive audience of consumers".  In years past we always purchased our vans and service from a location within our county.  We didn't like going there, but our options were limited.  Service calls ALWAYS involved a full day and sometimes the problem would still not  be fixed and bills were outrageous.  Sometime in the last 18 months we began to use a location of the same company that is in a different county and about 5 miles further away.  Every time we've visited this new location, our experience is completely opposite.  Today the repair was done in 40 minutes and we were only charged for 30 minutes of labor and $2 in parts.  Incredible!  When the tech came out and said he was done I commented, "I don't understand how you can be owned by the same company as the N____ location, yet there is a night and day difference in customer service."  He had no response.

As I was driving home and thinking about that, I got to thinking that's a lot like Christians and Churches.  We all have the same "owner/manager" - God!  Yet the way we interpret and live out what He has told us varies widely.  Please Lord God let me be more like the B_______ office in living and carrying out the instructions You've laid out for me.