It is surprising.

I had a very pleasurable experience last night. I was out with my friends to the local inn for an ale and a chat. In the inn was another friend who had asked me to paint her friend's cat. Now having written that I had better say that no animal was hurt or harmed in this process. I painted a picture of the cat on my iPad and it was transferred to canvas.  Last night the owner of the cat arrived home to find the parcel in the kitchen. 

Her friend had called her to explain that she had left it for her while over at the house to feed the cat. So on a conference call, I was able to watch as she opened the parcel and saw the painting. It was a wonderful moment and made my evening. 

In many ways, this has been an interesting week. This last night, my visit to see the consultant about the pain in my foot was not so pleasant and it seems I may have to live with this for a few more months. Then there was the publishing of the book I have been working on for over a year now.

All sounds very much like a normal week but of course, nothing ever is as expected. Life has a strange way of taking moments and bringing surprises.

Let me share with you just such a tale.

It was back in those days when if a couple were considering marriage they had to discuss this with the family. Yes, I can remember such days.

So the girl in this tale had fallen for a man and they hoped to get married. The girl brought the young man around for a meal and to meet her mother and father. 

After the meal, the young man and the father sat down and with a pleasant glass of wine had a chat.

It went like this.

"So tell me, young man, what are your plans? "

"I am a biblical scholar doing a degree in Theology," the young man replied.

"A biblical scholar. Very admirable but how will you provide a nice home for my daughter to live in?'

" I will study and concentrate on them, God will provide for us."

"How will you buy a beautiful engagement ring for my daughter? "

" I will study and concentrate on them, God will provide for us."

" If you have any children how will you provide for them? "

" I will study and concentrate on them, God will provide for us." 

The conversation went on like this for some time the young man each time to all the questions responded in the same way.

" I will study and concentrate on them, God will provide for us."

Later that evening after the couple had left the mother asked the father how things had gone.

The father looked at his wife very seriously and said. "He has no job. He has no real plans. He seems not to have thought about the future. Worse still he thinks I am God." 

Have a wonderful day. I am at last today going to meet up with my family and we are going out for a meal to celebrate my birthday. At last, we are all over the colds and coughs and able to meet.