A Wii Bullet of Prayer

I still have an affinity for playing Mario Kart on the little purple box, since it was my first real love affair with a gaming system.  However, when I have access to friends and the Wii version, I enjoy it a great deal.

In the Wii version, if a person is really stinking it up in last place, she sometimes acquires a "bullet" as an item.  It's a magical bullet, capable of pulling her wee little kart through the perils of whatever course she's on, and into a place where she can finish not dead last.  It's like the "star" item in the purple box version, but even better--no steering is necessary.  It's a burst of speed and one has only to relax until the bullet slows and the kart is again powered by her own hand.

Today felt a lot like I was on a bullet.  I don't know if there was some intense praying going on, but it was a wonderful day.  I had to be at class early, realized I'd forgotten to do an assignment for another class, and didn't have my textbook with me anyway.  But it was still good.  

The "yay" for the day started with a message from Hohu, who told me she understands all my previous diatribe and shared a bit more of her life.  She's one of those unexpected blessings, since, really, I don't know her.  She once made an interesting comment on a friend's Facebook wall, and her profile was open, which led me in to read an interesting note she'd written.  I sent her a quick message expressing my appreciation for her note, and she wrote back--and added me as a friend.  I'm not even sure how long ago that was, but she's been a lifeline at times I really needed one.

I made it to class, which contained a lecture by a different presenter--who had an accent, talked quickly, did not have adequate speaker coverage in the long commons area, and had a habit of looking away from her mic when she spoke to us.  Interesting, animated lady, but I got nothing out of it.  Rather than whining, I decided to look at the content standards and revamp my curriculum for the upcoming year.  That meant I needed a copy of them, so I ran to another building during a break, hopped online, and started printing.  I checked my email and was suddenly struck by the realization that I had an incomplete assignment--and that my book was nowhere nearby.  I returned to the presentation and saw a classmate who I had just learned is in the online class with me.  He had his book, miraculously, and let me borrow it.  Another classmate was willing to lend me his laptop to submit my work (but our teacher soon resumed her seat near him, so that plan wouldn't work out).  I sat in the back of the hall and crammed.  With a supposed 45 minutes left in the presentation, I headed back to the building with Internet access and began submitting my homework.  Another classmate texted to say that the presentation was done early, so I ran over, retrieved my belongings, and returned to the computer.  I got that assignment completed before noon, which I hope hope hope was the actual deadline.

"A" has tried to work out a lunch get-together with me for some time, and today finally worked.  He brought me pizza, and we sat outside in the shade and breeze on campus.  I loved the company, we talked about saving trees by using paper (long story, but the gist is that paper is made from trees that are planted for that purpose; unanticipated deforestation does not occur based upon our paper consumption), and really, it was cool that someone cared enough to bring me lunch on my birthday.  Who knew a three dollar pizza could make one so happy?  That really was another big "yay" in my day.

Other people had input in the littlest ways, but meant so much to me.  Maybe God's point in my recent social woes was to grant a big dose of humility and gratitude.  And they're starting to stick--thank God!  Today was a fantastic bullet ride.