There is Power

Last week, I declared to the Queen that I simply must acquire a second guiar controller for the Wii, so multi-player Guitar Hero would be a lot easier than the second play playing what I referred to as the Wii-inet. This is the Wiimote being used as a second guitar but using the buttons to play the notes on screen. Amusingly, holding it to play the notes resembles playing a clarinet or similar woodwind instrument, hence, the Wii-inet.

We went out a few times during the week to see if a controller was anywhere in town, since I'd seen on Amazon that a third party one was coming out Friday, but that a non-third party one had been out for a little while. No dice on finding one anywhere.

Friday night came and it's off to the world's largest retailer, but big surprise... After driving about all night, now the car won't start. I give the Engineer a call and then call the store to let the manager know I'll be late. We determine kinda quickly that the issue is the battery and probably not enough cranking amps, since it had enough voltage. The Engineer gave me a jump and followed me to the store; the car shuddered on some stops, but we made it.

So that evening, while wandering through the store, I found it. Up on a shelf was a stand-alone guitar controller for the Wii. It called to me to be acquired immediately lest some early shopper deprive me of the one I need. I took it down immediately, bought it along with a couple items the Queen needed, and toted it to the trunk of my now completely-unable-to-start car. It was a little cool in the trunk, so I covered the controller with the Queen's coat (yeah, like that will keep it from getting cold).

Well, then enter the horror of a completely idle mind -- I knew that a new battery would cost me dearly the next morning, and my mind wandered to the state of the bank account and I realized that when everything was added together, I didn't have enough to actually buy the battery...not without returning the controller. Now, for some, this would be a non-issue -- obviously take back the silly controller, but we have two factors killing me on this. A) I LOVE this game and the idea of it being two player to play either guitar OR bass is awesome and B) I've been waiting for this since we got it...um...a month ago (so maybe there are issues with my delayed gratification). So now picture me fretting over this thing.

Fret...fret...fret.

Ok, good. Now I'm done with that. Well, not really at the time, but we really don't have time for 4 hours worth of mind-numbing non-action. At the end of my night, I went to automotive and asked for them to test my battery. I was sent out to the "barn" to ask the lady out there. The lady out there sent me to the guy inside for him to go out to my car and do it (and this is how these things go, too).

At this point, I want to keep the controller, so I'm chanting, "make it fixable, make it fixable." Guy disconnects and says, "yeah, you need to replace the battery." I say (@#^(%@*! to myself. I agree to the change and he says to go back to the lady in the barn to write up a ticket on it. Argh!

So I go back to the barn and wait in line (I being the one not in a car waiting) behind someone getting all kinds of stuff checked on their car. Then it's my turn and she walks over to my car to get the needed info. I get a price quote and ask, "so how long is this going to take?" She says, "Well, yours won't take that long, but you have four people ahead of you. I guess I should have written it up when you first came over, so you'd be first in line."

(Insert smacking of forehead)

An hour later, I see a guy come in with my keys and battery, and he hands it off to the guy behind the counter. I put away my iPod (I was watching Exorcist: The Beginning -- don't laugh, it was actually pretty good), and stand out there, waiting. He puts the keys on the counter and walks off. My thought: how typical. He pops back around the corner and calls for a manager. I think this is odd, but maybe something they did for an employee takes some kind of special permission. After all, management (wait, not big enough: MANAGEMENT --- that's better) doesn't trust anyone with anything. Most of the managers have the attitude of "I'm a manager and you're not," so most of the time, most of them are intolerable.

So I walk over to my battery. It has a ship date on it: July 05. It also states that it had a three year free replacement guarantee. My wheels are turning. Could I be getting this for free? I don't mind telling you that it would be an answer to my prayers of that morning. The manager arrived and I quietly watched the transaction from across the lobby area. They discussed it quietly as they pressed the buttons, and I was called over and informed that it was within the free replacement time frame and there would be no cost for what was done. It was all I could do to hold in my jubilation until I got in the car. After all, I need to show that I expected it to be free, since it's my car, and I should know. Right?

Now, I'm a die hard Christian and have been, and I don't mind telling anyone. For me, it's a lifestyle choice like any other lifestyle choice. I want to live in the Christian walk, follow Jesus and the works, and it works well for me. However, I was upset after so many bouts of rotten luck and as soon as I start doing well, I get hit with some other setback. Well, Twila Paris was right when she said God is in control, and even the Queen gave me a little chastising for my lack of faith.

So today (forgive me for being a little preachy, but how that battery thing played out was a religious experience), I leave you with this, which she had read to me before, and sums up what we've been through and where we are:

Psalms 66 (8-20 being the golden section)

1 Shout with joy to God, all the earth!
2 Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious!
3 Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power
that your enemies cringe before you.
4 All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing praise to your name."
Selah
5 Come and see what God has done,
how awesome his works in man's behalf!
6 He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the waters on foot—
come, let us rejoice in him.
7 He rules forever by his power,
his eyes watch the nations—
let not the rebellious rise up against him.
Selah
8 Praise our God, O peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
9 he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.
10 For you, O God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
11 You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.
12 You let men ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.
13 I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
and fulfill my vows to you-
14 vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.
15 I will sacrifice fat animals to you
and an offering of rams;
I will offer bulls and goats.
Selah
16 Come and listen, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.
17 I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;
19 but God has surely listened
and heard my voice in prayer.
20 Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me!