Finishing Well

It is finished.

The NC State Science Olympiad is over, medals awarded to the top 10 teams since there was a college arena filled with teams (Asherel 's helicopter team placed 6th, and her Trebuchet team a surprising 5th).  Their devices didn't do the best they could do, but they didn't do the worst either, and for her first state competition, she is pleased. I am tired. But I am less tired from the wonderful, early rising, long and activity packed day than from the phone call I received the first night we were in Raleigh for the contest.

"Hi Vicky, Lucky is in the front yard. Are you or Arvo home?"
"No....we are in Raleigh. Would you do me a favor Andi and just shoot him? Preferably murder him on the first shot, right between his conniving, perpetually scheming eyeballs?"
This is only what I was thinking.... it is not what I actually said. And actually, I was thinking things much much worse. If this is "man's best friend" then I sure don't want to meet "man's best enemy".
Lucky of  course has a long and devious history of escaping out of our barricaded backyard, despite its fence,  3 foot of chicken wire on top of fence, obstacles at base of fence, electric shock collar, and trained snipers on the roof.

We had no choice but to call the dog sitter and tell her to put Lucky in the crate while we were gone. The crate is not a live-in crate... it is just big enough to sleep in. I felt bad but I had no choice. At least it kept my anxiety diffused around several areas other than how my helicopter and trebuchet team were going to do. And just in case my stress level were not rising to the top of the thermometer, Asherel had developed an unexplained limp, hot red spot near her ankle, and no explanation for the pain. This happened a couple of years ago, and our 6 hour visit to the ER revealed only one thing- that she has small rolling veins that are impossible to get an IV into without agony and hundreds of unsuccessful attempts. In the end, an orthopedist felt she must have broken a growth plate, and told her to stay off it til it felt better.

My food poisoning the day before we left was nothing compared to my worries over what her ailment might be. I knew that just because 3 of 5 of my siblings had had appendicitis, that was likely not the cause of my excruciating stomach pain. More likely it was the result of my cooking and the only surprise was that it didn't occur daily. But Asherel's limp and pain was troublesome.

So I watched her closely, and asked every few minutes how her ankle was doing. She stayed off it for the day before the contest, and wore an ankle brace Friday. By Saturday, the pain and redness was gone. I don't know what it was, but again am grateful that my full panic could be unleashed gradually over such a wide variety of concerns.

But now, the year of Science Olympiad is over. I could in all honesty clap delightedly for the State winners who would go on to Nationals. I  was happy to let that one pass us by, so I could focus on how to best throttle my dog when we got home.

Endings are sad, but they are good too. I can't think of a verse more fraught with conflicting emotions than Jesus as He released His spirit to death on the cross, as He cried, "It is finished!"  All those watching who loved Him felt immeasurable grief. But He did what He came to earth to do and He did it perfectly. There was rejoicing in Heaven and ultimately in all of us when the full import of what He had done became known. If there had been any ribbons awarded at that event, He would have gotten the blue.

John 19:29-31

²⁹ A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. ³⁰ When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

2 Timothy 4:7
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.