Its the outlook. . .

Its been a strange week. 

The week started off with a drive-in Easter Service at Green Ridge. We stayed in our vehicles and the preacher spoke from the bed of a pickup truck. After the service concluded we left as directed, waving to our friends, and then dropping the offering into the red bucket.

I spent a good portion of Monday studying. I had my EMT test scheduled down in Chambersburg on Wednesday (more details on that later in the post) and wanted to be well studied and prepared. 

Returned numerous calls and answered questions from interested (and disappointed) puppy customers. 

 

Made Bacon Ranch Chicken Casserole for lunch. Yummy!

Tuesday was also spent in studies, and in the evening Brian and I left for Harrisburg. We participated in our EBI class discussion on monasteries (We all decided that while there are some virtues for monasteries, none of us would be joining!).

On Wednesday morning I awoke long before my alarm was to go off. I left for Chambersburg about 8:15, and arrived about an hour later.

After a bit of driving around an enormous parking lot, I was able to locate the rest of my classmates who were also to take the test that day.

Only there were a few problems. . .

* * * * * * * * *

First, all the doors were locked and the building was dark. We seemed to be the only people there, except for a few other folks also looking for their tests.

We sat in our vehicles for a few minutes thinking maybe we had the first test of the day, and the testing center would open shortly.

It didn't continue as we thought. Nobody showed up. The minutes continued to tick slowly by.

The test was scheduled for 10:00, and we had been instructed to arrive at least 30 minutes prior. It was now 9:45.

A maintenance man arrived, "I don't know anything about a test, but if anything was going on today, it would be at this building", he said.

I started calling all the numbers that I had on my test authorization sheet. After numerous answering machines, the only number left was the rescheduling department.

              Might as well give 'em a try, I thought. 

My watch now read 10:00.

A live, breathing, human being answered the call. I was nearly ecstatic to have be actually speaking to a another person, and not an answering machine. 

"I'm so sorry", he said after I explained the reason for my call. "You didn't receive a cancellation email?". I informed him that I had not, and that I had also driven over 2hrs for this test. 

"Well, please except my sincere apologies", he said. "I can fully understand your disappointment and frustration, but all I can do is help you reschedule. Rest assured that the fees for rescheduling will be waived", he continued.

His eloquent speech didn't really help, but I reported back to the others what I had found out and checked my email.

5 minutes after the test was to start, I had received an email from Pearson Vue, informing me that my test had been canceled.

After talking it over, we all left. No point in staying; there would be no test today.

* * * * * * * * *

Thursday was spent inside, because the weather turned quite cold. In the evening, we had a small employee competition. 

Today (Friday) started out as a sunny morning. However, I think the weather suddenly started pouting, because it was first raining and then some snow was put into the dreary mix.

I happened to look out the window, and my attention was drawn to the motto that was sitting on the sill:

            "Yes", I thought. "My outlook can change the way I react to everything that is going on around me."