Praise the Lord, my soul;
    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
 Praise the Lord, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits—
 who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion – Psalm 103:1-4

Other than Tarboro’s On the Square, one of our favorite local restaurants is Jack’s. Rebekah and I were due for a date night so I made a reservation and, Tuesday evening, we head over to Rocky Mount Mills anticipating a wonderful meal.

But the door is locked because Jack’s, apparently, is closed for summer vacation. The restaurant neglected, however, to tell their website or, most notably, their online reservation system. I even receive the “your reservation is confirmed” email earlier in the day!

Fortunately for us, Rocky Mount Mills is not too busy and we are able to walk over to Prime Smokehouse where we are seated immediately.

So, kudos to the Smokehouse for rescuing us and bad marks to Jack’s for their epic fail when it comes to communication.

Also, additional kudos to Prime Smokehouse for really excellent food and service. We share a plate of fried green tomatoes for our appetizer; then Rebekah goes for the brisket and I enjoy delicious crab cakes. The sides are beautifully prepared and beyond generous.

After enjoying our long relaxing dinner, we walk around the back patio and along the waterfront, where the Tar River heads over the dam (which once helped to power the old mill complex) on its way downstream to Tarboro.

The sun may have slipped behind the trees but still the heat remains oppressive – maybe a better word is relentless – and even the air feels almost hot to the touch. So I am thankful for air-conditioning, for an evening out, and for the folk in the restaurant kitchen taking care of us.

The temptation to complain…

I am not a fan of summer heat! And I find myself fighting the temptation to whine and complain about day after day featuring temps in the mid-90s (it’s like Florida noticed we left and came looking for us!). But whining is hard to pull off because everything about my life conspires to make me grateful.

We really do have to fight this constant pull to lean into anything resembling disappointment or bad news – we all do.

Festering negativity is, I believe, the primary cultural malady of our time. If we would invest the same amount energy and focus into accounting for our blessings maybe there wouldn’t be time to be so sour and critical. Because most of us predominantly do, if we take the time to notice, live the kind of lives dreams are made of.

When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed, 
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, 
Count your many blessings, name them one by one, 
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.