Once more at the desk

Our worship service was a bit abbreviated today as all the communicant members were asked to complete a brief survey following worship. This will be looked at by the team from Synod who will help evaluate our congregation's ability, or possibly lack thereof, to sustain additional grades at our school. Presently we have an active preschool in place for kids aged 3-5, which serves our members and the community. Ever since, and even before, we moved here in 1988 there's been talk of a school and it took until 2000 for us to get a preschool.

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On the way to church I had to stop at Publix to pick up the cake ordered for the New Member Welcome which would follow worship and survey completing. I got the cake in place, laid out the festive green table cover with matching napkins, forks, and gorgeous paper plates just as the Sunday school kids were filing in for class. Whew!

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Bible study is still the subject matter of "Angels and Demons" which the Tuesday evening class already completed. Today's topics were about New Age things, and then rolling into demon possession. I know these got more discussion on Tuesday nights because we were seated around a table vs being scattered in the pews. There were a few important points from the group, particularly those discussing Tolle and his propogation of self as god. He's a follower of the almighty Oprah, a delicate spot in this household.....Joanne likes her and I, of course, do not. Anyway..........

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I have to chuckle about how Pastor has to set up for Bible study-----All the attendees sit in the back three or four pews because no one would sit up front. He kept moving back toward the rear until people have resorted to setting up folding chairs if they tried to sit any further back! Pretty soon he'll need an extension cord for the overhead projector if we move any further back. Anywhere else we pay extra to sit up closer but not in church when it's free! Is this what St. Paul meant about meeting people where they are at (paraphrasing)?

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Once at Friday Musicale the room was so full and seats needed that the head lady encouraged us to do like we do at church on Sunday: everyone move to the middle to make room for the rest! I leaned over and told my neighbor, "Oh, don't I wish!".

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Kathy B. had a few questions for her portion of the paperwork needed for the survey committee of which we made quick work, and then it was time for church to begin. On my way to church this a.m., I called Kathy to ask if she had her camera along because I'd left my angry one at home by mistake and needed shots of our new members. She did have it, keeps it with her all the time. Guess I need one of those purse-sized cameras instead of my big clunky one so it's more convenient to use.

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One of the readings today was a special one to me, and hopefully for Twila, too. It was the story of the jailer at Philippi, how he heard St. Paul and Silas singing hymns with the other prisoners. An earthquake occurred and the jailer nearly took his own life because he thought the prisoners escaped. Paul told him they were all still there, and in his joy, the jailer asked what he needed to do to be saved. What an awesome question!!!! Paul said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." The jailers' whole household became believers, were baptized in Jesus' name, and he then prepared a meal for the prisoners. Twila's husband came to faith only weeks prior to his death, was baptized and we rejoiced! This text was perfect for Nick's funeral, and for our reading today.

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I wore my new sweater from Mom for church today and got many compliments, including looking like a disco ball, it being the perfect color against my face, matching my glasses and lipstick---AWESOME! Even the check-out lady at Publix commented on it, and when I told her my mom got it for me, she said, "Neither my mom nor my daughter are ever in tune to what I'd like, they'd rather get what they like!" We laughed and I said, "Well, my mom goes to the store and looks for the last thing in this world she'd ever wear, and knows it's perfect for me!" Last year, too, she got me a wonderful fuscia-colored blouse that was also perfect for me. And the good news is: Disco is NOT dead!!!!

Shhh, it's a quiet day!

I was torn---do I write my posting or go take a nap? Yes, it's that type of day today. Earlier this morning the sun and clouds did battle, jousting for position in the sky, and, as of now, the clouds have won! It looks like a winter's day but fortunately, the temps don't quite reflect the dreariness, being 70 degrees above zero when I got home from church.

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The television is dry as far as viewing goes so I've turned on the football games being played, leading up the Super Bowl. Originally I'd turned on the movie "Anger Management" with Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson but it caused me to feel stressed and we certainly don't want that to happen.

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Justin and I had a fine day together yesterday, even though he arrived a bit later than planned. To make it up to me, I sent him on a mission to Walgreen's because their sign told of a special price for sodas. He still says it's too much per case but it's what pleases me so he did it. The decorations are down and he did good job putting them away, all the while telling me scene by scene about a movie he'd rented from The Big Box at McDonald's and watched the night before. I heard all about the movie but can't come up with the name! This is something he's done all his life, as long as he's been viewing TV or movies, and it's his custom to replay what he's seen, taking the long way around. He wouldn't be good at synopsis-writing!

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The sky, aside from being grey, is also busy with jets today. I wonder if a ship came in recently to explain the increased F-model planes tearing up the air. I'd noticed increased helicopter traffic, too, so perhaps some squadrons came home.

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Back to Justin now----after the tree and decorations were stowed, he nicely got out the vacuum cleaner to clean up the fallen needles and other debris from the floor. Even a fake tree drops its needles, especially since a certain cat was nibbling on it! Right on time we headed to the Mall in Orange Park to have our quick lunch at 5 Guys---Justin having a hot dog and me a small cheeseburger, with shared fries. We only ate a bit more than half of the "regular" sized ordered, which makes me wonder just how big is the large size order! Do any of my readers like 5 Guys or have one where you live? It's almost my new favorite!

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The tickets for the opera viewing were purchased on-line so we just had to go to the kiosk for ours, with plenty of time to spare. Because we'd just eaten lunch, neither of us wanted pop corn (heresy!!!!!) but got the large diet Coke's that are perfect for movie viewing. There was absolutely no one in the theater yet when we went in, seems my question about having rope lines was answered! There was a little digital timer thing counting backward in the corner of the screen which kept starting over again each time it reached zero. Hmmm....more people did come in but it certainly wasn't going to be full like we had last week for "Marley and Me"! It got to be frighteningly close to 1:00 pm and the show hadn't even started yet, so a couple people went out to find the management to find out what was going on. I told one lady that if we were at the outdoor movies, we could all blow our horns. Not this opera group though, no horn honking going on, only disgust for missing the first 15 minutes of this Live from the Met presentation.

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Once it did start, though, it was fabulous, "La Roudine" was magnificent. It even had live behind-the-scenes looks between acts, showing the crew moving the backdrops, bringing in furniture and props, extras moving about, and the actors giving each other their operatic version of a high five! We loved it, and Justin wrote me a text msg., to avoid whispering during the show, that now he wants to watch "The Phantom of the Opera" again. I hope this occurs again soon and we can experience this taste of culture once more in Orange Park! It would have been great to have a packed "opera house' but it will take time to catch on 'round these parts (little redneck lingo there about the opera!)

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My friend, Brenda N., was finally able to free some time and joined Joanne and me for dinner last night. As the opera didn't release us until nearly 4:00 pm, I had to hurry to the grocery store on the way home to buy potatoes and a pie for our dinner, as I was making scalloped potatoes with ham. I hate carrying my groceries upstairs, especially when I needed most everything taken up but I did it! Potatoes are heavy by themselves and add to that my other purchases---wow, my arms ached by the time I get into the kitchen. The pie went in first, a Marie Calenders' Mixed Berry which proceeded to drip all over the pan I'd wisely placed under it. Then I got busy slicing potatoes and putting together my dinner. My house once again smelled great as the meal came together.

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Joanne knew how to change the bottle on the Swiffer so I mopped the floor in the kitchen and hall bath, which badly needed cleaning, once my food was in the oven. For one reason or another, I simply can't figure out how the bottle comes off that handle....I didn't have to either, because the housekeepers brought their own mops and such. Since the kitchen gets more use now that Joanne is here, the floor gets a bit more activity and mess than ever before. Love the smell of that Swiffer cleaning fluid, almost fruity-scented. Lynx doesn't like it one little bit, though, she runs at the sight of brooms or mops. Must have had a bad experience as a kitten!

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Brenda brought me a belated birthday present, three brushed nickel picture frames. She didn't have to do that but I love it that she remembers my birthday, every year! Hers is easy to remember, too, April Fools Day! She is certainly not a fool, and Joanne got the biggest kick out Brenda, barely coming up for breath in talking about the old days, selling real estate in Jacksonville and O.P. I just sat back and soaked it up, as the two Realtors shared stories of days gone by. While we ate and chatted, the moon shined so very brightly into the river room, we nearly needed to cover our eyes from its intensity! Not quite, but my, oh my, it was bright! And my angry camera refused to take a picture of it for us---again! Ugh! I did get a shot of the ladies at the river room table before we ate---guess they were 'duller' than the moon!