My mom, Kathy, seated with her older sister, Marie, standing behind her
Such an interesting Bible class we had today, even though we strayed a bit from our lesson. I am trying to recall exactly how we got moved over but one of the ladies brought up a conversation she overheard and then participated in, while taking her son for a haircut. Two young barbers and one elderly barber were at work on heads, with one of them having an 85 year old man in his chair. The customers were discussing where they were going after they died, such as Riverside Cemetery, the National Cemetery, and so on. Rita could not prevent herself from jumping with, “When I die, I am going to sing in the angel choir in heaven!” The older man expressed that he was not going straight to heaven, that he and his family prayed day and night to shorten his stay in purgatory. Wow, just imagine…
Rita said that she tried to ‘witness’ about her confidence but the older barber quickly changed the subject to football, probably wisely so. She was wishing she had a business card from the church to give to the man so he could call Pastor and talk with him. Pastor Hoyer said that would be fine but, “Oh, my! What a wonderful opportunity for you to tell him about the Savior….”and went on to recite some passages from memory to use when such a situation presents. We talked about Jesus’ words from the cross when He declared “It is finished!”. Pastor said this meant something else, a financial term from the Greek but couldn’t immediately come up with the expression. Justin gave me the knee bump of encouragement so I offered, “Tetelestai?”, and he said, “Yes, tetelestai!”
(I know this word, besides being one of the words from the cross, because my friend, Rosalie, uses this expression when she finishes a project or accomplishes something. I heard it last 10 years ago, when Mom and she were in pursuit of just the perfect art piece Rosalie wanted to donate to Precious Lambs in memory of Timmy. She found a Greg Olson piece, not the one she set off to get but one where the child on Jesus’ lap more closely resembled Timmy, and declared, “tetelstai!”. It hangs in the hallway of the classroom building at this time.)
When discussing Bible passages to use when witnessing, my mind went to passages I cherish and have included one here, from Job 19: “Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll, that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved in rock forever! I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes— I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” That last part is my favorite….but I have many favorites.
Before we knew it, class was over and we were heading out. As I picked up my Bible and purse, suddenly I got a gripping pain between my shoulder blades and my breath was caught for a bit. At first I didn’t say anything but asked Justin to please carry my Bible for me, as I talked with Judy J. on the phone. She was meeting us for lunch at Mimi’s Café so I had to tighten up our arrangements. Then I explained to Justin what had just happened with my upper back and expressed my concern that I cannot be laid up this weekend!!! There is too much to be done before and when my company gets here!!! On the ride over to the Mall, I took a couple Ibuprofen, enjoyed my meatloaf and mashed potatoes, at least part of my lunch, and then came home to lie on ice packs most of the afternoon. All is well right now, and I pray it stays that way. I hate it that this came from absolutely nowhere and gives me a feeling of being unsettled. Nothing new for me!
Speaking of being unsettled, while I was with my ice pack and listening to the radio programs, I was also listening to my downstairs neighbors vacuuming. Either they were or the workmen were hard at it, cleaning things up after the construction. Tomorrow the movers are coming to move them back into their home, with hopes of finishing the job on Saturday. It will be so wonderful for them to get back into their home again, being out of it, so to speak, since the Great Flood at the end of September. They asked me to join them at La Napolera for dinner tonight but due to my questionable upper back situation, opted respectfully to decline this time. I do look forward to seeing “my Turkish friends” come tomorrow and Saturday…good thing Justin is coming to put things to right around here Friday morning!
Justin has a busy couple of days coming up, besides coming over here in the morning. He was ‘volunteered’ to work on the Extreme Home Make-Over going on in our county, helping the framer. Justin told us at lunch that he stinks with a hammer and I suggested that perhaps he would be measuring and cutting….not much comfort there either. I am sure he will do well, and who knows? He might be working with other folks he knows, like Jimmie W., who is doing the trim work. He works for the builder in charge of the project, but will be doing the trim work in the dark of night. Brenda N., who called me tonight, said it is quite the production, in more ways than one, very “Hollywood”, everything has to be done just right for the cameras, and then redone again. Nothing just happens on these shows, you know. For one ‘take’, John, her boss, was working in short sleeves, but then put his jacket back on. They came and told him for the next take he had to take the jacket off, for ‘continuity’ purposes, even though it was freezing out there!
Anyway, back to Justin’s weekend---on Saturday he will drive down to Palm Coast to the facility where Marian and Biff’s belongings are stored. He must extricate a day bed, and a few other things, as on Sunday Biff is moving up from South Florida to an assisted-living facility in Palm Coast. I am not sure what the status is for Marian to move up but at least one of them is going to be closer to family. Justin will be here with us on Sunday to hang out with Rosalie, at least for a while anyway. I cannot expect him to sit here the entire time, but at least have a chance to catch up with Hal and Rosalie, and some of the others from Good Shepherd whom he has not seen in a while, like his Grandma Nichols and Aunt Jean! I am so excited about this weekend!!!
Happy birthday, Mom!!! Glad you enjoy the flowers and the haircut!! Thanks, Linda, for being such a dear friend!!!
