It is still light out so I can see the manatees frolicking in the basin. My leftover pizza from last night is my dinner tonight and it’s pretty good! I was hoping the crust would not get tough and I believe the way I reheated my Papa Murphy’s prevented that from happening. Earlier I pulled the patio doors closed because the breeze had a bit of a chill in it but it's stuffy in here. There is no pleasing me!
Somehow I found myself awake at 5:15 a.m., and wandered room to room making sure no water was dripping. Not sure what I heard that woke me up but it’s a good safety tip when one finds themselves awake in the wee hours to go and check for leaks!
Awake so frightfully early and again, no news to watch! That’s twice in two days this happened to me, Friday and Sunday. One day the royalty in England and this time a deceased pope, exhumed for public display. Yikes! The good part of waking up when I did was it allowed me the time I needed to put together a punch list for the old parsonage. Mike K. e-mailed the list to me last night and I told him it would be ready for church this a.m. I did it! Friday I put a list together based on what he told me over the phone so I just had to incorporate his comprehensive, exhausting list into my incomplete one. Wow, is there a lot of work to do out there! And Mike needs some help!
There is not much I can do to help but I certainly know quite well how to put together a punch list and make the phone calls and post the sheets and make photo copies and and and…send e-mails to the able- bodied. Some of the Council knew he was working on the parsonage, but most of the congregation, to my knowledge, was not aware the tenant had even moved out! These are things we need to know about and I will rally the forces to get folks to help out. Lots to do in regard to the yard and he is busy inside the house right now doing painting and such. Considering the house is going to be 20 years old this year, yeah, it probably needs some work! Just think---20 years ago I was using the parsonage shower without benefit of hot water or curtains on the windows as I left that jobsite to go to my next job at Sprint. And now Mike says it needs a new shower door installed….I ask, "Who needs a shower door???”
We had a good houseful of people in church today, thanks in part to a reaffirmation of baptism for a little guy born last November. Besides the immediate family, about seven others joined them, in addition to a separate group of seven people visiting from WI. Some of them had worshiped with us on Easter and today were joined by folks who live on the northside of Milwaukee. One in their group retired from the Navy Saturday which is what brought them all together this week in Jacksonville.
After the service we had Fellowship Sunday since we did not have it last week, plus a home-baked baptism cake. Mmmm….that’s twice in a week’s time I had home-baked cake. Judy C. and I went to have lunch afterward at Aron’s, her first visit and she liked it. The place was nearly empty, which is rare for a Sunday, but it was nearly 1:00 pm when we got there.
So, now I have half a stromboli to enjoy with my leftover pizza. We had that last night when Maggie O. and Judy here to watch “Waiting for Superman”. It was extra interesting because Maggie is a teacher, now retired but still working as a sub in area schools. We had wanted to watch it with Michael, Judy’s son, who is trained as a teacher, working both in Lutheran schools and the government ones. We just could not wait for him any longer so went ahead without him! When watching it, one part in particular reminded me of the businessman I saw on TV, an American living in China. He remarked that in China his children were learning academics, but in the USA, kids are taught self-esteem. Hmmm…..In the documentary, one of the charts shows how lacking our students are as far as math and science went, but they are way out in front as far as thinking they are doing better! America’s kids excel at self-confidence, or would that be over-confidence?
Tonight I got a phone call from my friend Linda O. She wants to get together for lunch next week so I am going to cross the river twice on Tuesday for my Victory friends! Linda’s mom, Frieda is now living with her, but they are only in Jax for another couple weeks. Linda's daughter, Heidi, had asked her mom to research some mission opportunities for them to become involved in together, and one was found! Heidi, Linda and Frieda are all going to work as ‘managers’ at the New Beginnings Home near Denver, a home for unwed mothers. Three generations of this family soon to be tending new families…I was incredibly moved by this prospect and so happy for the ladies they will be taking care of!
