It's a blessed day!!!!

The mystery of the missing shipment from Tommy is solved! When I spoke with Connie, our maintenance lady, she said that more than once packages that belong at River Oaks Condominiums were delivered here and vice verso. So, off I went to check it out. I found the garage marked "304" where there was a truck parked with its doors hanging open. Just as I got out of my car, a group of kids and parents came out to the truck. I asked if they lived in "304" and they confirmed that, so I asked if they have received a box from UPS. They did!!!! One of the sons ran back upstairs to fetch the box for me and placed it in my trunk. I was sooooo happy!!! Mystery solved---UPS delivered to the right church, wrong pew!

An emotional roller coaster

As I sit here, wiping tears from my eyes, from awe and amazement for a change, I am also chuckling about jokes and funnies sent to be me via e-mail today. The tears were from watching the Live Feed from the WELS convention wrapping up this a.m. in Saginaw, MI, after a week of battling through the numbers which make the business-work of our Synod. The delegates finally found something to vote on which will serve the Lord well, keeping MLS open another couple years while making cuts elsewhere. Cuts, cuts everywhere, the real trickle-down of this economy. I tuned in late today, forgetting about the opening devotion this a.m. but did get to hear the closing of the convention which included the men singing The Doxology a capella. Hence, the tears flowing.....

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....and while that goes on, the Space Shuttle Endeavor was landing at Kennedy Space Center which I watched live while listening to the closing words from the convention. More tears for that, in amazement and relief that these scientists/pilots are safely back from their mission to the ISS. Neal, on the radio this a.m., commented that even the ISS has to resort to remodeling and adding on in this market!! I think it was him who said it....

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I do not think I mentioned in the blog that Justin was on the radio again this week with Neal Boortz! Twice in a few months he made it past Belinda, the producer of the show to speak live, on the air, with Neal! The topic that day was about how the "death tax" was going away completely in 2010, part of Bush's tax program, but the new taxes put in by PresBO brings it back in 2011. The irreverent discussion was about how people will start dropping like flies toward the end of 2010 so the families will not have to pay the inheritance taxes---sort of, ha ha ha, "grandfathered" in! Get it? I am so funny!!!! Too bad it does not work that way. But, Justin asked the question, "Do you think that the candidates running in the midterm elections will have the testicular fortitude (my expression, thank you very much!) to add this to their platform?" Neal agreed that it would be a good plank but the entire platform should be to address ALL the confiscatory taxes in place and replace them with the Fair Tax, of course! Justin is a proponent of the Fair Tax already, so he was not surprised to hear Neal's response. Justin was pleased to get the last word this time, getting to say, "Thank you" before Neal hung up. I am proud of my boy!

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The funny that came this a.m. still has me chuckling....it concerns a famous pop singer who used to be black, became white, died, and found himself somehow in heaven. Once more he was a black person and he asked God if there was anyway he could be made white again. No sooner did he ask but a loud voice answered, "Billy Mays here with OxyClean......." Now, that is funny!

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Yesterday I again had the privilege of picking up Anna from her softball clinic, as Pastor had to be with Lynn at the hospital. There was a complication when installing the chemo therapy pump which required some more "repairs" so Lynn had to stay overnight at the hospital. Anna and I got some lunch at Burger King before I dropped her at home, while I went right back to the swimming pool. While I was down there, Justin called and talked to me awhile as he pulled weeds in the full sun of afternoon. He had done the shady areas already, leaving only sunny spots for him to work in. Justin had heard another song that he wanted me to hear, with a good message he knew I would appreciate but since I was not upstairs, could not look it up right away. I must do that this afternoon when I get back from cleaning church.

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According to Tommy J., I should have received a shipment from UPS delivered at my front doors last evening, but no such box has appeared. I sent an e-mail to my neighbors asking if perhaps a stray box showed up at their doors but so far only one replied in the negitive. The maintenence lady said she has not seen any boxes standing around the doors but wonders if perhaps it went to The Capri or other condo building on our property. Hmmm, must investigate that option also! The box contains the earthenware jug from my in-laws' house as well as two ceramic plates I bought when at a gift shop with Linda J. in Newton. I will keep all posted as to the status of this mystery!

I don't know what to think....

.....or do I think too much? While I am writing I am also listening, so perhaps no real thinking is going on at all. The WELS convention is playing in the background and I keep flipping forth and back from the live stream to this, which makes me quite woozy. Better not do that or I will need to take to my bed rather than start my day on steady legs. I feel for the men juggling with the business portion of our work as a unified church body. How difficult these decisions are, with possible long-reaching ramifications...

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Last night, during Happy Hour at The Club, the conversation ironically turned to religion. Before it got too nuts, one woman wisely suggested we not discuss matters of faith, or the lack thereof, while having adult beverages. I readily agreed with her since it all started because of me! Innocently enough, Miss Chardonnay mentioned how she heard on TV that the official age for "middle" was now 60 years old. Yikes! She went on to report that a woman's life expectancy would be upwards of 85, which caused me to shrink into my seat. My friend next to me asked why I reacted that way instead of being enthusiastic, and I told her, "Because I want to go home." My friend to the left said, "She wants to go see her son...." and I jumped in with, "Yes, and to see the other Son!" She looked puzzled and her husband answered her face with, "J.C.", to which his wife retorted, "Oh, I haven't made up my mind on all that yet." The first lady was correct, not a discussion to have while drinking wine---or Diet Coke. A fertile mission field in my own backyard, but these people have already known the Lord and now seem to be rethinking. Thinking too much, or not enough??

Convening in Saginaw

As "we" speak, the opening devotion is being held at the WELS Synod convention at Michigan Lutheran Seminary, Saginaw. While I am not hanging on every word, I am sort of paying attention to what is going on. Earlier I listened to the summation of events from the two previous days, getting to see a pastor who is good friends with Linda and Tommy, who served at FG, Pastor Otto. I sent the link to Linda in case she had not seen it yet. He looks pretty much the same as I remember him, only a tad older! Linda saw him this summer and has seen his family often, including visiting them when they served the Lord in San Diego. May God bless the difficult work of the budget committee he chairs!

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The Flock Talk is ready to go for publication at church, but I am not sure they are able to receive it via e-mail yet. Saturday was the big moving day from the portable trailers into the new building, moving only the offices and the storage at this time. Pastor announced on Sunday that the move took less than two hours to accomplish and someone I spoke with last night indicated how obvious it was that the move was quite quick. Evidently, in builder's lingo, "substantial compliance" was the working phrase to describe the move. Yes, the items were relocated but no, not put into any particular order. The very act of moving exposes unnoticed, unreachable, or untreated dirt, whether an entire household is being moved or even cleaning in your own kitchen. Move the toaster and you find a pile of crumbs. Put the coffee maker under the sink and you find water spots on the ceramic tile wall where the maker stood. Some have the gift of moving boxes, others have the gift of organization, while others yet, the gift to talk about it!

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My little peepers are sleepy this a.m. but not because I had too little rest. After I spent some time on the computer last night, I decided to just go to bed! I can barely recall watching TV, although I do remember a "Friends" episode being on when I rolled over and closed my eyes. It was just after 6:00 that I woke again, listening to an infomercial about cutting up veggies. People!!! Don't you know you can buy the vegetables already cut up at Publix???!!! Why sit there ooohhing and aahhhing about these expensive tools which seldom work the same way once in your home?

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Joanne was here overnight Monday as her favorite TV show was on, with the finale taking place. The Bachelorette, which I thought was The Bachelor all this while. I sat with her a bit while it was on but it did not hold my interest. There is the dramatic music, suspense building walks onto a platform over water in a white gown....which man will she pick? The plot inevitably thickened when a man she had initially rejected showed up to propose to her. I do not understand the entire premise of the show, except that this woman accepts applications from men to court her and she weeds them out over time. Joanne announced in the a.m. that she approved of the man the woman picked so I guess they will live happily ever after.

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Joanne reported to me Tuesday morning that her sister heard there was going to be a reality show on like the "real" show the night before, only featuring "people of size" versus the models and body builders normally shown on these dating programs. As she is telling about this new show, I was trying like heck to zipper a dress she was planning to wear that day for work. It was like trying to dress Scarlett O'Hara, putting my foot on Joanne's back to work the zipper up. Sometimes sizes are just not as true as the tag claims, although she got it on sale at Talbots which is normally true-to-size, it was not going to fly. Once zipped, she would have been hard pressed to take a deep breath, so I suggested she have someone make a skirt out of it for her, because the pattern was so gorgeous. It sure gave us a good laugh first thing in the morning, though!

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Our pastor's wife has been diagnosed with breast cancer. I am not one, really, to ask the delving questions about stages, involvement, prognosis that others are asking me about. The prayers go out as requested for quick healing, using the chemotherapy that begins this week. My limited involvement right now is being allowed to offer transportation for their daughter today after her baseball camp. Pastor thanked everyone on Sunday for the prayers, hands, and time being offered his family at this time, but then, wisely, reminded us all that we have others who are ill or away from the congregation who would also benefit from our loving hearts and hands. That was an excellent reminder, because sometimes these folks can become "out of sight, out of mind".

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Monday night I joined my neighbors on the sundeck, which was hardly that, as a wind and thunderstorm roared upon us. Mo hustled us into her home which looks like something from a magazine, and we gathered around the table in their river room. Being an end unit, they have two-way views of the river, as well as the storm, as we watched it come around us. Here, we had little rain but much wind, other areas just across the bridge on Fleming Island had a half inch of rain. In the morning Tuesday I was in the pool, busily moving along the perimeter while plucking pine needles and leaves from the drains so it would clean itself. Grabbing carefully the accumulated leavings because I have seen hairy, scary bugs in the drains in the past, I removed handsful of debris and even broken balloons from a birthday party interrupted by the storm!

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We did a modified version of water aerobics since our teacher is on vacation this week and then Maggie and I came upstairs to change clothes. We were meeting Ellen and Ashley Rose at Koko's for lunch and then going into Great Hang Ups so Maggie could see what I am always talking about. Is that a dangling participle? We talked about grammar at lunch yesterday, about how little is taught in the classrooms any longer. Maggie, a retired teacher, indicated that if it is not on the State standardized tests, FCATs, it won't be taught. The higher the school's scores total, the more money the school gets for spending. Always an apple being dangled in front of the teachers and administration, instead of participles!

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No sooner did I finish my wonderful lunch with friends than was I making plans for the next meal only a couple hours later! Judy J. offered to be my driver for our scheduled Tuesday night dinner at Aron's Pizza where we met Linda, LeAnn, Kathy B. and her friend, Robin. My fridge now boasts several foam boxes whose contents wait to be devoured. Perhaps for lunch, the Koko's, but then tonight is Happy Hour at The Club with the free appetizers. Usually that is sufficient for me, but I suspect Ellen might want to stay for dinner. I am leaving room for that option and look forward to being once more surrounded by these friends, no matter if the food is fish and stuff I do not eat. I can always have leftovers later on!

The rest of the weekend........

Justin came to worship with me at Good Shepherd yesterday which was very nice and I got to stay sitting with him the entire service since the choir was not singing. Two weeks ago I had to keep getting up and down all the time to sing. He helped me cover the altar after worship since I was on for Altar Guild and then we went to Olive Garden for lunch, with Robbie as our guest. At first he wanted to go to Clark's Fish Camp for his birthday lunch. Then, he called back to say he wanted to go see "The Proposal" after church, grabbing a drive-thru lunch....But, since I had to be somewhere at 4:00 pm which required an hour's drive time, making the movies not doable Sunday. Plan C, then, was to go have lunch at Olive Garden which suited us fine. We took the birthday bouquet from church to the cemetery together before parting company.

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It was a long car ride to Keystone Heights, as I am sure it would seem for the first time. While I drove, I kept thinking that I remember being there at Christ Lutheran for something else in recent years but my memory won't allow me to think what it was. A certain convenience store on the corner looked quite familiar, like I stopped there with my passenger to get soda and gas after the event....just can't think what it was though....A seminar of some sort rings a bell, but what??? What????

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The congregation swelled the church as Good Shepherd's group matched in number those from this membership. The Hoyers from Victory Lutheran were also part of the Installation, with Pastor Hoyer giving the sermon, we have A Can-Do God! He spoke of the long ride between GS and Christ Lutheran and how Pastor K. can use that time in prayer for both his congregations, etc. A very encouraging sermon and service. "My Suzanne" played her viola pre- and post-service which enhanced our worship. Anne Hoyer leaned over to tell me that she loves to hear Suzanne play at Victory, too, because the acoustics make the viola sound all the more majestic.

Pastors Lemke, Kuske, and Hoyer after the Installation service

What a weekend it was!

First of all, I want to wish my sister, Lori, a very happy birthday today! David, please tell her I said so, since she does not daily read my blog. She taught me how to read before I even entered kindergarten, Lori gets the credit for that, but somehow I missed the book worm gene the rest of my sister's inherited from Mom!

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Around 7:00 a.m. I heard a scraping sound outside my patio doors and sure enough, there were my two friends, sanding and scraping my porch railing for painting prep. We had been asked if we wanted them painted at our own expense and certainly I wanted my railing to match the rest of them, right? Wrong! The talk around the table at happy hour told me that not many of those there were interested in getting theirs done, would have their grandkids do it, or some other option. Yikes! Here I was being a team player and found out I am playing alone....well, probably not, but was certainly in the minority. I have long disliked the appearance of the railing and while all else would be nice and fresh, I think the railing should, too. Certainly I cannot get out there to do it and how would I even attempted to do the portions outside the non-movable doors? Let the experts do it.

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And now for the weekend recap: fun! Justin's birthday party was very nice although some usual characters were missing from the fun. The Woodruff's were unable to make it as Jimmie and Jason were trimming a house for someone and would be working all day and coming home bone tired. Brenda is nursing a wounded knee and has trouble getting around so opted to miss his party. Brenda N. had her grandkids in town from TX so she was excused. Those who did make it enjoyed the time, at least, that is what was reported to me! The photos were posted last night in case you did not see them. Thank you, Lord, for wonderful friends and nice son!

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Earlier in the day I spent time at the pool, much of it in the water with Lonnie, a lady from my water aerobics class. We had a lovely visit as we exercised together in the sun. The sloping wall in the shallow end serves me well for back stretching, I feel cat-like as I can make my body into a "C" shape by walking up that wall. Ahhhh! The guilt I had for not going to church to help with the moving of the church office and storage units was assuaged yesterday when Pastor reported that it was completed in less than two hours, with about 20 people showing up to take care of it. Mike K. told me people were scurrying about like ants! Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of able workers and our finished building!!!

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When I got home from Publix with the birthday food, I pulled up near the elevators to unload my stuff. Those trays are quite heavy so I knew it was going to be several trips to get it upstairs. Since our lobby is being redone, the mail sorting counter and furniture is gone, so I used the water fountain wall to prop my trays and the cake. Judee, one of my neighbors, was coming through to get her mail, and saw me unloading. She was gracious enough to offer to help me carry them up and I was gracious enough to accept! When she walked into my kitchen, she said, "Oh, what a happy kitchen!" Nice compliment!

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After the party was ended and the clean-up complete, Justin and I sat down to chat a bit before I allowed him to leave. He was a bit weary having had a party at his father's house Friday night, with fewer attendees than he planned, and then going to the beach with his friends Saturday. His back/butt still hurts after his fall on the ceramic tile floor at his father's house last week when Nancy was here visiting so he did not play volleyball. We talked awhile before he left and I went to bed, not quite ready for sleep regardless of the hour. I was still excited about the party and all the fun, I guess!

Justin's birthday party

These lovely ladies are enjoying a light repast in the river room. Twila, Olivia, Betty (on sofa) and Jean share the view and meal together. Martie and her little grandson, Mark, came, too, but she prefers to not have her photos published. She was there, could not miss Justin's birthday party, right?

Justin was really hoping Ellen would come so she risked life and limb driving back from the beach in a pouring rainstorm to be there! Her daughter, Ashley Rose, is standing behind Ellen in the doorway. Justin is checking something on his cell phone, of course!

Olivia offered to take a picture of Justin and me as he is opening his birthday cards. This is the better shot of us, although Sarah popped through just as Olivia clicked the photo. I cropped her out, but left a tiny blur of blonde hair in the lower left side. Ashley Rose is again in the background. Justin and I both have had our share of sunshine this season!

Due to the recession, Justin only had four candles on his birthday cake! He was able to blow them out without spitting on it while doing so! Memrie is watching him intently, with such a cute look on her face! Betty can't get over how big she is getting already, looking at 2nd grade already this fall!