Favorite day of the week

More than once I have claimed that Thursdays are my favorite day of the week due to this being my Bible study day at Victory. Having recently completed our lengthy study of Isaiah, every time an excellent opportunity to compare our times today with those of Isaiah's, seeing the similarities, we are now in Timothy. 

This subject matter came up sort of left-handedly when our group was asked to suggest topics or books of the Bible to move to next. One of the guys remarked, half-jokingly, that the women couldn't vote, but Pastor cut him off quickly. I mentioned I Timothy and ta da!, now we are studying it! And this gentleman had to leave class early because of a medical appointment so Pastor wanted to make sure we got through chapter 2 in order for him to learn from it. For us all to learn and remember from it, better said.

Some of the discussion was centered upon the lack of involvement of father's in today's society and how women are either forced to or willingly fill in where men leave off in regard to the family. Rita noted a report she heard where white middle-aged men's (45-55) #1 cause of death is now alcohol, drugs, or suicide, not heart problems or cancer. The report indicated the men are basically dying of despair. This was stunning. Only last night I heard about a nice young man who I knew from The Club and was now at Metro Diner found dead in his bed, due to drugs. I am dismayed about this. By all of this.

Not only is this true in families, but in the church, too, where men are expected to be the spiritual leaders. We talked about how it's hard to get competent men to serve on the Councils or as Elders. Just because someone is male does not mean they are the best person to serve. In a few weeks we will have elections at my church and I know some of the guys are done serving. I am hoping there are willing men to step up and serve. 

This photo shows Kristi with Lucy (2nd from left) Sunday night at Reformation Festival meal. She always likes to do the clean up, even at GS, where she was formerly a member. Center is Jean wearing the table decorations, as Brad is talking with David in the background.

At class a few weeks ago I paid attention to the fact that of the ten of us there, 6 were married couples. I would guess this is rare, and I loved it. Our group size varies week to week but that particular day we had three couples. Today Lucy brought the doughnuts and had a box placed right where I sit when I arrived. She knew which type of doughnut I liked! Only ate one of the two she had earmarked for me, and passed the remaining one to Stephanie when she arrived. One time I brought doughnuts and Lucy took me to the side to tell me to mark on my calendar to not bring them on the first Thursday of the month---that was HER day! Okay, sweetie, I won't. She is so darn cute! 

Today after class, Stephanie told me she is going to bring me some of the scarves she makes to be a donation to the PACE girls. I love it, absolutely love the generosity of people. I wish the girls knew how much support there was for them in the communities. Perhaps they do! 

A heartfelt gift

Last Thursday as I was driving to Victory, Justin sent me a photo in a text message. I waited until I was in the parking lot to look at it, and at first, couldn't figure out what he was sending me. All of a sudden, when made larger, I could pick out a Luther's Seal in the back window of the car. He asked me, "Do you know them?" He teases me because he thinks I know everyone from WI (I think I do, too!) and all other Lutherans. When I texted him back, I said, "Cool! I want one!"  And, today, Justin presented me with my very own Luther's Seal! 

Here is the photo Justin sent me. My seal is about 3" by 3" 

I got water eyes when he gave it to me, I am so thankful for this thoughtful gift. I love it, just love it!  Last week when I got into the church for class, I told Pastor H. about what he sent me and he remarked that these would be good things to have on hand for people. Tomorrow I will take mine in for 'show and tell' so they can see what is available, in case he wants to order some. 

This afternoon I was at last able to get to the groomers for my clipping. Man, I was so shaggy already but was trying to put off my visit to time it right for my travels to WI. I will get back at just about the 30 day time frame between visits. I know I could get it cut up in WI but doubt it would cost me $14 like it does here. Plus I won't always have transportation so I just got it done now and hope it won't make me wacky before my next visit to see Barb, the groomer. 

On the ride home I stopped in to see my friends at Great Hang Ups. All summer long I was pretty much absent so it was good to get caught up. I saw some beautiful artwork brought in for framing, including a giant piece Dee carried in to show us. It was commissioned, 6' tall. I don't know how she carried it around! 

Because it's leaning back, it's hard to see or realize how tall it actually is. She has to transport the piece to the decorator's office, and from there will be framed and mounted. I'd love to see where this piece is going to be displayed, it is a private home's commission. This photo doesn't really do it justice, though, it is quite a striking piece. She worked from a photo and had to reproduce it times ten!

After my visit at the shop, I went to the store to get what I needed for making my food for the PACE event. I ran all over the store, often back-tracking, to find the groceries needed for my recipes plus the necessary items for serving. I am a bit nervous about trying my recipes on company so I got some back-up coffee cakes and a tray of cookies. Kay is getting the rest of the food and taking care of beverages, etc. except for my cranberry punch. She is borrowing a beverage dispenser from her friend so it will be a pretty display of my punch and her lemon water. Hate having to tote all this stuff upstairs, glad some can wait until Justin gets home!

Reformation Festival

The area congregations in North FL gathered at Good Shepherd this afternoon for our Reformation Festival. We had folks come from Gainesville, Keystone Heights, Jacksonville, and Orange Park for this special service. Our little church choir blossomed the closer we got to the service time as folks joined during rehearsal. I give Kristi, our director, lots of credit for herding this group of cats into a respectable sounding choir. We sang hymns from our two hymnals, but in parts, with our choir being the only one to have rehearsed prior to today. Not even Victory had rehearsed. But, it sounded wonderful according to those who spoke to me afterward and God gets all the glory for this!

Justin's and my goddaughter, Sarah, served as acolyte for the first time in front of this assembled group this late afternoon. She was quite nervous but her daddy calmed her down. In this picture she is met by her grandparents as they arrived for the service. Proud dad and grandparents for this moment. Shown is Sarah, Paul, Alex and Joe, Darwin, Kurt, and seated, Cliff. 

Sarah is ready to lead the procession down the aisle. Our pastor served as liturgist and the new pastor from Zion, Gainesville, Brian Wrobel, gave the sermon. He began at first from the floor level of the sanctuary but eventually found his way up to the lectern in the chancel. The sermon was based on the three men in the fiery furnace, about how faith triumphs. He was a riveting speaker. His wife, due to deliver their 2nd child this month, was there with their little daughter, Charlotte. The only little one present besides our 9 and 10 year olds. 

Following the meal was the worst part---clean up! Jean made it fun by draping herself in the table decorations as she was putting them away. This really looks good on her!!

A quiet Reformation Day

I have set the two kitchen digital clocks back an hour but have yet to stop my grandfather clock in the dining room. We gain an hour of sleep/rest tonight due to the end of daylight saving time. I sure won't mind the additional hour of sleep but am sure it's going to mess with my head for at least a week. We might have all kinds of people at Bible study tomorrow if our members forget to reset the clocks. Fortunately my electronics do it themselves so I don't have to worry about that. 

Justin has been home with me all day, confessing to me this a.m. that he has a tooth bothering him. It has been acting up every since he took a chip out about two months ago. His reason for not telling me?  He didn't want me to tell him to get it fixed. I know he can't get off work for things like dentist appointments but certainly we could have made some arrangements. Well, now it's keeping him awake, or waking him up. Fortunately for him, his winter schedule begins as of Monday so he can go in and get it repaired. Hopefully a filling will do the trick and he won't lose the tooth. Having your dentist as a friend sure doesn't hurt---I communicated with her this a.m. and we are all set for Monday.

This morning I got the church newsletters printed off for those who get the special color version plus I wrote out the Ladies' Group Minutes. They were e-mailed to Terri and printed for my records.  In between I made my baked beans for tomorrow and had them cooking on the stove for a couple hours. Oh, how good they smelled! My lunch was the last of one of the egg casseroles leftover from yesterday's luncheon, which was delicious. The recipe described it as being 'can't miss' and that it was!

My friend, Kathy H., enjoyed the casseroles so much that she asked for the recipes. Her niece is getting married and Kathy is helping her brother with the wedding stuff. One thing she has to do with Gary is prepare breakfast one of the mornings. I e-mailed her the recipes today so she can make use of them. She was thankful to taste-test them yesterday and knows they are delicious! AND, she is much more comfortable in the kitchen than am I so certainly this will work out nicely for them. 

Justin had a coupon soon to expire from Papa John Pizza so we decided to have that for dinner. He was ordering it online and given a time of delivery of 70 minutes. Normally it's much less than that but with the big college football game going on we figured that extended the delivery time. It should arrive just right for us to eat and then watch Jeopardy!  

I was also expecting my little neighbor girl to come by trick or treating so when the doorbell rang, I went running to see Oakley's costume. Instead it was the pizza lady, with her face painted, bringing our dinner. Only about 30 minutes had passed and we were surprised she was there already. Well, we ate dinner early tonight but still watched Wheel of Fortune and Jeppy. And Oakley was a no show---shoot! I had gotten her some little gifts as usual so perhaps I'll deliver them to her grandma's house tomorrow or the next day. 

This is my kind of Reformation Day----nice and quiet. Tomorrow will be the other kind with the Festival being celebrated at two services. I am so looking forward to tomorrow but boy, will it be a busy one. Two Sundays in a row where I'll be exhausted, but well fed!

Michael sent me this photo while we were eating dinner. Yes, I can just smell them...mmmm! Mike and he are making smoked Boston butts plus the brats as we are hosting the area congregations for the Reformation Festival. It will smell wonderful during Bible study in the morning---bbq!

A blessed event!

Today my neighbor, Kay, and I have had the pleasure of hosting an event to bring attention to the Clay PACE Center for Girls which recently opened for this county's girls 'at risk'. I have written about this on more than one occasion, the first time after I heard Senator Bradley speak at the Republican Women's meeting last June. The State budget had been tweaked and tucked but somehow some funding was found to support this important program. Primarily the PACE program offers girls a chance to get caught up academically in a non-threatening and safe environment, plus provides them with social support and skills so they can be ready when they leave school and move into the workforce, etc. 

Here are some photos from the gathering:

 Apple dumplings which Justin started last night and I finished this a.m.

 Kay bought the fancy cupcakes and the fruit tray. I made breakfast casseroles. This one was the easiest and went the quickest.

This casserole was intended for the slow cooker but I had concerns about it being lost in the bottom of it. Justin researched the conversion for me so I could bake it instead and happily turned out perfectly! Made with cinnamon rolls, heavy cream plus eggs.

This is the table before the ladies started their breakfast

The Executive Director of PACE, Destiny, addressed the ladies. Seated is Kathy M. and standing is Kay, my fellow hostess

 Kay got a turn to speak to the group as a representative of the Board for PACE. Seated from left are Susan, Lynn, Judy C., Debbie, Betty, Jacquie, and Kathy M. 

 This young woman, a student at PACE, was a riveting speaker, sharing her story of how she found the program and how it's benefiting her. More than one person besides myself found themselves counting their blessings after hearing what kind of life she's had. But Tay Tay is full of hope for her future, announcing she wishes to become an entrepreneur and motivational speaker. I think today her career began!

 While Kay addressed the group, Terri, Destiny, and Kimberly, against the wall, the lady who gave Nancy and me the tour in August, listened. In the foyer you can see the piles of items donated by the ladies to make available for the girls at PACE to purchase with points they earn during the week for meeting goals and such. Even people who couldn't be there dropped off items for the girls.  (Click the photo to see the piles better)

It was our privilege to host this event and am blessed to have these generous ladies in my life and today, in my home. I even had people ask to be invited---how about that? I am already thinking about whom to invite for the next one, probably after New Year. 

The ladies were able to fill out cards with their contact info and a place to sign up for tours. I didn't get a look at the cards to see how many did that, but my guess is that a good portion are more than interested. 

Thankfully Terri and Debbie helped get the donations hauled down to the car and then helped me tidy up. Terri even helped Kay carry her stuff home again while I put my stuff away. In no time it was all cleaned up, looking like nothing happened. Terri and I sat for a bit before she had to get back for work. My bones and muscles like it that I am now resting, too. They are exhausted but thrilled right along with the rest of me!

Fall Fest Sunday

Today our church was having more than one event including our monthly Fellowship Sunday plus a Fall Fun Fest for the kids. Before church one of the ladies involved in putting this together expressed her concern that there would be no kids, but we did end up with about 8, four of whom were non-members. I feel badly for the groups who go through so much effort and then we don't have the expected participation. My goddaughter, Sarah, had her two cousins there which helped, the youngest boy being in our preschool. They enjoyed the bounce house, bobbing for apples, having balloon shapes made, pumpkin painting tables and other set ups. My group left when Judy had the Fellowship stuff taken care of, and went to have lunch.

Terri prompted Gretchen and Ethel to pose by the hay bales after church. The ladies didn't want to sit down and get hay in their pants so they stood. So funny!

Judy's granddaughter, a student at UF, doesn't care for Chili's so we went this week to Sam's St. Johns Seafood. I am not ordinarily a fish eater but at this place I do like their fried pollack. Michael was able to take home the cheese grits which automatically come with the meal. He took home three people's portions so will eat for several days! Those of us who were able to track the progress of the Jaguar game which had begun at 9:30 a.m. in London, did so. While we were dining, the Jags won!! Something cool happened as we sat chatting at our table---a lady passed by on her way to the door and softly spoke to me. I didn't really hear all she said but Victoria asked me, "Did you know that lady? She said you look beautiful..." Shoot! I wish I'd understood and said something as nice in return, rather than just smiling at her. 

Justin was at Jesse's to watch the game and enjoy chicken wings. Who eats wings at that hour? But they don't care. He is also making Fruity Pebble waffles. Jesse is superstitious, likes to do the same things done the last time the Jags win, so I guess they will have to stay and play in London!!!  Next week is a BYE so Justin will be in church again. 

November 1st we are hosting a joint Reformation service with three other congregations in our area, one church over an hour away. Supposedly there will be a combined choir but when I talked to Anne from Victory she said they hadn't been rehearsing anything. Oh, oh...our choir was planning on some support from across the river and I hope that changes by next weekend. Today we had two people in our rehearsal besides the director and accompanist. The other folks, three of whom were teens, were involved in the Fall Fest, so an alto and soprano practiced our hymns. We are using one from the Supplement and one from hymnal. Interestingly, we are singing "God's Word is Our Great Heritage" to the tune of Ein Feste Burg which really takes some concentration!! 

At Easter this year, H & B were visiting from WI and attended Good Shepherd with Justin and me. This time they are planning to attend worship at Victory and Harv's brother is going with them. Pastor H. told me he always celebrates Reformation on the last Sunday of October so they are singing "Ein Feste Burg" today. I understand that besides the adult choir, they are having a children's choir singing as well. I am sure it was an awesome service. 

What a good day!

This evening Justin and I entertained my brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Harv and Barb, visiting from our home town. Harv,  Justin's godfather, and his wife, are staying with his brother who had other plans for the evening so they were all ours. Justin and I met them at "Koko's" (aka Saigon Tokyo) for an early dinner, as Justin reminded me that they are from WI...Ha ha. Our friends and family from up north eat earlier than we do, usually, and we don't want anyone to pass out. While Justin and I waited for them, Tracy, the owner, came over to sit with us to chat, and offered us a complimentary appetizer to enjoy before dinner. Very nice!

H & B were a bit late as they got involved watching a college football game, the WI Badgers, but time was not an issue for us. We enjoyed our meal and the conversation, plus the little show that Eddie put on for us while cooking our meals. Thanks to the appetizer and the bounteous portions, both Barb and I had leftovers to go with us. Justin had the sushi meal so never has leftovers and Harv ordered scallops which he cleaned right up. 

I rode home with H & B to show them the way, as the last time they were at my home, Easter time, they followed me. Justin went ahead in my car, and when we got here, he had the front door open for us. We spent the rest of the evening in the family room, talking, after checking the final score of the Badger game. Fortunately for us Justin had no other plans for the evening so he could stay to visit with his auntie and uncle. Barb had just lost her mom in the last couple of weeks, a lady dear to Justin and me, so we talked a bit about that. Mainly her concerns were locating the items her mom had wanted for her funeral including items which were placed in her coffin. That touched me. 

My neighbor, Ellen, shared this photo with me, taken tonight

Just before they were leaving tonight, we enjoyed an up close and personal fireworks show. Our building had been notified that there would be such a show, put on by the wedding families at The Club, but I had forgotten, even though I was the one who shared the information!! H & B liked it, too, saying they'd never seen one quite so close. It was just to the north of our building, in full sight of The Club. Wow!  Justin and I pull out all the stops when company comes!!

Earlier in the day I was invited to breakfast with Terri, once again meeting at Grumpy's. The second time in a week! I had misfiled my gift certificate from Grumpy's (have now found it) so had to actually pay for my lunch. I have almost enough left on the certificate for one more meal, courtesy of my CO kids!  The hostess seated us at the 'romantic' table, a two-top situated in the corner. When Terri found me there she said, "No one puts Baby in a corner!", ala "Dirty Dancing", which was humorous. But it was okay to be out of the way of all the traffic this restaurant has.

We had asked Judy to join us since she was over at church but she was going to see her grandson play soccer. She doesn't babysit for him any longer so this is an opportunity for her to see him again. We'll have lunch tomorrow so that's okay if she misses out this one time. When talking on the phone this a.m. Judy told me she had gone over this week and trimmed our friend, Betty's, shrubs which had extended beyond the sidewalk, blocking her path. That Judy is something else!

This afternoon I talked for some time with Linda, this time on the phone instead of the computer. She had an absolutely amazing evening at church last night for a marriage 'retreat' type of event. That will be a whole 'nother posting, I am afraid. I am so glad for her, and for Tommy, and those others who were able to participate. I was cool to be hear her voice again, though there is nothing ever stopping us from calling, we simply choose other methods of communication these days!