Sunday, June 04, 2006

SATURDAY REHASH – SUNDAY A.M.

Whew – I wasn’t able to get out and ride this week with all the sickos but I made time to ride this a.m. We are trying to adapt to our new Sunday Schedule. We are now in a service that meets at 6:00 p.m. – the contemporary. Some Sundays (like the past two) we will be going to all services anyway but some Sunday’s we’ll just settle for doing the “expected” and not the “hyper expected”. All that to say; we woke up in time to leave for church at 8:00 and have no where to go. I’ll let you know later what we end up doing. I know the day began with the younger ones watching “Fivel” which ties in with our recent study on immigration. Jamin and Mike went for a run. I went for a bike ride…the GPS unit keeps turning off – I think I’ll go get that bike computer that I was going to get at 50 miles. I don’t like being harnessed to known routes….which I am until I can get these first 500 miles in. My goal this week is going to be to hit the 200 miles ridden mark.

There is lady in my hometown named Kathy. She and her dh Chuck have made it a practice to have people over to their house EVERY SUNDAY after church. I’ve been impressed. You never know quite how many people will show up. They’ve done this while her husband was unemployed…when they had children and now that their children are out of the house. Scripture tells me to practice hospitality. I struggle with this. I have learned that there are many ways to practice hospitality….inviting a friend to the pool or park, taking someone out…all those would count. Having folks into our home is tougher. In San Antonio the first time we didn’t have a large circle of friends. We did invite those over that we knew. In AK we had a huge yard and house but we were so stinking busy we literally had no TIME to have folks over. Our pace is saner down here. Now we have a small house….and a small yard….no family room or play room…you get the picture….but we still need to be hospitable. I’ve been reluctant here too because we’ve made so many food changes that others may not like…but I’m learning to cook healthy food that tastes GOOD. OK any family that uses a gallon of honey a week is not eating cardboard tasting food – contrary to rumors you may have heard. I’ll admit the turkey bacon WAS close to cardboard….but you can’t win them all. Maybe with us being home Sunday during the mornings we can start inviting a few over from church…..we’d be done visiting in time to get to our service in the evening…..If we had Kwame and Adrienne’s family over – which we have – that’s about the same as two “typical American families”; we CAN do this. I’m not sure how Kathy has done it all these years….she even bakes her own bread….which must have stuck with me as I now bake bread. I’d say I want to be like Kathy but she has this awesome children’s ministry and anyone who has seen me teach Sunday school classes KNOWS that this is not my niche. {g} Enough morning musings…

Saturday rehash:

Jamin did another yard yesterday. He’s met a man who writes for the newspaper. The man has published books and is a repeat customer for Jamin. I find it interesting how God is so faithful to send relationships into my children’s lives that they need as we simply go about living life in a way that is meaningful to us. This isn’t a peer….but could well become more of what a young man needs anyway – a mentoring relationship. I spent some time making a business card for him. He’s earned the $400 needed to give to the AK chapel…..now for the plane tickets to AK. THAT’S the painful part from down here.

We spent a couple of hours at the pool…without Josiah as he had to work. Josiah was in charge of the shop yesterday during the manager’s break. He continues to learn a lot about working relationships, life in general and leadership from this job.

We hung out at home and relaxed – that’s a novel idea. We had hoped to feed the ducks but never made it.

Mike and Charly took Mike and me out last night. We didn’t realize they were going to pick up the tab – but what a treat we had. We went to “The Wharf” – a place we’d never even noticed before. It was a great meal and good fellowship. Mike ate unclean shrimp :::snort::: but I had a wonderful grilled halibut and baked potato. OH – we also split a turtle cake that was more like the “death by chocolate” of Bennigans. Mike said I did not hold up my end of the deal – but I never do. I made a valiant effort. He courageously finished it off.

While we were gone Jamin had started the younger ones watching “Dreamer” another netflix movie. We loaded everyone into the van and went to see the bats. A few weeks ago we were out at this time of night and there were hundreds of thousands of them flying out from under a certain bridge….but there were just a few last night. I’m not sure what the deal is. Maybe they don’t stay here all summer???? I wonder how to find out. We’ll try again. It was the coolest thing and we’ve been trying to find a late night when we could afford to be out, so the kids could witness the sight.

I’d better get on with the day…who knows what we could do with a whole SUNDAY before us.

2 comments:

Jen said...

I am struggling with that same hospitality issue. Esp with the food thing. A lady in our class just started a new thing called "Three Family Fellowship" where 3 families are paired up for 3 months at a time, each one hosting one get together for one of hte months in the 3 months. And then we get partnered with another 2 families for 3 months. The host family gets to do the planning and deciding for their month. I have been worried about this as it is just very hard to explain to others about what we can eat! And I don't want to tell them they have to cook from scratch, etc! We got our assignments today and I just told them we had "weird food issues" and food might be hard. Hopefully we can play things that do not involve a lot of eating! Frankly I think we get too stuck on eating as fellowship anyway! And that is not cheap! We'll see how it goes. Anyay, I know what you mean about wanting to more, but not knowing how!

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

I like the idea of Three Family Fellowship - and I've heard of Dinner 8 - but I think that is without children. . . but I do hear what you are saying about fellowship not always equalling FOOD....