Sunday's Comin'

This coming Sunday we'll be looking at and thinking about some of the ways we reflect God's character when we get outside our building and outside our comfort zones to serve others. We'll also look at some very practical ways we can do that, including some that our Eastside Family members are involved with. It'll be one of those Sundays when we don't have a full-fledged sermon, but I'll have several opportunities to transition between sections of the service, and I'll have one talking section of about 10 minutes.

I like doing this kind of thing, and our praise team rehearsal/devo tonight went really well. Now I just need to get my act together on all the things I'm going to say. Still have time, but I really need to have it down well, because once our worship assembly starts, I'll not have time to catch my breath until the closing prayer. :-)

I think it will be a good Sunday... looking, I believe, at the direction God would have us go to serve our community and impact our culture. May He be glorified.

Lazy Boy

The summer before I entered 4th grade our family bought a house in a brand new tract in Oxnard, California, and that's where I did the rest of my growing up, only leaving to go off to college some years later. At some point my folks bought a 3-piece sectional couch, and it was a mainstay in the living room form most of my memory. When they moved to Cabot in 1979, the sectional came with them, and it's still in my mom's living room... and still looks pretty good. It was probably the best quality furniture my folks ever bought, and the frame is still solid today, in spite of cushioning and springs that sag a bit these days. Lesson learned... good furniture lasts awhile.

Virginia and I have mostly bought cheap furniture over the years (sometimes used), although the couch and love-seat combo we bought in Houston lasted pretty well. Last week we decided to change our ways. We donated the furniture we had to a local charity and bought a new couch and love-seat from Lazy Boy.


The love-seat is a double recliner, and both ends of the couch recline as well. And boy-oh-boy are they comfy!! I'm expecting it'll be harder than ever to get Virginia up to go to bed at night. In the pictures I know it looks like leather, but it's not. We both had gotten our legs stuck on too many leather couches, so we decided we to go with fabric instead. This is one of those new generation micro fibers that's stain resistant. But we really liked the look... sort of like an old leather bomber jacket, but the comfort of fabric. Anyway, come visit and you can test it out.

I have my foot propped up with an ice pack on my Achilles, working on this blog. Well, guess I'd better finish and get it posted. See ya!

Garden Update

Some time back I posted some shots of our newly planted veggie garden. Well, only a couple of beans and one yellow squash so far, but I think we're not too far from some good fresh eating. The plants are growing well. Good shot of the squash and beans below. There are also several volunteer tomato plants... will be interesting to see what variety they are.

We decided to put some tomatoes in pots also this year, and they're looking great. Amazing what a difference some nutrients can make. In years past our potted tomatoes were pretty scraggly... not enough food for them I guess.

This sun-flower was among the mixed flower seeds we sowed in one section. Other things are popping up as well.

Earlier we posted this shot of the apple tree, loaded with blooms. Well, below...

...is the same tree, now loaded with leaves and lots of little green apples. A good number of the little apples are now on the ground, courtesy of the wind, so we'll just have to just wait and see how many of the actually make.

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On another note, we were privileged to help with a "celebration of life" service and lunch at church today. No need to share any details, but I just wanted to reflect that such an experience is certainly a joy when coming alongside a family that shares a common faith. The experience actually becomes celebrating a life more than mourning a loss. God is good!

Mother's Day Memories

Remember when your kids were little... when they would bring home something they had made from school or Sunday school... made just for you? Or maybe they would hide in their room and color a special sheet whose home would become the fridge. Remember those days? Remember how special those creations were? Well, occasionally you get to go back and relive those feelings. Sometimes it's when your grand kids or a child at church do something similar, but this Mother's Day Virginia got to experience that feeling again in a very special way.

Jennifer turned back the clock to those Kindergarten years, broke out some paper and felt and scissors and glue, stirred in some creativity, and made a cool Mother's Day card for her mom.


Needless to say, Virginia moved some photos around to create space on the fridge. The outside is above and the inside below. Thanks, Jen, for loving your mom!

Mudd's

Well, today isn't Mother's Day, but we went to a really cool restaurant tonight. Here's the story... Virginia had done some notary work for Brad and Marla and Charlie and Sandy, saving them some signing fees, so they wanted to take us out just to say "Thanks!" Pretty cool actually... Virginia did the work and I pretty much got to ride on her coat tails.



Well, they took us to this marvelous restaurant in San Ramon called Mudd's. You really should click on the link and look at the web site. Anyway, the food was exquisite and the evening with them was wonderful. All six of us had a great time. Thanks, guys!!



This is the room we ate in.

They grow some of the food they serve right here in the adjacent garden, and much of the rest comes from local growers.
Mother's Day Joke: So, Abraham Lincoln's mom pulls him aside and says, "Abe, what's with the stovepipe hat again? Can't you just wear a ball cap like the other kids?"

Mother's Day Is Coming

Today is Friday and Mother's Day is coming. Thought I'd share a few pearls of wisdom I've learned from my mom down through the years (I actually got the idea from a creative nephew). So here are 13 gems to remember:

• You always go to the bathroom when stopping at a gas station on a trip, whether you need to or not.
• It's OK to ask for half a cup of coffee and some hot water if you don't like strong coffee.
• It's easier to do something right the first time.
• And... if it's worth doing, it's worth doing well.
• It's OK to use a towel to play Superman in the yard.
• Family is important, but kids don't run the household.
• 'T'aint what you want that makes you fat, it's what you get.
• A diacondra lawn looks best if mowed twice a week.
• Never buy a Rambler with a push-button transmission.
• If you can put your hands in the dish water, it's not hot enough.
• School is more important than a part-time job.
• Appreciate the people your kids marry.

...and (cue the drum roll here)...

• The sword from a King Arthur set has more uses than you might think.

Now you know why I'm so smart. :) More Mother's Day thoughts later...

Early Mother's Day

Ever since our kids graduated high school and went off to college, they have seldom been able to be home for Mother's Day. However, they've always been great to remember their mom with cards, calls and sometimes even flowers.

Wednesday Virginia got this card from Jeremy and Amber. You'll notice it' actually posted on the fridge. The humor is sooo Jeremy.

Jennifer's creativity is different than her brother's, so I look forward to seeing her card too. Guess I'd better get busy myself; Mother's Day is just three days away.

Pepperdine 07

Well I haven't posted in a while. The week leading up to Pepperdine was pretty busy, and the 4 days at the Pepperdine Bible Lectures were just way too full to post. Suffice it to say that the time at Pepperdine was rich. Great classes and general sessions, seeing old friends and making new ones, time with Jeremy and Amber, wonderful weather... just a great week. Of course, we burned the candle at both ends, staying up late, getting up early, and going full tilt all day, so we came home tired, but I'm already looking forward to next year.

The shot above is a panorama from the Drescher Graduate Campus. Here are a few other shots as well.

This flag is at the Hero's Garden that was set up after 9/11 as a place of peace in a turbulent world.