Church picnic

Yesterday was really a fun day.  The people who attend our church are really great people, and being able to spend time with them in a relaxed place was great.  We used our little city's park, and it worked out so well.  The weather was perfect - a good breeze and temps only rising into the lower 90's.  We set up under the pavilion, which really was a basket ball court until kids from the low income apartments near by would come and hanging out for hours ultimately destroying the basket ball goals repeatedly.  But it is a big nicely covered slab. If there had not been the breeze it would have gotten not under the roof.  It is metal, and heat is held.

An inter generational kick ball game began after we had lunch - hot dogs from the church, and a covered dish from the members.  Those people really enjoyed that and are looking to start a league with the near-by church (our old one).  It could be a lot of fun.

I made a cake from a mix to take - it was really nothing to inspire anyone to eat it, so G has cake around here.  People ate bought cakes before my little bundt.  Oh well.  I knew after it came out of the oven that it was pretty pathetic.  Certainly not what I usually try to do.

Of course, the picnic was a great opportunity for us to have a fight - well for G to display his wonderful personality.  We ended up really not speaking Saturday night.  I guess he thought I didn't begin preparing the steak soon enough to go on the grill.  What preparation that takes.  Sprinkling cajun seasoning on the meat - or if I get really fancy a little olive oil and THEN the seasoning.  I began talking about taking a table or so to eat from.  He exploded.  I don't remember what he said exactly, but it was completely uncalled for.  So I was pretty much silent after that.

Is there male menopause with the associated personality changes.  If so, he has had it for about  30 years!  Ah, well.

Peace

Is it me?

Since our Women's Group meeting is next Saturday, I thought I would send out the reminder yesterday to give people plenty of time to plan (ha).  I know there will only be the few of us there.  With school ending, sports in full swing, dance recitals, and being the day before Mother's Day - well, you know...

The group has been asked to coordinate the church picnic to be held on May 27.  I assumed most people were aware of this date.  It has been mentioned a lot.  So in topics that we will be discussing, I put we would be working on the planning of the picnic.

I hardly pushed publish before I got an email asking if the picnic was on the 13th.  I know I didn't put the date in the email, but seriously?  This particular woman was even at the last meeting when we were formally asked - again.

That email set off the Director of Education sending one really panicked about that being the date.  Seriously lady?  You are more in the know about what's going on than I.

So I drafted yet another email to go out making a joke of sending one that was clear to me, but obviously not all.  I guess I should have made that date clear, but it has been talked about for months.  It even has the RSVP on the cards we fill out on Sundays.  Geesh!

So from now on, I will make absolutely sure that there can be no misunderstanding of what is in those emails.  I should know better - after all, I taught for 29 years in Public School and about three in an adolescent psychiatric facility.

Peace.

Highs and lows

That's the way our small groups at church are to be started.  Each meeting, everyone gives his high(s) and low(s) for the week - remember, we meet every week in these official small groups.


When I heard that with the first round, I said I thought it was stupid.  Conversation among people begins - there doesn't need to be a prompt.  This is when Daughter and SIL had to do one.  I was so against these groups.  Too frequent, too stilted, etc.


This go-round, there was a small group that was supposed to meet at local restaurants, and was for fellowship - at least that's what I thought.  We missed the first two meetings because we were either already at the SSB or coming home.  I don't want to go to a group after a 5 1/2 hour drive home!


We went to the meeting last week, and to my surprise, G wanted to go back.  There were great people there.  I knew there would be, so I wasn't too concerned about the group - since it was supposed to be a fellowship/dinner group.  


We DID have the highs and lows, but it wasn't too bad. Then the rest of the night we talked and ate.  We were meeting at the church, but I know that was because we could arrange the tables in a manner conducive to talking.


This week it changed.  This week was still at church, still with the highs and lows, but we had an agenda.  It was to discuss the sermon from Sunday.  I. AM. TURNED. OFF. FROM. THIS. GROUP. NOW.


It was even mentioned - well  the last three meetings have been fellowship, but we are going to discuss the sermon.  I do not understand WHY the leadership cannot get it into their heads that the church wants more fellowship time.


That leads me to what kept me awake last night.  Our (my) women's group on Saturday.  I do not plan to run that group like this model.  People usually volunteer good and bad things in their lives.  We meet once a month.  That little dedicated time for this has no place.  Plus - these women want fellowship.  That's something we haven't been able to do much of in the last two meetings.  We were still floundering looking for direction.


We have direction now.  We are going to be making tied fleece baby blankets for a group that supports young women under 24 who have experienced an unexpected pregnancy.  That translates into mostly teens.  They need all the help they can get.  So we are going to learn to make these blankets.  Then we can learn to knit and crochet to make little caps for those babies or premies at local hospitals.  I am going to suggest dresses for little girls in Africa or Appalachia, or pillowcases for the children at  M.D. Anderson Cancer Hospital.


We are going to visit, craft or learn to craft, and make things for someone who needs it.  We are not doing highs and lows, nor or we going to have a set discussion topic.  


In his latest blog post, Pastor went against himself several times in what he sees for the church.  I know he will come to me with what formula he sees.  He even said he doesn't think
"quilting bees, VBS, ... are doing what we need to do.  He even hit small groups as not meeting what we should do - but he is pushing them down our throats, and is happy that so many of us have fallen in from the pressure.  


He wants us to come to church on Sunday, be inspired to go out and minister to the world, and come back the next Sunday to begin the cycle over.  What is wrong with us ministering to each other - with a little fellowship?


I know I am beating this subject to death.  It just lives in me.  I guess it does because I am loving this women's group.  It is going where I wanted it to go.  I am the "leader" only because someone needs to organize it as far as making sure the dates are published, securing the place.  I don't really want this group to have a leader per se.  We don't need it.  I will try to put this particular soap box away.  It isn't easy because I am constantly thinking about this and girding my loins to be strong when I have to stand up to Pastor.


Now to what got me thinking about this.  Our real low for this week is that our ex-Pastor/good personal friend (battling pancreatic cancer) is back in ICU.  Two weeks ago, he had a cyst of some kind removed from his spinal area.  It was a long, arduous surgery.  He is still on a vent, and being slowly weaned off.  But now a scan has found a spot on his liver.  It has been biopsied.  We will know in a couple of days.


I am asking for prayers for him.  Please.  He needs them badly. Thank you in advance.


Peace.

Interesting

When I walked into church today, the pastor said he needed to talk to me.  Oh, really????  He said perhaps this isn't the place, but we talked anyway.


He asked if Daughter has said anything to me.  When I asked her later, she said she had  not talked to him, but anyway.  He asked how I was feeling about the women's group.  


I told him that I thought things were going along just great.  I wanted to add that we didn't need a baby sitter, and we seemed to be developing our vision for the group - without the Ministry Team directing us.  But I assured him that things were great.


He is so very worried that we will leave the church.  I know that's a big part of his concern.  I do just wonder who said what.  Or if his sister said something about my "co-conspirator" in getting this started.  


He commented that he was worried that I didn't feel supported with the group, and there are some strong women in that group .  Hello - I happen to be one of those women!  But I know he was referring to Sharon and her daughter.  Well - they aren't my concern.  They are my complete allies.  Pastor's sister on the other hand - I don't know  - the votes are still out.


We have found some places that we can help - and by making things.  That seems to be the focus the group wants to have.  This next meeting we are going to be making tied fleece baby blankets for a group here that helps women under 25 who have an unplanned pregnancy.  


I am so excited about it all.  Then I found a group that gives "Comfort Dolls" to abused women in shelters all over the nation.  That's another thing we can do.  


I think we are well on our way.  Fellowship and giving to others.  What a combination!


Peace.

It was amazing, and a lot of fun

We had the first meeting of the new women's group finally today.  While not everyone who said they would be there showed, there were still 11 of us.  The eleven are strong women who can get things done.

While we snacked - after all what's a meeting without food, and Robyn brought mimosas! - we talked about the group and what we saw as important.  It was clearly decided that the fellowship is important, and that service to the church and the community was equally important.

Pastor came in to say hello, and we convinced him to sit and enjoy some food.  So he did.  I think he was very impressed by the attitude of the group wanting fellowship, but more importantly - wanting to be of service.  We want to be the nurturing heart of the congregation.

We set the next meeting, and we have some definite ideas of where we are heading.  What a great bunch of women.  There was a little aside where there may be splinter groups from this  main group who will meet occasionally - like perhaps a crafting group.  Yea!  We are off and rolling.

Grrr

The women's group a friend and I have wanted to start at church will actually begin on Saturday.  For this, I am excited.  We were going to work on the "children's annex."

A little history here.  We are a brand new church (well - five years old).  We began meeting in an elementary school.  That was good although tiring  because everything had to be stored in a trailer and put out/taken up every Sunday.  Daughter and SIL stayed at that church while we went back to our "home church" after they got a new preacher.  Wanted to give him a chance.  But he was not as dynamic at Pastor C at this new church.

After three years, the school gave us the boot, and a new worship facility had to be found.  So the church relocated in a strip center.  The church sort of has a coffee shop feel, but that's ok.  It is laid back and very progressive.  It works.

After about a year, it was evident that that space was simply too small.  There was no room for the kids.  So another spot was leased about three doors down that gained the name "children's annex."  Now this isn't advertised except among the members because it seems that there is something that prohibits a children's place.  They are probably trying to make sure there is  no day-care locating in that strip center.  So we moved to two services (ugh!), with the children having a 15 minute education experience during the sermon.  It is sort of a Sunday School, but not really.

What does this have to do with the women's group you ask.  Well, the person who is in charge of the education has said she wanted curtains to cover the windows.  OK.  Sharon and I both sew.  She does quilts (and I am hoping before something happens she will teach me!), and you know what I do.  We were all set, and this was going to be the activity for the first meeting of the wg.

When the time grew close for this meeting on Saturday, K said she had consulted a decorator (!?!?!?!?! - we are broke!) who suggested painting phrases and the like on the walls.  She was going to Bed, Bath and Beyond to purchase curtains.  What??  Well, ok.  She said the women could do the painting.  We agreed.  We thought it was all set.

I get an email today saying that she doesn't have time to get the paint and all.  She suggested a stupid ice breaking game for us.  Nope, not gonna' do it.  I hate those stupid ice breakers to begin with.  Always have, and always will.

I forwarded the email to my partner in crime, and she agrees.  So it will be a more relaxed time.  We will eat snacks and lunch, and sit and talk.  We will be looking at things in the future.  We will try to pin down service things for us to do, but first and foremost we will get to know one another.  That's what we wanted all along.  We just threw in the other stuff because our unmarried pastor doesn't seem to understand that there is an underlying desire among us women to simply know one another.   Hopefully there can be some service to the church and community.  He is big on the community involvement.  He doesn't want us to be self-centered.  I think we can handle it all!  Even if K keeps throwing monkey wrenches into plans.

Peace.

More time with the kidlets

Seems like our Pastor is in a bit of a quandary.  Daughter is on the board.  They wanted to have lunch after church.  That's all that needs to be said to give background.

So what does that have to do with anything, you ask.  Well - it meant that we had the kidlets after church today.  We had them twice as long as we were supposed to have them.

I sound terrible, don't I.  You KNOW I love those kids.  I enjoy being with them - but when I am told x amount of time, I plan on x amount of time.

Kids being kids, want to play with toys they don't normally have around.  Such is the time at Grandma's.  But I knew that it would be a whirl-wind when parents came to get them, and they were spending their time getting out multitudes of toys.  I really did not feel like picking them up.

As it turns out, they did better than great - they were superb. Couldn't ask for better kidlets.

In yesterday's pics, Lady Bug's personality showed through like a champ.  She is such a great kid - it scares me.  I do love them all, but there is just something about this one!

Perhaps it is because I am more comfortable around older kids.  One reason I never, ever wanted to teach in the elementary school.  Sixth grade science was the lowest I ever taught - thank goodness.  I have to be honest - high school biology was the fav.  The others are growing too, so someday ...

Peace.

Exciting days

Yesterday was another test of the Grandma's Lack of Technological Sense.  Thanks to my dear internet friend Judy, I got to play with our "new" home theater system.  The thing is at least three years old, and I still fight it.

I was going to watch the wonderful Adele DVD.  Oh, that meant that I had to put the DVD in the player.  That part I remembered.  Then came the real fun.  I had to get sound out of the speakers AND a picture on the screen.

You have to understand that I have trouble switching from regular tv to surround sound, and getting the radio on - well, let's just say that I try for about 15 minutes, then walk away!

So I loaded the DVD.  The easy part.  Then I began trying to get the sound. I finally got that, all the while knowing that I would never get to listen to Prairie Home Companion on Sunday again!

Then I tried everything I could think of to get the picture.  I knew G wouldn't settle for sound only with something completely off the subject on the screen.

I fiddled and fiddled.  Then the memory came flooding back into my feeble (post menopausal, post chemo) brain.  I needed yet another remote.  This action required three remotes.  You see, our fancy, expensive all in one remote that never worked properly is dead.  It is beyond revival.

We watch so many DVD movies I forgot how to work all that stuff.  When I got the third remote out, I remembered how to control the input, and viola, there was the picture.  I did it.  I had sound - out of the speakers, and an image on the screen.

We sat back and enjoyed the concert - greatly!!

Today began as a good day.  I got to sleep in!!!  We went to the Wednesday prayer and communion service, bought Daughter's birthday gift,and then found a new Italian restaurant.  The food was delightful as well as inexpensive.

That was the end of the beautiful day.  As we had already backed out of the parking space and were getting ready to pull out, there was a loud explosion sounding thingy.  I thought the car (yes, the "new" one) had blown up or something.  Nope - some little girl was in a hurry to leave and backed into us. So my bright, shiny new Toyota has a big boo-boo on the back.

What's even worse, I am hoping this is just nerves, but my sciatica, which has been hurting anyway again, is killing me.  I know when I get upset, it will hurt.  The back tightens up a lot.  Well ...  It is tight !  And I am upset. So, what will tomorrow bring?  We'll see.

Peace.

Another day gone

I got nothing done - again - today.  Well, not exactly true, but nothing towards the craft show.

At noon, I went to the prayer/communion service at church.  It was a good thing.  I am glad I went.  I left feeling uplifted.

Before I left I had to go up to put away my ironing board and the like  because the guy was coming to check out the heaters.  Yes - we do use heaters around here!

When I got home, I found that we had Monkey Boy with us.  He was having a GI incident, and was sent home from school.  I'm glad G stayed behind to await the heater guy.  Daughter is running herself ragged trying to get all of her work done since her company is pulling them for a national meeting in Orlando in a couple of weeks.

So with MB here, I spent a lot of time with him.  I was also waiting for G to GET THROUGH WITH MY COMPUTER!  Sorry - irritates me.  I have to get the desk top fixed so I can get the router to work again.  Then I can trundle off upstairs, embroidery, and surf all at the same time!

So it is 4:30.  We are all anxiously awaiting Daughter's arrival.  Then more normal things can commence.

Yesterday I went out to pick up my Christmas present.  I ordered it before we bought the car.  I knew it was going to be expensive, but I was given the go ahead.  It was, after all, a lot less than  the new sewing/embroidery machine that was introduced at the same time. This little doozy allows me to  make almost anything into an embroidery design and put it directly into the machine.  Sweet!  I installed it yesterday on the little computer upstairs.  Having trouble with this one however. It is Windows 7, and I have had problems with things like that before.

So that was my exciting day.  Nothing worthwhile happened - except spending some time with  my grandson.  Funny - until this year, he could care less about me.  That has changed.  He loves me this year.  Seven year olds!!

Peace.

Here and there

The weekend was, as I knew it wold be, busy.  The kick-off is meeting daughter and family along with their present BFFs for dinner at the local Mexican Food restaurant. That will  be another story.  It's fun, but mainly it's good because I don't have to cook.


Saturday was Monkey Boy's birthday party at a laser tag place.  Needless to say, we DID NOT participate in the games.  But we have missed so many of his parties - along with the other two's parties - that since we were in town, we should go.  Got to talk to some of Daughter's friends (and mothers of the boys of course.).


When I got up Saturday I put on my glasses when I got out of bed and stumbled into the kitchen.  I have a condition where my eyes will be blurry because of the excretions from the tear ducts. Whenever I looked up that morning, I couldn't see.  I could see fine close up, but distance was just a blur.  In fact my eyes are blurry now - but close up. I kept waiting for it to finally clear, and I still could not see far.  


I finally took the glasses off,at  only to discover they were my READING glasses.  My new progressives are in a wire frame - like I would always wear before last year when I got the thick frames,  So I was trying to look at far things, I couldn't see.  I guess when I took the readers off, I put them were the progressives should have been. Que estupido!  Now I can tell the difference by feel - IF my fingers are not numb.  The readers have a little twirl on the ear pieces.


Sunday was church.  I managed to piss G off because I wanted to get there 30 minutes early.  We now have two services with 30 minutes between for social.  The folks I wanted to see all are in the early service because that's when Children's Church is.  So it was just my luck again.  They all went to the baby's room meet about who was going to teach what during Children's Church.  So no fellowship there!


The afternoon was great and worked like I wanted it to.  We were taking Lady Bug to the little suburban theater's yearly Mellardrammar.  She loved it.  Popcorn was thrown at the villain. She threw the popcorn she didn't  eat during the time he wasn't on stage.  But she absolutely loved it, and being an interactive play, it was great.


After the play, Family Dinner was held at Daughter's house.  Monkey Boy and Dad were at a baseball thingy.  THAT's another story.


So that was my weekend.  Fun filled.  I had great fun - loved it when we were on our way out of the play when the fella playing the villain admonished LB to "get your PARENTS (!!!) to buy better seats next time."  He certainly made my afternoon.  I haven't been mistaken for her mother in 10 years! 


Peace be with you!

Weekend

Wow - a new form for Blogger.  I am so surprised I can hardly type, but then again that's really not new!  Can't type anyway!


My weekend was a killer, and most of it was my own choosing.  


When the subject if Vacation Bible School came up, my response was NO.  Been there, done that, used to have the t-shirt.  I was absolutely sure that was my answer.  I did VBS for years and years, and being the church organist full time it was, of course, determined that I would do the music program.  Does anyone realize how surly and non-participatory pre-teens are?  I absolutely hated trying to get those little monsters (and mine were in that group when the time came) to sing and learn the new songs for Sunday service.


Then I stepped out of the frying pan into the fire.  I was VBS director for two years.  Where was my mind?  I surely don't know.  At least I had a co-director.  But still, I must have been drugged to have said yes.


So all the times VBS was brought up in our little new church, I mentally said - nope.  Not me.  Until two weeks before the day.  I decided to go to one of the meetings.  I decided that they probably use another hand.  It was all on that Saturday, and it ran from 9-5.  We should have played that song by good ol' Dolly.  But I didn't know the ramifications of that.


I went to the next meeting.  That was easy.  They were after church.  I was already there. Daughter was signed up to work, and all three kidlets were going to be in classes there.  Sure, I'll do it.  I will just help out.  Music, er no, I don't do no music!


Saturday rolls around.  I get up at 6:30.  I have only done that a handful of times since my retirement.  But, this was for church and the children after all.  Up and at 'em for the 8 o'clock meeting to iron out cliches.  And for me iron on the patch.  


Things were looking good.  Everything was set.  I was doing registration with another grandmother.  Good, someone read my mind.  That's what I wanted to do.  AND as a result, I got to know Sharon who I had some work time the previous Saturday at one of our church's volunteer places.  Neat O!  Then we would go to the Children's Annex which was four or five storefronts down. (We are in a shopping center and the place next to us isn't available - so we took what was there)


About 2 o'clock the kids were out of it.  They were bored and tired.  The staff and student helpers had reached their limit - and we had three hours to go.  OMG.  The director had a melt down.  It was a disaster.  But Daughter found crayons, markers, and coloring sheets.  We had happy campers for about two hours.


At the end, I was afraid our little Pastor was going to have a fit.  Ours is a multi-use space. Church, but can be just open.  One of the young helpers got the boys to run around to expend energy.  Pastor C HATES running in the church, but I guess this really wasn't church. It was a wide open space.  He said nothing though.


Five came, the kids left, and we broke our the wine and cheese we (SIL and I although G had to be involved) thought it would be a nice ending to a long day.  And you know what? Almost everyone stayed and we had grand fellowship for a couple of hours.  It was wonderful.


Peace be with you.

Whirlwind!

I can't believe (blogger won't let me complete a sentence unless it's in italics) that we have been out of the house for two days now!

Yesterday began at the ungodly time of 7AM. I. Do. Not. Function. At. Said. Hour. Don't like it at all. But the truck needed it's bodily fluids changed. The car was acting like it was going to need major surgery soon. Both came out just fine - it is our wallets that are suffering now. The bill was $400+! But the truck must transport us almost three hundred miles Tuesday.

Then we went to lunch with out new pastor, his sister, and the worship leader. It was a great time made even greater by RAIN! It rained! The wind blew, there was lightening and thunder. It was a storm. I was afraid that young children were going to be brought up not knowing what this thing rain is.

I have been nominated to do a "hymn sing" for the church. I mentioned it would be nice to have a hymn sing of the old favorite hymns. Guess who will do that - right me - I opened my mouth.

Then we got into talking about embroidering the baptismal blankets. G had said I did that at the other church. Guess what. I will be trundling up stairs to give samples of crosses I could do.

Today was my all time favorite thing to do - grocery store. Got that done. So now I will leave you to enter my well organized craft room (whose am I talking about - certainly not mine) to make some more dresses and embroidery crosses.

But you know what - I am honored to be asked to do these things for the church. We are going to this little church that isn't a church (until this meeting of the synod). This is the exact reason. We love a small church. Hopefully it won't become like the last one that despite large dollar amounts of additional "gifts" of money is still in dutch with the IRS.

That's a tale I may bring up later, if not it's my memory that has failed again. Have a beautiful weekend.

Heeeee's back!

The little church we are going to is still in mission state. We have not formally organized and have a charter yet, but we have some of the greatest things happening.

Our out reach is quite impressive, and I am thankful for that. I think we are reaching the community. But there is a more awesome thing we are doing.

When you walk in to church, you have to remember we take up the end of a strip mall, and our "annex" for the growing number of children is about four store fronts down. But back to the "church." in one corner is the area where the musicians are set up. There is a small alter in front of them. The chairs for the congregation are semi circled about that area. Next to the window is the computer that produces the Power Point part of the service.

The most important part to me, are the chairs and a sofa in the back around the prayer table. There have been where the mentally deficient sit when they come in. When they arrive, it isn't something that takes all the attention. Just the opposite. Most of the time, we don't know they are there.

But on most Sundays, we have a very moved man. During the modern hymn, you will hear "ahhhhheeee." Living so close to Louisiana, this is almost like being someplace there that is playing music.

Last Sunday we had the privilege of sitting close to the lady with Down's. Today, we had the service pepped up with the "aaaahhhhheeeee" springing from the back of the church.

We have really missed him, and I am so glad God has graced us with the attendance of all these folks. I pray the Spirit has entered them and resides in their heart.

Peace be with you.