July 10 – “Best sight ever”

We put on our Galveston Island Tour Guide hats yesterday.  We took our Arlington friends on a driving tour of some of the old homes in the East End.  Well, it was a little more extensive than that.  And we didn’t actually drive into the homes, just past them.  It was a lot of fun, though.  They were impressed with the wrap around porches and with the ones that hadn’t been renovated yet but showed great potential.  Chris’ inner HGTV was yearning to be set free.  Much more of that and we might have buy one of those diamonds in the rough and play the reno/flip game.  You know, that actually does sound like it would be a lot of fun (This coming from the guy who needed help just to put up a garage door opener).  We’ve been watching way too much TV. 

We had quite the crowd at home group last night.  We incorporated a surprise birthday party for Jennifer and Mrs. Betty.  People of all shapes and sizes.  Kel and Christina had a meeting and a lot of preparing for a garage sale to do, so we had their four kids.  Mrs. Betty was there, of course.  Bryan and Jennifer.  Anne and Cedric.  Heather and Chris and their two kids.  Corey and Janell and Brennan.  By my count that’s eighteen people.  Ten adults and eight children.  Whew.  That made for some exciting chaos.

Now I thought we were going to just do the party.  Problem was, Bryan had to go pick up the cake without Jennifer knowing what he was doing.  That meant I was to start the Bible study.  Good thing I had it prepared anyway.  He made it back and snuck the cake into the kitchen, so after prayer I said I had one more song for us to sing.  I cranked up the computer like I usually do for our “Jesus songs.”  But this time it played the “Happy Birthday to You” song, and we all joined in.  Thanks for getting born, Jennifer and Mrs. Betty.  Love the excuse to have a party.  Although if we keep having all those children, I think it might be time to develop a kids’ Bible study for them.  Maybe they could meet in the office while the old folks are in the den.  Sounds like fun to me.  Watch for details, all you Moms.

Kel’s kids spent the night with us, so that meant a trip to the donut shop this morning with Micah.  So far he has always been the first one awake.  Great tradition, though.  I am happy to be a part of continuing that one into the foreseeable future.  Makes for some happy faces in the morning.  Best sight ever for a morning person like me. 

Isaiah 40:11 says, “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms

and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.”

Father, thank you for mornings and donuts and happy faces on little children.  Amen.