April 7 – “Some day”

Yesterday was kind of wild and crazy in the work department.  I had to pick up the slack from what I usually get done on Monday.  Normally that would be fine, but we had a meeting in the morning, so that took about two hours of work time off my schedule.  It was a good meeting, though.  Our financial advisor went over some stuff related to stocks and mutual funds.  Honestly … not much that I care about one way or the other, but I do want to retire … some day.

 

I arranged to rent a fifteen passenger van to take us to children’s camp this summer.  Guess that makes it real, doesn’t it?  We are hooking up with Josh’s church again, so at least we will be familiar with the baseline processes.  I haven’t seen what if any Covid protocols the camp may have in place, though.  Now I need to start developing the flyers and info sheets and signup sheets and all that extra stuff.  Let me go find my youth pastor hat.  I know I left it around here somewhere …

 

We had some neighborhood excitement.  Have you ever heard the expression, “Watch the paint dry”?  That was it.  See, we live in a quiet neighborhood.  And our neighbors across the street were having their house painted.  Pale green and bright white.  Very pretty.  So we literally got to watch the paint dry.  WooHoo.  Fun, fun afternoon.

 

I missed the Astros game.  My schedule that I dutifully printed off their website said the game started at 8 p.m. in Los Angeles.  In reality it began at three.  I have a hunch television schedules may have taken precedence.  They usually do.  At least the good guys won this one on Correa’s home run in the ninth inning.  Not a bad road trip to start off the season.  5-1. 

 

Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

 

Father, help us as we move into planning mode for camp this summer.  Provide the funds to pay for transportation and counselor fees and whatever scholarships will be needed.  Amen.

April 6 – “Pretty much as usual”

We started out our Monday pretty much as usual.  Chris went to cardiac rehab and then to physical therapy.  That’ll be her Monday-Wednesday-Friday until the end of April.  I walked the neighborhood, but I only made it two miles.  I was beginning to feel kind of weird, so I stopped there.  I felt fine after downing a bottle of water, though.  Guess I’ll have to remember to take one with me from here on out.  Especially as it is getting hotter around here. 

 

I hit my computer work as hard as usual, but I couldn’t follow through on that, either.  I was just tired.  Easter Sunday took a lot out of me physically.  I know Sunday night I was asleep when my head hit the pillow, and I didn’t move until the next morning at 5:30. 

 

Chris made a trek to Texas to the quilt shop.  She’s ready to get started on the next youngster in line.  I struggled through some work, but ended up dozing on the couch.

 

Last night we decided to make a quick trip over to Nathan and April and Cailyn’s house.  We thought she had forgotten her bag of Easter candy from when the family was all over on Friday.  Wasn’t hers, though, so at least now we know which household it came from.  Must belong in LaMarque.  We chatted with them for a while.  Nathan got a new-fangled grill.  It is electric and is even connected wirelessly to his phone.  Plug it in, operate from your phone in the confines of your living room while watching the game.  Wow.  Talk about a lazy man’s game.  Love it. 

 

Back home we settled in to watch the Baylor vs. Gonzaga basketball championship finals.  Baylor absolutely dominated them the entire game from the very start.  It was 9-0 before Gonzaga even scored a free throw.  Then it was 11-1.  At one point Baylor pulled ahead by 19 points.  Gonzaga clawed back, but it was too little, too late.  Nice job Baylor. 

 

We also switched back and forth to the Astros game.  They were playing late in Los Angeles.  They started strong, but I couldn’t last past the fourth inning this time.  Guess I jinxed them.  They ended up losing to Mike Trout and his gang.  Oh, well.  They have 157 more games to go.

 

1 Peter 3:15 says, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect.”

 

Father, thank you for Chris’ dedication to quilting.  It has really seemed to touch some people when they receive one of her creations.  Amen. 

April 5 – “Easter on the Beach”

Once again, this time with bated breath and great excitement, we ventured into the world of Easter Sunrise Service on the Beach.  It is actually a 25-plus year tradition for Seaside, but we were disrupted last Easter when the local authorities closed all the beaches because of the Covid Crisis.  We had no idea how many to expect because of the year off, and because many folks are still a little skittish about the virus and large crowds.  Two years ago we had around a thousand in attendance, so we had no idea how many to prepare for.  We randomly chose the number 500 for printing song booklets and ordering our yearly gifts.  This time we found a really appropriate one, by the way.  We gave everyone a mask imprinted with the words. “Faith over Fear.”  That was our theme for the day.  As it turned out, attendance was down some.  The estimate was closer to 600 this year.  Wow.  Listen to me.  An attendance of 600 is a down year?  Nope.  That was an amazing turnout.  The community responded in force and many of our Houston area regulars made their way down as well. 

 

The setting was beautiful.  The moon was still high in the sky and visible as early risers began to appear.  The praise team and Jim’s crew of set-up workers scurried about like a family of sand crabs.  Amps went up in several key places to extend the reach of the sound.  Plenty of microphones rose on stage to accommodate the full praise team voices.  All seven members were present and accounted for.  Bobby was in from Tennessee.  Dale came back from Houston.  Cory anchored the other end.  In between were the lovely ladies Sonya and Dianne, and Doug was drumming just behind.  Jim of course led the team from front and center.  And the sound was powerful.  We could hear them from the church, a good two blocks away.  I had countless compliments about the music.  It was great, as usual. 

 

Cory and Sara once again provided a police/traffic control presence, and parking, which had been such a nightmare in years past, once again went smoothly.  600 people generate a lot of traffic.  Their newborn baby, Roman, hung out with his Aunt Megan so Mom and Dad could do their police thing. 

 

God sent many of his creatures to add to the ambiance of the moment.  The pelican fly-overs began about the time we started singing Amazing Grace, and they continued through the rest of the service.  Sometimes there were three.  Other times there were seven or eight or ten.  My favorite was the time four or five pelicans soared above, followed by a lone seagull, who appeared to be trying desperately to keep up with the big boys. 

 

It was kind of fun when the sun actually began making its appearance, peeking over the water through the few clouds.  It made for some stunning views.  And not a few attenders wanted to take advantage of the photo-op.  I encouraged then to go ahead and enjoy the moment, and numerous folks joined the ones already capturing Easter memories. 

 

At the end of the service, we did six baptisms of folks ranging in age from around 11 to 60-plus.  I knew about three of them before the service.  The others stopped me before the service as I was walking around through the crowd.  Each asked if they could be baptized as well.  I talked to them a bit about their relationship with Jesus, and they were good to go.  It was a special time for all involved.  Very cold water, but very special moment.  And most exciting for us … Cailyn was among them.  Her Daddy was there beside her all the way, and Mommy was taking pictures from the shore. 

 

As we entered the water, a big, strapping young man approached me.  I had baptized him two years ago at the last sunrise service.  I remembered him well.  He simply asked if he could come out into the water and be there to assist.  He showed me his t-shirt that identified him as a lifeguard, so I said, “Come on in!”  Later, at the church building, he gave me a very nice Easter card that thanked me for being a good role model to him.  Apparently his whole life turned around after his baptism.  He now works with youth in his church in Friendswood.  I’m really proud of you, Sam. 

 

Probably the biggest surprise of the day for everyone (except I guess me) came at the very end.  A little background first … I received a phone call a few days before the service from a guy who lives in Pasadena (I think), and had been to the sunrise service before.  He wanted to invite his neighbors to join him this year, but before he approached them, he had a question.  Seems the neighbor’s high school son was a concert-quality bagpiper.  How did he know?  Because the young man practices outside, and the whole neighborhood gathers outside to listen to him.  I assured him it would be great to have the lad.  The next day the boy’s dad called to make sure it was OK, and to ask if the dress code was casual or if he should “kilt up.”  I assured him casual was fine.  I met the 14-year-old named Canaan just before the service began.  And he had decided to kilt up anyway.  He was dressed in all his regalia, ready to go.  So, as we entered the water for the baptisms, the sound of the bagpipes playing Amazing Grace filled the air.  It was a real surprise for the attenders.  Nice job, Canaan.  You are welcome to play any time.

 

We decided to continue our tradition of inviting everyone who attended the service to join us at the church for breakfast.  Since we were so unsure about numbers, we still had enough food to cover a few hundred people.  Not as many decided to join us as in years past, however.  Maybe a hundred or so.  Still a little Covid-shy, I guess.  The excess food didn’t go to waste, though.  Some went home with Seasiders.  Some went to the Salvation Army with a lady who has been staying there.  A bag full of breakfast burritos went with one guy who planned to take a walk on the seawall and give them away. 

 

Chris once again organized a great Easter egg hunt.  Hundreds of eggs covered the lawn in front of the church, and the ten or so kiddos had a field day with them all.  They were able to make two or three swipes to get them all picked up.  One preschooler and two children won the golden egg gifts this year.  Two received age-appropriate devotional guide books, and one received a copy of the Action Bible.  Not to mention, of course, a big bag full of sweet stuff.

 

The ten o’clock communion service went off without a hitch as well.  Forty-four people joined us in the worship center this time.  Some were carry-overs from sunrise, and I was really proud of them.  Most of them managed to stay awake.  We did have some visitors who had missed the early morning festivities.  Michigan natives, as I recall.  The music was once again powerful - even the warm-up before the service began had people applauding. 

 

After both services everyone pitched in to help clean up and tear down and get somewhat ready for next week.  Of course, we’ll be sweeping sand for weeks, but it will be well worth it …

 

Romans 8:10 says, “But if Crist is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.”

 

Father, you are certainly to be praised for an incredible day yesterday.  After all, it was your resurrection that started this whole Easter thing.  Amen.

April 4 – “A tale of technology”

Happy Easter.  Go to church.

 

I thought about just leaving it at that, since we are departing at 5 a.m. for the sunrise service (Get going.  You still have time to make it).  But I actually planned ahead and saved up a blog for just such a time.  Let me tell you a tale of technology …

 

I got my new hearing aids the other day.  they are really nice creatures, too.  Several different features hold great promise.  In one setting the hearing aids themselves can choose from the type of environment around me and automatically select what they think is the best level of amplification.  On another they can focus my hearing on people behind me for when I am in the front seat of a car.  It’s sister setting allows me to choose a direction I want to listen in and focuses on that.  For instance, if we are in the car, I can pick the direction that points my ear toward Chris so I can block out road noise and focus on what she is saying.  Or, as our kids pointed out, I can “accidentally” choose the wrong direction and never hear a word she says.  That would be so amazing, though.  On the other hand, I can already do that.  (Wait.  Did I actually type that thought?)  A fourth setting is for when I want to listen to music.  I tried that one the other day on my walk.  Listened to music through my phone and directly into my ears.  Amazing.  The fifth one is my favorite.  The doc who fitted me is a PhD in audiology.  She developed a selection that can magically transform the gobbledy gook that comes forth from underneath a mask into discernable speech.  I admit I had my doubts about it at first, but when they finally turned it on, I was floored.  I have used that one quite a bit in our mask-laden society today.

 

Now if someone can just invent a smile that pierces from the depths of mask-dom.  

 

1 Chronicles 16:2-3 says, “Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.  Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.”

 

Father thank you gain for the amazing miracle that are happening in my head every day.  Well, in my ears, anyway.  Amen.

April 3 – “not BY me, but ON me …”

After the appearance of my masterful blog two day ago, I was challenged the other day to reveal an April Fool’s prank that was pulled not BY me, but ON me instead.  In the interest of all that is fair and goofy, I present said occasion to you now …

 

As many of you know, we have taken up the task of working jigsaw puzzles to relax us and help pass the time during the pandemic quarantines.  I even rigged up a barricade around the edge of our table to keep the pieces from falling into the waiting mouth of a certain curious canine.  The latest puzzle was quite different.  It wasn’t in the shape of a rectangle at all.  Nor even a square.  This one was a huge circle.  So …  very odd from the start.  We stayed with it, though, and actually got quite a bit of the center section completed.  Not certain whether that was the appropriate route to follow, but it seemed to be working for us.

 

As you also no doubt know, we host a home group Bible Study on Thursday nights at our house.  Been doing that for years, and several of the folks who come have been coming for years.  So, we’re not really a … staid group.  Don’t panic.  That’s just a high class word that means “dull.” 

 

Now, let’s put those two ingredients together.  I could tell you about our newest member’s recent encounter with every-flavor jelly beans.  Not a pretty picture or sound, there, Sonya.  But I won’t mention that one.  This is about me, so here goes …

 

So … the aforementioned round jigsaw puzzle was on the table, still in many pieces.  As people arrived for Bible study, some of them hang out at the puzzle table, and try their hand at adding a piece or two.  Not a problem.  Encouraged, in fact.  But this time, things proved … different.  Instead of connecting some pieces, “someone” left three extra puzzle pieces on the table that almost perfectly matched some of the colors in the actual puzzle.  I didn’t even see them until the next day when I swept my arm across the completed part of the puzzle to reach for a different piece.  I picked one up and studied it.  That color was completed in the puzzle, though.  No place to put it.  My first clue.  Then I realized that it felt different from the rest of the pieces.  Not as thick.  Clue two.  Then I turned it over.  Sure enough, there was a little message to me, “April Fools.”  And it was signed, Sam.  I quickly picked up the other two errant pieces and turned them over, “April Fools, Lauren.”  “April Fools, Cathy.”  Not too shabby, as pranks go.

 

Not wanting all their hard work to be wasted, and knowing that the prank was surely intended for her anyway, I replaced the pieces to their hidden spots in plain sight before Chris came into the room.  As is her custom, she made her way over to the table to take a look and see if she could help.  She did much the same thing I did; she swept her hand across the completed part of the puzzle and discovered the new inhabitants.  She picked one up and struggled long and hard to force it into place, even knowing that color was already completed.  “Maybe,” she thought, “Maybe we’ll have to take the whole thing apart because some piece in there is in the wrong place.”  She labored for a long few minutes before my kind and compassionate nature kicked in.  I quietly told her to turn the pieces over.  She immediately complied, perhaps thinking there was somehow a different image on the other side, and I had pranked her by getting her to piece the wrong side.  I have no idea why she would think that about me, though.  But when she saw the distinctive lettering, “April Fools, Lauren,” she knew she had been had.  So, here’s to the founders of that feast of foolishness, Lauren and Cathy and Sam.  Nice job, guys.

 

1 Chronicles 16:8 says, “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.”

 

Father, thank you for friends who can laugh and who trust each other enough to be, well, silly with.  Amen.

April 2 – “What’s that sound?”

Well, my blog post yesterday did get a little bit of attention.  No, I didn’t really win the lottery.  And apparently my logic in presenting the course of events surrounding the alleged victory had so many holes in it that it could never have happened that way anyway.  Besides, the last few lines were intended as a give-away clue.  Remember them?  “Chris thought we should hold off on the reveal until next year about this time to give us an opportunity to make decisions and investments.  Why wait until next APRIL?  That just seemed kind of FOOLish to me.”  The bold and italics have been added to highlight the attraction.  Not to mention the highly specific scripture chosen for the occasion: “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”  Hope you all had fun imagining what it really would have been like …

 

Back to the real world …

 

It started out really early for me.  I had to meet the bug guy at the church at 8 a.m.  I was awake anyway, of course.  I’m trying to keep my body from adjusting too quickly to daylight savings time.  Why?  Because I have to get up well before the crack of dawn on Easter Sunday for the sunrise service on the beach.  Once we get past that I can let it relax and enjoy the sunshine. 

 

Speaking of the service. I returned a call left on the church answering machine.  It was from a guy who came to the service two years agon.  He wanted to know if I would be interested in allowing his neighbor’s high school son to play Amazing Grace on the bagpipes while the baptisms were taking place.  He hadn’t actually asked the neighbor yet if the boy would be interested, but I assured him we would make it work.  It actually brought back memories of when worship pastor at the time Andy played his pipes.  Sure enough, sometime later in the day, I received a call from the young man’s Dad asking if I was really serious.  I assured him that I was.  In fact, by that time I had already talked to Jim, and he was enthusiastically on board as well.  So … it looks like we’ll have a little bit of an extra touch at the beach this year.  Don’t miss it. 

 

Luke 23:34 says, “Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’  And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.”

 

Father, thank you for this extra unique opportunity to add to the worship experience on Sunday.  Be with the young man as he prepares.  Amen.

April 1 – “Check the date”

I tried something the other day that I have never attempted before.  I bought one of those lottery ticket thingies from a convenience store near the house.  The one right across from WalMart, actually.  I figured no one would recognize me since I never go there.  Guess I was successful in that regard.  I had to get help from the guy behind the counter, though.  I had no idea what I was doing.  He was very helpful, too.  Explained all the nuances of the different types of tickets that were available.  I had no idea you had to choose.  I thought you just told them your birthday or some random collection of numbers, and they typed them into a computer somewhere.  He did that one.  The computer even picked the numbers for me. 

 

I paid for the ticket and started out the store, but the guy stopped me.  He reminded me that I had also purchased a “Scratch off” ticket.  Those I had seen before.  Someone gave me some for a Christmas present one year.  I returned and picked it up.  I figured I may as well scratch it off right then.  It was more confusing than any of the others I have seen.  Combinations of pictures and numbers.  A few of them seemed to match up, though, so I turned to me new friend and asked for help again.  He took one look at the images and turned as white as a sheet.  He pointed at the ticket, then at me, then back at the ticket.  Now I was more confused than ever.  I thought maybe I had done something wrong.  Finally, I asked what the problem was.  He managed to stammer, “No problem.  No problem.  No problem at all.”  Well, if there was no problem, what was the issue?  He finally continued, “You won.  You won.  Instant winner.  Look here.  See?”  I followed his pointing finger and according to the ticket I was an instant winner of – wait, I had to scratch off the rest.  There was a one.  Then a seven.  Then a four.  Then a zero.  Then a six.  Then another six.  Then a nine.  Then came a dot, followed by two eights.  Wait.  Put that all together … $1,740,669.88.  That’s an odd number.  Apparently, it matched whatever validation number the guy had punched into his computer.  That was the amount I won.  My new friend was already filling out paperwork for me to send or take in to the lottery office to claim my prize.  It was real.  Just like you read about in the paper. 

 

Lots of thoughts ran through my head.  What will we do with this money?  Guess we need to get a lawyer or somebody to help us invest it.  How long will it take to actually arrive in our account?  Should we keep it secret?  Chris thought we should hold off on the reveal until next year about this time to give us an opportunity to make decisions and investments.  Why wait until next April?  That just seemed kind of foolish to me.  Nah.  Let’s start planning our next trip.  I’m ready.

 

1 Corinthians 1:27 says, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”

 

Father, thank you for creativity and … fun.  Amen