November 27 – “Happy Fiftieth Birthday, Sue!”

This morning we went to WalMart.  No, it wasn't at 5 a.m. to catch all the Christmas bargains.  We did pick up a Christmas tree, though.  And some rope lights to replace the ones lost around our deck.  So, that made it not really a Christmas run.  This was housing stuff.  Still replacing Hurricane Ike losses.   After lunch we ventured off the island, but again, it was not to inject ourselves into the madness of the Friday after Thanksgiving.  That adventure we left to April.  You'll have to check her Facebook page for an update.  We just went to Sam's to pick up some church supplies.  Next Sunday night is our version of  Hanging of the Greens.  We have a snack party and decorate the sanctuary.  That means we'll need plates and paper towels and hot chocolate and coffee.  And there are also Christmas caroling and dinner on the grounds and the Christmas Eve Candlelight Lord's Supper Service coming up.   We had to go back to WalMart.  We measured the deck and didn't have enough rope lights.  We also needed an extension cord to bring the lights some juice.  That was a fun trip, though.  We saw Rick and Traci looking at a Charlie Brown tree.  I got a hug from one of the wedding coordinators from the San Luis.  She sure looked different in her "civies."  Kel and Christina and the boys were there, too – in our truck.  They borrowed it to pick out  a Christmas tree.  I also saw a lady who smiled and waved from a few rows away, so I waved back.    I had enough time to remove the old rusted screws from the plastic rope light holders, but not enough time to do any installing.  Tomorrow.   Speaking of tomorrow, Nathan and April and Cailyn and Kel and Christina and the boys are supposed to come over to help us put our new tree together.  We also need help getting the Christmas stuff down from the attic.  That's going to be interesting.  Pretty much all of it was given to us last Christmas, so we have no idea what we have.   My sister-in-law Sue just turned fifty, so we went to a dinner party in her honor (memory?) this evening.  That's why she got the title billing.  Fifty.  That's half a century.  Quite the milestone.  The party didn't start until six.  Mom was ready at 4:30, and started pacing around five.  Shortly thereafter she started asking when we were leaving.  Hmm.  Role reversal.  I have a vague recollection of someone doing the same thing when he was a little boy.  It must have been my little brother, Stan.   John 1:16 says, "From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another."   Father, thank you for the "one blessing after another" you have given us.  Amen.