May 16 – “Blue, spikey hair guy”

I decided to try out the "teacher technique" again in today's sermon.  Lots of questions.  Allowing for immediate feedback.  I never know how the people will react when they get a chance to talk.  Well, today they took it.  They were on a roll from the time we did the Visual Verse on.  I even snuck in a picture of Josiah so I could do the proverbial "grandfather gloat."    But we hit a milestone.  We actually finished a complete chapter in one teaching session.  That doesn't happen often at Seaside.  At least not when I'm doing the teaching.  Anyway, almost everybody seemed to stay awake.  Except for one of the students from First Baptist Church, Highlands.  A whole group of them showed up unexpectedly.  They came out last summer and did some work on the building.  They also led our Vacation Bible School and some evening youth activities.  This particular guy was a lot of fun.  He came up to me before we got started and said hello.  He looked familiar, and I must have looked overly quizzical at him, because he said, "I had blue hair last time you saw me."  That's right.  The blue, spikey hair guy.  I did remember him.  But today he looked startlingly normal.  Nice looking kid.    After dinner on the grounds I did something I haven't done in awhile.  I actually sat down and watched a whole Astros game.  Well, except for the two innings I fell asleep.  It was a pretty good game.  They lost.  Again.  But they will come back.   Carlos Lee hit a home run.  Hunter Pence got a double.  One of these days they are all going to do it in the same inning and the Astros will actually score some runs.  They'll be back.   I waited until I thought it might be a little cooler to head into the back yard.  I wanted to get a start on finishing up the patio that I tore up right before the rainstorm.  Chris was working on a baby quilt she's been making, so it was just going to be me.  It couldn't be any worse than that outdoor wedding yesterday.  Besides I remembered yesterday that one of the side effects of the steroids I'm taking again is hot flashes.  That's probably all it is.  Oh, well.  Heat stroke, here I come.   Isaiah 25:4 says, "You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat."   Father, you are an incredible refuge.  And we have needed some of your shade around here since we had the pecan tree trimmed.  Thank you for being there.  Amen.