March 22 – “Steps toward normalcy”

We had quite the room full of people at church yesterday.  Chris even got to take care of some little ones in the nursery.  It’s been a long time since she did that.  Guess that was one of her steps toward normalcy again, after both the world’s Covid issues and her own heart attack issues.  There were some new folks from Sea Isle that I met.  They had been invited to come by several of our Seasiders out there, all of whom claimed a part in this little victory.  I suppose they have been putting forth the invites for some time now.  I also had a chance to chat with a guy who came last week with his grandkids.  He’s living in his RV and traveling the country.  He was really happy to have found a church he really liked so he could enjoy attending on the road.  And for the second week in a row, someone stayed after to talk about salvation and baptism.  Hard to beat gaining a new family member.  And they seemed all set for a baptism at the Easter Sunrise Service on the beach.  Don’t forget there will be breakfast served as well back at the church building.  Oh, and we still need individually wrapped candies to put in plastic eggs for the Easter egg hunt after breakfast.  You can bring them next Sunday.  Yep … that’s really Palm Sunday.    

 

Dinner on the grounds went really well, too.  There was an abundance of great food … as usual.  Our Sea Isle guests stuck around and kicked things off by being first in line.  It was all good, from the chicken spaghetti to the baked chicken to the macaroni and cheese to the chili to the bean soup … amazing variety in main dishes.  And the dessert table was overflowing as well.  Word has it people were practicing for the Easter breakfast feast to come. 

 

The rest of the afternoon we spent trying to stay awake and watch March Madness basketball games.  Well, Chris did some reading in there, too.  And I put a few more pieces into the round puzzle.  But basketball was the main attraction.  Every bracket in the country has been broken by all the upsets.  The only two teams I have left in mine with a shot at the finals are Baylor and Gonzaga.  I picked Baylor because they are pretty good this year.  I picked Gonzaga because I always pick Gonzaga.  I just like saying that name … Gonzaga. 

 

1 John 4:4 says, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

 

Father, thank you for the chance to meet new people at church.  Be with them in their journeys with you.  And please be with us as we get all the preparations done for Easter.  Amen.