May 31 - “Where’s the wheel?”

The Josh family got up in the morning and made their way to the beach.  We stayed home in case Christi’s parents decided to come to the house instead of meeting them at the beach. As it turned out, they braved the sand and met them. 

While they were gone, I was tasked with getting some gas in the car and picking up some milk. I noticed right away that traffic at the entrance of our subdivision was unusually heavy. As I turned right, back over my shoulder I noticed the cause of the tie-up. A truck blew a back tire. I mean the tire was gone. Completely. Only thing left was part of the axle. The wrecker driver was trying to figure out how to pick it up onto his flatbed. I guess he finally figured it out, because they were gone when I got back home. 

I got the gas and milk at Randall’s. As I got back in my car, I noticed engine 4 was parked across the street at a little strip mall. I couldn’t resist. I had to check on my guys, of course. But when I approached the driver I commented, “I didn’t know if you guys were over here getting haircuts or eating health food.”  Of course it was neither. They were there doing fire inspections. I chatted with that driver for a while, then remembered I had milk in the car, so I hurried home. 

We went to lunch at Shrimp and Stuff. It was the first time for Christi’s parents. I’m pretty sure we have a couple of new disciples. They said they loved it. 

After eating that big lunch, we went downtown to the Strand. We didn’t do the whole thing, though. Just LaKings for ice cream and Jamaica Me Crazy so Zak could get some souvenirs for his friends. 

We had to do a quick Walmart run while our guests made a return trip to the beach. We had to pick up a few more burger fixins. Luke was elated to have a plain old hamburger after all the exotic seafood. 

Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭2‬ ‭says, When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

Father, thank you that our guests seemed to have a pretty good time. Now please protect them on their drive home. Amen. 

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May 30 - “Fishing”

We went fishing. And we actually got to our spot at least an hour earlier than we usually do. That would be about 7:30 or so. Cailyn went with me to get bait a little after six, so that was all ready and waiting. 

It was a pretty successful trip for the kids. Everybody who fished actually caught something (well, Cailyn did her best to get skunked, but she came through in the end. That piggy gave her a real fight). We caught several croakers and black drums and a few catfish and one dogfish, but Zak won the prize for his slot redfish.  Nice fishing, everybody!

In the afternoon we braved the Galveston tourist traffic and headed into Texas to hang out at Nathan’s house for a while. It turned into quite the outing. The kids (and Josh) went swimming in the pool. They figured out a way to get the Astros game on their TV, so the Old Man was happy. And since we were all together, we took the fish we caught and some we had in the freezer and combined it with some “no name fish.”  That’s Nathan’s terminology, not mine. They also had some shrimp and French fries and fried okra. Chris brought along some other potatoes to cook in the oven, along with Zak’s red fish that Nathan stuffed with crab. It turned into a sizable little feast. And besides swimming, there may or may not have been a rousing game of softball.  Josh, Luke, and Zak played me, Cailyn, and Caleb. The good guys won, of course. At least I think we did. Nathan was the umpire as well as full-time catcher, and he changed existing rules and created new ones as we went along. Lots of fun, for sure. 

John‬ ‭15‬:‭13‬ says, Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Father, Thanks for the chance to go fishing again. It’s been a while. And thank you that every one of the kids caught something. That made it special for them. Amen. 

May 29 - “Special treats”

We had a special treat yesterday. Cailyn wanted us to  come get her for church. Of course the prospect of some Waco cousins arriving sometime during the day may have played a little into her request. So we rushed up to Santa Fe and then turned back toward the Island. We made some time for a quick stop to pick up donuts. They were pretty popular last week, especially with the Praise Team. They continued in that popularity yesterday. 

I surprised Cailyn with a request. I asked her to read the Call to Worship scripture. She did a great job. She even banged on the tambourine for a while. 

We had a guest preacher, since Kel was still in Alaska. The guy’s last name was Strange. He wasn’t. He did a really great job teaching from the Book of Ephesians about the church. Great emphasis on the basics. 

After church we stuck around with Sam and Robert and had various incarnations of shrimp from the Shrimp and Stuff food truck across the street. They no longer serve popcorn shrimp there, but their regular fried shrimp basket was pretty good stuff. Special treat two. 

The Waco Vaughan’s arrived last night. Special treat three. They have been on vacation in New Braunfels, and now they want to hang out here for a day or two. The plan for today is to go fishing. That is, if we can get some bait. That’s where I’m headed now. We’ll see …

Acts‬ ‭4‬:‭31‬ says, After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

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Father, thank you for giving the Waco Vaughan’s a safe journey. Please be with us today as we try to make our way fishing. Amen. 

May 28 - “Late night visit … in the gutter??”

And the photo dumps have begun to arrive. Our mission trip team has completed its work in Port Allsworth, Alaska, and is back in Anchorage. And with the new location comes … cell service! Internet! WiFi!  And with all those modern conveniences comes the ability to post on social media. 

The pictures I have seen so far have been nothing short of amazing. It is truly a beautiful part of God’s creation. And I especially loved the one of Ezra, all decked out in his winter hiking gear. His comment? “I’m basically an Alaska wilderness dude.” Thank you to everyone on the team for your hard work. Now, enjoy your day or two of sightseeing. 

Speaking of their sightseeing, they are seeing some critters on the side of the road off and on.  They tried to convince me that they were mooses. Come on, guys. You know there’s no such thing. You must be confusing it with those deformed Alaskan cows that locals foist off on tourists as mooses. Late last night they even FaceTimed me to show me one of their imaginary friends. Sadly, it had just walked back into the woods right before I answered. Sure. 

We have entered the summer growing season in Galveston. The grass is finally shooting up. As a result we spent a few hours mowing the grass and sweeping up the fragments. The rest of the afternoon we watched part of a movie, and then switched over to the Astros game. Good guys won!

Late last night we had some “interesting” visitors to the neighborhood. Around 9 p.m. we heard noises out in the front. At first glance we noticed an extra car parked, blocking Corey and Janell’s driveway, with the driver’s door standing open. Of course being the concerned neighbors that we try to be for each other around here, I stayed for a closer look. 

And what to my wondering eyes should appear, but two girls in their early 20’s, wearing bikinis (and they shouldn’t have been. Not very flattering), sitting in … the gutter right in front of our house, having a rather spirited discussion. Now that was definitely not a sight one expects to see in our neighborhood, so I stayed at the door, watching and trying to decide if they might need some help. It soon became apparent that the only help they might need would be a mediator or a counselor. 

I touched base with Corey by text to see if he knew who they were, but no. He even called Janell to get her input (she’s out of town). Her idea was to put one of their yippy dogs on a leash, take it outside, and let it bark until they leave. If they had ever escalated beyond their loud banter, I probably would have called and asked for a police drive-by. 

At one point they realized I was at the door watching, so they got up and walked over to the car, opened the trunk, pulled out some drinks, and had a seat over there. Very odd. Before long a guy joined them from a second car that we hadn’t noticed parked a little farther down the street. When he arrived the volume seemed to decrease considerably. Thanks, fella. After another 20 or 30 minutes, they finally drove away. Never a dull moment around here. 

Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭19‬ ‭says, Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”

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Father, please be with those girls. Help them to resolve whatever issue they were having. Amen. 

May 27 - “Inspection”

We had a few errands on tap for yesterday. First up was a visit to Dennis, our mechanic. No problem there, actually. It was just time to get it inspected. Only issues came when the machine couldn’t read what the car was sending. Come to find out, I was causing the problem because my phone’s Bluetooth was on. I switched it off and all was well. Passed with flying colors. 

Next I drove downtown to get the registration sticker. There was only one guy in front of me in the line. Shortest wait ever there. When I got to the window, there was a bit of an issue. The computer had t yet received the information from the inspection. Fortunately, I had the old-school printout in my hand. She typed in the revenant information, and out popped the sticker. Well, after I gave her the money, of course. 

On the way home I stopped by Central fire station. I haven’t been to any of the stations since before Hawaii. I was worried nobody would even recognize me. The crew was out on a call, but I was greeted warmly  the secretaries and the chiefs who were there. Great to see them all again. 

Back at the house we had a totally different problem. Plumbing. Our sewer was overflowing into the garage and backing up into the bathtub. We called the number for our plumber,  but we weren’t sure if he is still in the business. It’s been a while since we needed him. The answering machine picked up like it used to - same message and everything. So we decided to wait it out and see if he responded. No response. But in the meantime, all the backed up drains … drained. Best we can tell, it’s a function of washing clothes. We just have to be careful on the second and following loads. 

Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭18‬ says, And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Father, thank you for Dennis and the help he has always been to our cars and to us. Amen. 

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May 26 - “$4.99”

I pitched in to help Chris with cleaning up the house to make it ready for home group again. I did the sweeping and vacuuming. She handled the dusting and mopping. And bathroom cleaning. I think we both stopped just a hair before our respective maladies (my back, her heart and surgery soreness) kicked in. Hopefully the house was at least almost back up to acceptable cleanliness standards.  

I did a little excursion on my own after lunch. I went over to Randall’s. No, not for a prescription this time. They actually had Blue Bell ice cream on sale for $4.99 each that’s no less than $4.00 off the regular price. Of course they had a strict limit of two per online account. That was enough for me to nab one of the last two cartons of the new Dr Pepper float flavor. Can’t wait to taste it. 

Sam came over later in the afternoon. She sometimes comes early and hangs out before home group begins. She had some supper with us. She really liked that cauliflower concoction as well. 

Speaking of home group, we had four newbies there. Actually, two were the newbies - Sandy and Ron. They brought along two friends of theirs from San Antonio. Door’s always open …

John‬ ‭16‬:‭13‬ ‭says, But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

Father, thanks for the new folks at home group. And thanks for the time we had with Sam. Amen. 

May 25 - “From the Minnesota/ North Dakota Department of Tourism”

Got another early start yesterday. Just woke up at around 3:30. My back was a little sore and my right foot was throbbing. I know. Weird ailments time again. But neither was enough to keep me awake. I was just awake. 

So I got up and began my morning routine as quietly as possible. I went ahead and published my blog for the day, and before I could even make the coffee, my friend in Minnesota started messaging me. We exchanged thoughts on the joys of aging (early morning bathroom runs and the like).  He also gave me the Minnesota Department of Tourism spiel when I told him about the good possibility of our coming to or through their state when we go on our next road trip. Minnesota and North Dakota will be the northernmost of the states we visit, and they will finish out our quest to visit all 50. Gary recommended everything from The Spam Museum to the world’s largest ball of twine. Then later in the afternoon he sent me links to two must-see museums in North Dakota - Roger Maris and Lawrence Welk. Can’t wait. 

Last night we went into Texas to have dinner with Nathan, April and Cailyn. It was actually Chris’ Mother’s Day dinner. They also gave her one of those throw blankets. Very soft and cuddly. In fact, she wrapped up in it after we ate and wore it while we were there. Nathan barbecued some chicken and added some fresh corn and beans to the mix. Cailyn and her friend Griselda baked a cake and decorated it. Great job, by the way, girls. You too, Nathan. 

Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬ ‭says, Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

Father, thank you for family who feed us and friends who direct us to must-see places. Amen. 

May 24 - “Love. Friendship. Romance. Sustenance. Excitement.”

I walked a mile with Chris. She went a little farther. Love. 

I worked on our new jigsaw puzzle. Bunch of fish. Very colorful. It’s actually Lauren’s that she loaned us. Friendship. 

We watched some TV. Season finale of the NCIS:Hawaii series. Hallmark movie. Romance. 

We made a grocery run. Walmart, of course. We also went over to Randall’s to pick up a prescription for Chris. Sustenance. 

I know. Boring day in Galveston, right? Well, we do have a big story in Galveston. We now have our own sinkhole. 22nd and M. Behind the Bryan Museum and O’Connell High School. The car that discovered it was hanging half in and half out. The city shut down all the water to the area until 2 a.m. until they could repair the broken water main. Excitement. 

Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭38‬-‭39‬ says, For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Father, thank you for all these life necessities.  Amen. 

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May 23 - “A Cauliflower Blessing”

I sent Micah and Josiah a text assuring them that we had multiple people at church wanting to take their prayer cards and be their prayer partners. They even inspired folks to take the rest of the leftover cards as well. Micah responded last night at around 9:30 Alaska time (yep. That would be 12:30 a.m. here. I heard this one though). He said, “I guess it worked because me and Josiah both survived climbing up a mountain!”

We had more than a few highlights of the day yesterday. Not so much anything we did, other than take a walk. But we were inundated with pictures and updates from Alaska. Just what the doctor ordered for Nana Chris, that’s for sure. Well, other than the fact that we really miss being there with them. 

We were blessed again with food. Stephanie brought some soup she made. Probably shouldn’t have told me the creamy texture was creamed cauliflower. I almost didn’t try it. But the parmesan cheese caught my attention, as did the noodles that looked like rice on steroids. I tried it, and to my amazement, I really liked it. Then later Corey and Janell and Brennan brought over some chocolate chip cookies and some brownies. We are all set. 

1 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬‬:‭16‬ ‭says, Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?

Father, thank you that the team made it safely to Port Allsworth. Bless their work. Amen. 

May 22 - “Oh, well”

Well, Chris’ day started a bit earlier than mine this time. Lauren from Alaska sent us a message at around 9:30 their time. That would be 12:30 a.m. here. I just didn’t hear the phone tone. But Chris did, and she didn’t mind, at all. Lauren sent a photo of our missions team and assurances that they all arrived safe and sound. Later that morning, it was fun sharing texts and pictures with people from church who were receiving them from a different perspective. 

The folks in Alaska told me they watched the Seaside service. They even held hands and sang Family of God. And of course they had Noa with them, so she hollered out the “Love ya, Family” at the end. 

The service seemed to go pretty well, but I sure felt rusty. It has been a while since I last preached We did have one issue with the Visual Verse. When the time came to do it, it was nowhere to be found on the computer. Oh, well. I told everyone I’d get a copy printed for everyone during the next song so they could follow along. But when Chris went into the office to do it … the printer was out of toner. Oh, well. But wait. Before that next song was over, what should magically appear on the computer? Yep. The Visual Verse. We got to do one after all. How’s that for a God-thing “Oh, well”?

John‬ ‭14‬‬:‭27‬ says, Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Father, thank you for those “oh well’s” that you surprise us with. And please be with the mission team as they start their flights over the mountain today. Amen. 

May 21 - “They’re there”

I started my morning in the wee hours. I woke up at 3:15 a.m.  My back was barking at me a little bit, and I had to go to the bathroom, but I don’t think that’s why I was awake. See, our Alaska missions team was on their way to the airport at that time. I’m pretty sure I woke up so I could pray for them and text them a few words of encouragement. I hope I caught all of them. 

I managed to doze for another hour or so before getting up. I knew that I had a task before me. It was time to scatter Weed n Feed on the lawns. Fortunately, the sky was overcast, so it wasn’t too hot. I got it done while Chris went on a walk. When she got back, she started her sprinkler routine and got it all watered in. 

 

We had another visitor yesterday afternoon. My cousin Jer from Florida was in town and stopped by to visit. Good to talk to him again. He told us all about his visit to the church in Alice, Texas, where he was christened as a baby. 

He had some issues trying to get out of town though. He wanted to ride the ferry, but after waiting in the line for two and a half hours and watching the line jumpers consistently get away with it, he turned around and headed out over the causeway. By 7:30 he wasn’t yet in Baytown, so at least one night on the road was definitely in his future. 

We did get word that our mission team safely landed in Alaska. They sent some stunning pictures of the mountains they had already seen. They also sent another picture. It was a pile of poop. Scat. Animal feces. Problem was, the locals were trying to convince them that it was from a moose. Huh. Locals will do anything to scam a tourist. Everybody knows there’s no such thing as a moose. 

Revelation‬ ‭21‬‬:‭4‬ says, He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

Father, thank you for a safe first leg for the team.  Please grant them safe journeys and great experiences going forward. Oh, and please be with us at Seaside this morning. Been a while since I preached. I might be a little rusty. Amen. 

 

May 20 - “A real doozy”

We started the day off early again. Mowed the lawn. Did the Weed eater. Add the leaf blower. Gotta include the broom and dust pan. All the while peeking over my shoulder to make sure Chris wasn’t trying to do anything. When we were in the front yard, Janell came over with the same intent, so Chris had a baby sitter. And I finished the yard in record time. Now the plan for today is to spread weed and feed. 

Last night we went over to the baseball field to watch Josiah’s team play against Brennan’s. Ideal situation, actually. No matter what happens, Seaside wins. And the game was a real doozy. Back and forth tight pitcher’s duel. And it appropriately ended with Brennan’s team coming from behind in the bottom of the ninth to win 7-6.  Brennan and Josiah each walked in their times at bat. Proud of you, boys. 

We gathered with Christina and the younger kiddos and Micah after the game. We prayed for their flight to Alaska and the mission work they will be doing. Kel and Josiah came by the house after the game so Josiah could say goodbye to our houseguest for the next week or so, their dog Leia. Since we had another captive audience, we prayed with them as well. 

John‬ ‭14‬‬:‭1‬-‭3 says, Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God ; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Father, please be with the Seaside  travelers as they fly to Alaska and serve the missionaries there. As you watch over them, especially enjoy the excitement of those youngsters who have never been on an airplane. Amen. 

May 19 - “Speaking of fun …”

We had a fun visit yesterday. Sam came by between her appointments so she wouldn’t have to drive all the way back to her house. She had a bite of lunch, and we chatted for a while. Great to see her, as always. 

Every so often Chris gets cold, so she goes outside with a book to warm up. On one of her trips I did my back exercises. On another I turned on Netflix and watched that sci-fi classic, Galaxy Quest. I’d seen it before, but it is definitely worth a second view. Tim the tool man Taylor, Alien Sigourney Weaver, Professor Snape, among others. Very fun stuff. 

Speaking of fun, Sam came back later in the day to eat her nasty Chinese food all over my table. Kel and Josiah also came by on their way to Josiah’s baseball game. And then Christina, Jachin, Noa, and Ezra came on their way to the game. And while they were all there, Sandy from church came over with some beef stew and shrimp salad. Whew. Grand Central Station. 

I left after I ate so I could see some of the game. Noa and Ezra stayed at the house with Chris. Josiah was batting when I walked up. Two men on base. But a wild pitch and a throwing error or two scored both runs before Josiah even had a chance to swing. And he never got the chance the pitcher threw four straight balls. That was a pretty good depiction of how the game went. Josiah team won handily. As it turned out, they won by forfeit anyway. The other team only had six guys show up, so a few of Josiah’s guys played for them. These are the playoffs, so they play again tonight. This time they play against Brennan’s team. Should be even more fun. 

Acts‬ ‭1‬‬:‭8‬ says, But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Father, thanks for our houseful of visitors today. Kind of tired Chris out, but it kinda felt like a regular Thursday home group for a while. Amen.