NEWSFLASH! A Full Service Gas Station Still Exists!!

When my friend Shirley pulled into this gas station I wondered why she was rolling down her window and then I realized it was a Full Service Station! A friendly man comes OUT of the building, ASKS you what kind and how much gas you want, PUMPS the gas, WASHES the windshield, TAKES your money and SMILES and SAYS, "have a good day!"

Pretty sure the attendant (yes, he is an attendant!) thought I was just a little bit, o.k., probably a lot crazy when I got so excited about all of this and when I asked to take his picture, but my very Southern friend explained it all with this one sentence....


"She's from the north."

From Mike to Mari

"You shouldn'ta gone and done that. Dang near made my eyes leak."

For Mike

type...delete...type...delete
why is mike's birthday blog card
so hard to write?
maybe because in 51 years
i've never stopped to really
consider

mike

the middle brother
in the middle of the family
those are the only words
that stay on the page

here's some more nouns
till the adjectives come
Husband
Father
Grandpa
Uncle
Friend
Runner
Outdoorsman

Kind
Generous
Fun
Gregarious
Adventurous
Growing

Now I've scratched the surface off
and I can clearly see that....

I don't know how I would have gotten through
the year 2005
without his presence in my life
Knowing he was there for mom
when I couldn't be
Hearing his cheerleader voice
every time, every time I called
Watching him love us both
so well

He is one of those rare friends
(And I've never called him friend)
Who always leaves me feeling better,
more hopeful,
than when the conversation began.
That is what I believe and know
about Mike.

Happy 55th Birthday - I love you.

More Bible Club pics...Thursday night

UMT from RP in GR

It's been a fun week as the youth group from Roosevelt Park Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, MI is here as an Urban Ministry Team working with New City and Hope for the Inner City. This is the church where our good friends the Youngbloods are members and though we are so sad that they're not here with the group it's been neat to get to know the youth leaders and kids!

We've been going out with them in the evenings to do Bible Club at Wheeler Homes and whenever we do that I remember how much I love it! Throwing down a tarp, gathering a bunch of kids, and sharing Jesus with them with a story of truth from the Bible, a few songs, a bag puppet, and a cup of Kool-Aid.

I love craft time when you get a chance to go over the story again with the kids as they're working - here a little friend shares her finished product of the fish that swallowed Jonah - a fish the storyteller pointed out that was bigger than Shaq!!

A fun tradition has been to have the group we're working with over for ice cream sundaes on the Wednesday night of the week they're here. It's always a great time of fellowship!

This is Merv who is the director of children and youth ministries at RPCRC and is also a good friend of my good friend Julie!! Love it that the Lord makes these kinds of connections possible!

Lest We Forget

Every time I drive to the new McKays I go past this sign and every time I get "curiouser and curiouser." So yesterday I finally gave in to that curiosity and drove in the gates down a long drive lined with Bradford pear trees. At the end of the drive is the cemetery - a large plot of ground with the single headstone pictured below. There are a couple of concrete benches in there but that's all. The grass is neatly cut and I've noticed that the entry gate is open at times and closed at others so someone is taking care of this rather unobtrusive piece of history.

I like that. I think it might be a good place to go back to and spend some time remembering.

Love Comes Back Around

One of my first friends in Chattanooga was Tabitha who I met at a meeting at New City. I mentioned to her that I was working at an urban day camp on the Westside and she mentioned that she was a teacher and offered to help me. I often refer to her as my angel as she was a lifesaver! We became good heart friends and remain so to this day. We spent alot of time together in the GTCA sharing many things, one of which was her desire to some day marry a Godly man and raise a family.

Tabitha made the trip from her home in Virginia for a baby shower here in Chatt. and yesterday she came by for a visit so we could catch up and I could meet her second child, almost 4 month old Naomi Joy. Cute, precious baby! After introductions were made Naomi fell asleep in her mom's arms and Tabitha and I had a deliciously long talk.

I love this quote about friendship by Macrina.......my Tabitha friend is definitely "good wine in my life."

"Friendships do not die. They simply wait awhile. They quietly remember. In the absence of the beloved they age like good wine. I am happy to say, in spite of the distance and the infrequent letters, you are good wine in my life, always willing to be poured out again when the sacred moment returns."