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Women’s Meeting

Faith Mennonite Fellowship

Tuesday, March 1

This picture was taken through a large window at the back of the sanctuary.

I was invited to speak at the Women’s Meeting at Faith Mennonite on March 1 – actually the original date was February 1, but it turned out to be a cold, rainy, icy day, and the event was postponed until March. This church is about twenty-minutes from our house.

My heart was blessed when I learned that my friend Cordy (peach colored top) was coming and bringing her cousins Kathy (light blue) and Sandy (dark blue). Cordy heard this seminar four weeks ago at our church.

These are the blessing calendars that Cerwin and I made for this seminar – one for each lady. There are thirty-one cards with a challenging thought for each day.

The ladies on the food and hospitality committee did a fabulous job of decorating and providing a brunch before the morning seminar.

This is a reverse of the first photo – looking through the window from the entrance area. You can see some of the ladies who have already gathered in the sanctuary.

This is my view of the ladies to my right…

…and to my left.

Though I knew very few of the women, many were very encouraging and supportive of the message I shared.

Following the morning session titled “Complaining is Not a Fruit of the Spirit” we had a delicious luncheon in the fellowship hall that consisted of two kinds of lasagna, dinner rolls, and a salad.

I liked the effect of black table cloths and red and white decorations.

The dessert table – of which I did not participate. It is difficult to speak following a large meal.

~~~

My afternoon session was titled “Blessing Your Loved Ones By Your Attitude”.

~~~

Kathy, Sandy, and Cordy continued to visit after many of the ladies had gone home – then they helped me pack my supplies in our CRV.

~~~

Following are the two things that were most requested from my notes. Both were included in my PowerPoint presentation, but were not included in the Blessing Calendar.

~~~

Everything that is not done with love

is done with apathy

Everything that is not done with joy

is done with unhappiness

Everything that is not done with peace

is done with lack of harmony

Everything that is not done with longsuffering

is done with impatience

Everything that is not done with kindness

is done with unkindness

Everything that is not done with goodness

is done with wickedness

Everything that is not done with faithfulness

is done with infidelity

Everything that is not done with gentleness

is done with harshness

Everything that is not done with self-control

is done with self-indulgence

~~~

I opened the second session with this story – just because there are times when we just wish we didn’t have to deal with life and attitudes.

If you want to see Cordy’s version of the day, go to her Xanga site threejoys

God is serious business. He won’t be trifled with.
He avenges his foes. He stands up against his enemies, fierce and raging.
But God doesn’t lose his temper. He’s powerful, but it’s a patient power.

Nahum 1:2-3 (The Message)

Morning Fog ~ Signs of Spring

Heavy Rain ~ Gift of Supper

Monday, February 28

This is what we woke up to on Monday morning.

We couldn’t see very far beyond our yard.

I think fog is relaxing.

After seeing blooming crocus at Mark and Marcy’s house on Sunday, I decided to look for signs of life in our yard.

There aren’t any flowers yet, but there will be in a few weeks.

Then it began to rain.

There was a short downpour just before I left for Curves.

There was a small, muddy river at our mailbox.

There were rain puddles everywhere.

Just after I took supper out of the oven.

I was working in my office this morning when our daughter-in-law Kristen called to ask if I had supper planned. I was glad that I did not, because this is what she brought us.

I figured there was a meat pie under the crust, but did not know what kind of meat was inclosed.

They were beef pies. Yum!

~~~

Thanks, Kristen

~~~

Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations.

Revelation 15:3 (New Living Translation)

Cafe 24 Hundred

At Willow Tree

Sunday Evening, February 27

After leaving Mark and Marcy’s house on Sunday afternoon we drove through Mount Joy and saw a few ice sculptures – remnants of their Fire & Ice Weekend (ice sculptures, hot shopping deals, hot wings, and hot chili). 

We met Roy and Deb at Cafe 24 Hundred at Willow Tree. We weren’t very hungry, but had items for each other and choose to meet here – partway between our houses. However, Roy and Deb did not have a lunch like we had, so they were hungry.

Deb ordered Sweet Corn Fritters with chipotle mayo and cinnamon honey mustard…

…as well as Cheddar Bisque (sharp cheddar) with a soft pretzel twist.

Roy had the 24 Hundred Burger

A hand-formed, fresh ground angus beef char-grilled, topped off by cheese on a fresh baked onion roll with lettuce, tomato, red onion and a half of a huge dill pickle. He ordered mac and cheese with crispy cheez-it crust as a side.

Cerwin had Cheeseburger Soup which he said was delicious.

My choice was Roasted Tomato Soup (roasted roma tomatoes, garlic and shallots) with grilled focaccia bread. Yum!

Cerwin and I shared a Crème Brûlée, which is also what Deb ordered. We love their crème brûlée.

Roy had Chocolate Lava (a warm chocolate cake with a melted chocolate center, ice cream and raspberry compote).

~~~

It was a fun evening.

~~~

Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions.

1 Peter 3:8 (The Message)

Annual Birthday Lunch

Sunday, February 27

We were at Marcy & Mark’s (center and right) on Sunday to celebrate the February birthday’s of the four ladies. Gerald and Joanne on the left.

Cerwin, Cookie, and Gene

Green beans and bacon

Marcy is a fabulous hostess and cooks delicious meals.

Baked mashed potatoes

Chicken breasts

A pretty candle

This beautiful and delicious cake was made by a local bakery.

From where I sat, I could see that they already had crocus blooming.

After lunch we went outside to get a closer look at them.

Joanne, Marcy, and Cookie

During lunch Marcy said she recently found a valentine card I gave Mark when we were in grade school. He pretended to be devastated that I hadn’t saved any of his.   My first reaction was that this card was from fifth grade.

We grew up in the same neighborhood and attended the same one-room school for three years, then when one-room schools consolidated, we went to grade school, and later high school together.   

Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy.

1 Timothy 6:11 (The Message)

Smoke on the Mountain

Homecoming

Saturday, February 26

Our children gave us tickets to Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming for Cerwin’s 70th birthday (coming up in a few weeks).

They gave us a few dates and time choices. We chose lunch and the afternoon matinee.

I wasn’t sure if I should be taking pictures, so chose to not to use the flash. The lighted area in the background is the buffet section.

I later learned that I could take photos except during the show.

Our meal began with a cup of chicken corn soup.

The buffet food was delicious.

I chose a bit of ambrosia, apple pie, cheese cake, and chocolate cake for dessert. Everything was delicious. However, the chocolate cake was beyond what I expected. I savored every bite.

We were surprised to see a friend of ours, Joanna, (dark jumper) with her three daughters and daughter-in-law (right) seated next to us. The girls brought her here for her birthday.

Photography was forbidden after the show started, so I took this nonflash shot of the stage before the opening act.

The show is about the gospel-singing Sanders Family in 1945, just after the war. It was a comedy, but was often more serious than funny. Each of the actors (seven) shared their life-story between old-time gospel songs.

My favorite life-story was of the wayward brother of Mr. Sanders. He identified with Peter in the Bible. My favorite singer was the Sander’s daughter who was a bit of an air-head in the show.

When the show was over, we walked out into almost springlike weather. 

~~~

Thanks so much – Jeff & Chris, Mark & Diane, Jere & Kristen, and Roy & Deb. That was relaxing and fun.

~~~

Here’s how you tell the difference between God’s children and the Devil’s children: The one who won’t practice righteous ways isn’t from God, nor is the one who won’t love brother or sister. A simple test.

1 John 3:10 (The Message)