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All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.

1 John 4:15 (New Living Translation)

Ladies’ Day of Refreshment

Saturday, January 29 – Part 2 of 2

Following the morning session we went to the fellowship hall for lunch. Kathy was at the cookbook table. Our church’s cookbooks usually sell for $12.00. On this day they were $10.00. On the right, Rachel was distributing CDs of the morning session.

The tables were beautifully decorated.

There were three buffet lines.

We enjoyed a delicious chicken salad.

There was a really cute and funny skit to open the afternoon session.

In the opening scene Nina (green dress) came to visit an “Attitude Shop.” Christi (pink) was the sales rep.

First attitude was arrogance

The next attitude was “despondent.”

Then “Contentment”

Thanks to Martha Martin for these closeup pictures.

Left to right: Mary-the despondent attitude, Christi-Sales Rep for the Attitude Shop, Martha-Arrogence, Lanie – Whining, Janelle-Contentment, and Nina-the customer.

They were a perfect team!

By the way Janelle’s “belly” is a dishpan that was duct taped to her body.

My second session was titled – Blessing Your Loved Ones by Your Attitude.

When I was cleaning up my things from behind the pulpit, I noticed that Martha left a feather behind. I would have loved to do something fun with it so the preachers would find it on Sunday morning, but I behaved and picked it up and put it in the trash.

God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. It’s a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God. It’s a good thing when you’re young to stick it out through the hard times.

Lamentations 3:25-27 (The Message)

Ladies’ Day of Refreshment

Saturday, January 29 – Part 1 of 2

The hospitality ladies were busy when we arrived at 8:30 a.m.

These were being prepared for the 9:15 Registration and Refreshments.

Moravian Sugar Cake

Left to right: Nicole, Janelle, and Kris

Bob putting duct tape over the cord to the coffee pot so nobody trips over it.

This water container looked so pretty. However, the camera flash distorted it a bit.

A cherry cheese cake dessert.

Tiny blueberry muffins

Kris arranging them beautifully on a tiered dish

Cerwin arranged the stands he made to hold the perpetual blessing calendar cards I designed.

There was one stand and calender per person – plus a few extra if anyone wanted one for a friend or family member who couldn’t be there.

Bob and Cerwin setting up the PowerPoint projector for me.

I put my favorite lamb on the pulpit area. The note on him says, “I hope the Lord blesses your wooly socks off today.” He was a symbol that I had my wooly socks blessed off because of all the notes and hugs I received – saying, “I am praying for you.”

By this time the narthex was full of ladies registering and enjoying the refreshments.

Jen at the registration table

I asked Doretta how many ladies were registered. She said there were one-hundred-fifty-two registered, plus me, (who didn’t register) the men on the sound system, the custodian (Bob), and Cerwin (who stayed all day).

Nevin and Glenn on the sound system

Cerwin took all the photos from the back of the sanctuary.

Melody leading the singing

Special music by Kathy, Stephanie (hidden), Ellie, Nancy, Adrielle, Briawna, Janessa

My first session, “Complaining is Not a Fruit of the Spirit

~~~

Several of you asked me to post some of my notes. I will do that sometime in the future, after I do another session at Faith Mennonite, Stevens, Pennsylvania, which was scheduled for tomorrow, February 1 (but has been postponed until March 1 due to an impending ice and snow during the next two days.) 

Cerwin and I are headed to the Dallas area with TFC’s International Chapel – February 2-11. Cerwin is thinking that we may leave tomorrow noon (now that I am free) when the temperatures are a bit higher – so we miss the cold morning temperatures of early Wednesday. Stay tuned.

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 15:5-6 (NIV)

Ladies’ Day of Refreshment

Saturday, January 29

It was a wonderful and exhausting day for me as I spoke at our church’s One-Day of Spiritual Refreshment for Women.

I’ll tell you more about the day tomorrow evening.

Teach me how to live to please you, because you’re my God. Lead me by your blessed Spirit into cleared and level pastureland.

Psalm 143:10 (The Message)

Fire in the Sky

Six Inches of Snow ~ Birds

January 27

The sun created a “fire in the sky” scene for just a few minutes.

There was six inches of new snow on the feeders and on the ground from the overnight snow.

This was the first time Cerwin used the snowblower this winter.

I put the suet close to our window to get closeups of suet-loving birds.

I hope this downy woodpecker comes to the suet.

Yes!

The birds were really busy, so I thought this might be a good time to capture some in flight.

Look at the finch on the right side of the feeder. I don’t think he’s happy by the approach of the other one.

While taking the pictures, I noticed two lady beetles on the window sill.

This dove was just below the window sill.

A female dark-eyed Junco

This little guy stood on a bush like a king of the hill.

I think it is a song sparrow. To my birder friends – is that correct?

My favorite picture of the day.

Attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life.

Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God.

Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing.

God isn’t pleased at being ignored.

Romans 8:6-8 (The Message)

More Pictures From Yesterday

Wednesday, January 26

The snowplows had something to plow on Wednesday morning – a very wet, slushy snow

Our road about 9:45 a.m. when we left to go to our church for the funeral visitation of Lucy – a friend. She did not drive, so I used to take her to visit her husband (once a month) who was in a nursing home for about twenty years. I think he died in 1996. It is good to know they are together again.

While Cerwin did some banking I stayed in the car and watched the snow and checked out my surroundings.

After that we pulled into a parking space on the square, where I again stayed in the car while Cerwin went to Heisey’s Jewelry for a watch battery.

A memorial sign honoring the founder of our town.

A scene to my left.

Looking east on High Street

Ribbons in honor of the four boys who were killed last week. Manheim Central’s colors are maroon and grey.

Cerwin stood in the Subway entrance – away from the falling snow and flying slush from cars – until he had a green light to cross the street.

The horse and buggy looked pretty in the snow. This was at our local grocery store where we stopped for a few items for our road trip next week. (I’m glad we don’t have to go to Texas in a buggy.)

A scene on our drive home

At my brothers’ farm

I like the contrast of the corn stalks and snow in a neighbors field.

~~~

Today we had even more snow – more on that tomorrow.

~~~