Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Of Coffee and Milk and a Mighty Fun Date Night!

Hello Dear Readers, Blogging is a fun thing when we don't edit to death. (Me thinks!)

Last night hubby and I went on a datenight and I got so tickled with him. After we had gone out to eat and picked up a few things at Whole Foods we drove through Starbucks, I needed my half-caff "night cap" coffee after the heavy meal. ; ) I don't drink alcohol, but I do like my coffee (not that there is a comparison) . Coffee is a comfort drink-food for me, it goes way, way back. You must know I grew up on coffee, coffee with milk and cheerios, coffee and milk with corn flakes, you get the picture, coffee wasn't an adult drink for me. I'm thinking it must come from the Italian side of the family.

As we pulled through Starbucks and my Dear Hubs hands me my delicious half caff with one cream and one sugar respectively I reach in my purse for my. favorite Christian tract, "Have a Good Day" by Rod and Staff Publishers. They are sweet little tracts.

Hubs hands the tract to the young lady at the window and says with a smile:
"Read this when you get a chance."

Young lady takes tract through window and says: Thanks!

Me to hubs as we're pulling out: I always say, Here ya go, you have a nice day now! : ) I don't say, Read this.

Hubs looks at me with a sparkle in his eye that he only has and tells me:

I'll witness the way I want to (pointing to his chest) and you witness the way you want to smiling and pointing to me.

Then Hubs proceeds to tell me (with a smile mind you): Who are you the Great Kahuna Witnesser?!

Oh wow. That just cracked us both up. We both threw our heads back and laughed and laughed! imagine_this 2555

Guess you would have had to have been there but it was funny, I like it when Hubs is humorous, it's better than furrowed eyebrows any day. Speaking of...Marianna told me to unfurl my eyebrows the other day. I think I was stressed, eye twitch and all.

Yesterday my mom came to visit and told me I was getting more freckles. I tell her with a smile I like my freckles. She tells me: I knew you would argue with me.

The theatre of my mind as I tried to look calm cool and collective: Noooooooooo *eye twitches*

I must remember that my mom was born in 1930 and if it were up to her, the entire female population would wear make-up akin to the wax museum when they would dare to wear it (is it any wonder my poor mom thinks it's a lot of trouble to wear makeup?) ...and the entire American home would be decorated in perfect balance...One candlestick on one side...One on the other. My mom is an artist and the neatest artist you have ever seen, she puts me to shame.

Maybe I should go to therapy with my therapist cousin Michael? ; ) Ha! He used to be a catholic priest and married a nun. ( Don't worry he left the priesthood honorably). I do know Michael would so get me on things I'm certain...He knows the topography well of our background. ; )

We ate at a Mediterranean store counter last Sunday and the man waiting on us reminded me of Michael's dad, my Uncle Johnny. Uncle Johnny was a darling, married to Aunt Margaret, my Grandpas sister. Uncle Johnny was a comedian in his own right. Aunt Margaret was a darling, just a real sweetheart. Uncle Johnny owned a grocery store in the museum district, now it's a yuppy deli called PicNic.

My mom recalls the story of Aunt Margaret calling my grandma one day.

*Ringa-a-Ding-A*

My grandma answers her old phone with her New Orleans, Southern but Italian accent. (You would have to hear it)

Grandma says: Whats the matt-a Margaret?!

Aunt Margaret: My heart is a-black, my heart is a-black...Michael is leaving the priesthood.

It was something from the old movie, Marty (1955) I'm sure. Poor Aunt Margaret.

It is a funny story though especially when my mom tells it. : )

Well there you have it dear readers. By the way, if you are a tofu eater like myself, Pei Wei has a wonderful dish, the Japanese Terriyaki bowl that is wonderful with tofu.

And ya know? The Whole Foods vitamin cards are wonderful. I received a large bottle of an expensive supplement for free last night. Hubs had prayed we'd get a break. Isn't God wonderful?

I've been noticing the word, Hope several times lately and today, the word, Dream. God is the author of both.

Yes indeed.

Signing off, supper is near and I need to walk those doglets. Hubs just came in and is getting a head start. Me thinks Lea is saving supper by the sounds of things from here. (I guess they didn't want my frozen concoction I had planned to thaw and re-create) That's okay, I never complain when the girls cook for me these days. Great blessing!

Here is a favorite picture of Hubs and his Gumbadi friend, Tim at their class reunion several years ago. This is sooooo Tim and Hubs.
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Tim and Hubs having a grand time indeed. Very typical of these two. : )
Dh & I

Hubby at his best with yours truly...

xxooo Be good, hope you enjoyed this uncooked blog. Love, ~Amelia

EDIT: 12.9.11 If you would like to see how I am planning on Transforming a 90s Turtleneck please see my thats-italian blogspot. (And please ignore my poochy pants in the pic you will see) ; )

Monday, November 28, 2011

Of Birthday Memories and Lovely Flowers

Are these flowers not beautiful? They just sing autumn to me...A most thoughtful and generous hostess gift. : ) So nice, just so very, very nice. Much too pretty not to show off! This is the wonderful hostess gift I wrote about previously. Things like this are so very thoughtful I think and mean so much. I really appreciate things like this, the thought and care goes a long, long way and blesses my heart. My baby's 18th birthday was recently and I just cannot believe my little girl is 18. Eighteen? When did this happen? It seems just like yesterday I delivered Grace. Her little cry was so darling, a robust nine pound baby girl. Grace:

My Photo

Grace chose not to celebrate fully since it was a Sunday, I suppose she was thinking part of the day would be church etc so she preferred to wait and have the entire day to celebrate but it made me feel a bit strange not celebrating on the day. I kept asking her, "Are you sure you don't want to celebrate today?" Oh *sigh* such is life for mom... This week should be nice though, a bit of a question as to when and where but there will be some fun times of a birthday outing I am certain. : ) I remember vividly the birth center I delivered at...I've tried to find the birth center but I'm thinking it was torn down in the name of progress? I see a huge subdivision in the area now. I remember the labor pains and me loudly saying ... Dear Me! The team of praying midwives were great, one was particularly more my speed so to speak....Her name is Diane, a mother of five herself, a chiropractor now. She would smile and say back... Dear me? I would say, Yes! Dear me! The next day at 12:09 pm Grace was born after 24 hours, our sweet little baby. Wallie the chief midwife looks at me and tells me...You have a lot of inner strength...I'll always remember that. It get's me through things sometimes remembering her face looking down at me telling me that. Lou, the midwife who officially delivered Grace, tells me Grace is an outstanding baby, one of the prettiest babies she has ever seen. : ) What made me deliver with midwives? My ob/gyn didn't catch the premature labor I was in at 4 months along and I had an extremely strong instinct to go check out this birth center in our area. It's funny, I have no recollection of how I heard of this birth center. All I know is I had a distinct urge (The Lord) to check this place out and while I was at the birth center they gave me a free check up. I was in labor, not good at four months along. I had told my ob/gyn of my cramping the week before and the poor guy was having so many personal problems at the time he didn't take it as seriously as he should have. The midwives saved my baby's life. They put me on bedrest. God saved my baby's life. He has plans for Rebecca here on this earth. Yes He does. I'm listening to: The theme to Spellbound (1945) soundtrack. My daughter, Joycie bought it this morning and I'm so glad she did, it is so, so beautiful. I could listen to it over and over again... One thing I'm starting to read today: The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry I thought this quote was so funny from The Gift of the Magi, I've been there and can relate and I guess that is why it made me smile so. "There was clearly nothing to do but flop down on the shabby little couch and howl. So Della did it. Which instigates the moral reflection that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating." I was so tickled by the word choice, howl. Only O. Henry could get away with that one. Hope everyone is having a lovely week, I'm a bit fatigued and that affects everything. It's a beautiful day here and I'm getting ready to sip on some hot tea in a big mug and take my doglets on a walk. Hope you enjoyed this basically uncooked blog of mine. So much to be thankful for. Blessings to All! Love, ~Amelia

Friday, November 25, 2011

I Need Thee Every Hour. A Tour of Random Thoughts & Feelings with Jars of Clay

Listening to: ' I Need Thee Every Hour' by Jars of Clay while Grace exercises. The words to the songs are so very beautiful, so intense. So true... Thanksgiving was such a delight this year, very busy and emotionally draining but much like the low lull of beautiful exertion of a flower blooming as I watch the Lord's hand... Listening now to: 'God will Lift Up Your Head' by Jars of Clay. Loving it so... He gently clears the way.... Soon end in joy.... (I smile) It's enchanting here today. A dark blustery darkening cold front coming in and I'm enjoying that with my daughter Michelle as we choose an online Christmas toy gift for a most precious baby boy she is a nanny for...That little boy is a darling. Janie and Joycie just called to let me know they dropped my daddy off. Poor Daddy. He cried and that makes me cry. *sigh* I think it's finally hitting him he is by himself and he doesn't want to be by himself any longer. Janie and Joycie are so good to bring him to his home, quite a trek indeed. Watching our four daughters work and cook and clean in the kitchen was quite eye opening to him, it made him realize what he has been missing for many years. A picture of four sweet granddaughters, a lovely picture of a working home. Thank the Lord God. Listening to now: ...Make me free want to be a new man tired of the old man...Neat song, a darling song. I so understand what the group is singing here...I say yes and amen. I'm so trying to just roll with the Lord, His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I'm trying to relinquish more and more to the Lord Jesus and as I do it is a freeing thing. I cannot tell you how faithful He is. It's not that I've thought to have control over much of anything, never have believed in bossing the Lord like some do. But I do believe He always wants more of us, more of our trust just as a parent wants with their children. Thanking God for new friends. I'm encouraged by a new friend of our family. Thanking God there are parents out there who have taught and discipled their sons as to what is right and good in the Lord. Thanking God for young people who are sold out to the Lord and are kind. Yes kind! We aren't seeing much kindness these days it seems. Thus it warms this mother's heart in a major way indeed. Listening to: ' There is a River'...All of your Tears...(Something about this one. Touching) I think I may be finished with Christmas shopping. Maybe. Maybe. I have a book I use every year where I write my purchases down and keep a running total. Right on the money. Literally, maybe going a tad over but dear hubby doesn't seem overly concerned. (That's a good thing) ; ) Looking at Gospel for Asia's booklet at this moment. A great ministry, you can give money to buy things for the poor in other countries for Christmas. Great, great ministry. Our girls were privileged to go to the headquarters last year at Greg Gordon's Revival Conference. Such a wonderful thing. Listening to: 'Oh my God' by Jars of Clay. Makes me think of my dad, please help him dear Lord. People have been so bruised so hurt in life, they realize many times too late after making unwise choices. But maybe it's not too late. It's never too late for the Lord. Ever. Ever. Enjoying the day with Zuzu and Baby Grace my sweethearts.  Grace will be 18 this week. How could it be? Thanking God for His goodness that His children often bestow. Thanking God there is Hope in this world and that we carry that Hope within us to share with others and each other as Children of God the Father. Please help us to do that God. Admiring some gorgeous flowers our kind friend brought as a most thoughtful and lovely, lovely hostess gift yesterday. Touched my mother's heart in such a major way...Also our family was greatly blessed by the God given talent of this young man sharing in song playing violin for our family. We were greatly blessed. Greatly. : ) Praying for the safe arrival of Janie and Joycie. Closing for this Friday eve, the day after Thanksgiving. This song has been on my mind: loading ... In closing....So many thoughts rushing through my mind this holy season. I love the ballerinas in the video above, I love this song so very much....The ballerinas leaping are me. Yes they are me in my soul. God is so very good, He brings us through and when He does it He does it in a big, big way. One last lingering thought that rushes through my mind these days, was the Christmas season probably ten or so years ago...My grandmother had a medical emergency. She was dying. I remember looking out the window and seeing my girls playfully jumping on a trampoline in the countryside thinking to myself what a strange irony it was that evening...My grandmother telling me over the phone she may not be with me much longer, innocent children playing, laughing with a neighbor boy innocently. My uncle plays a huge part, he is so precious, his dream was to become a veterinarian and he never made it, he had to step down for a while after receiving his degree. He stepped out for a bit to help my grandparents recoup after a major hurricane and he never quite made it back to vet school...he just never did. I love my uncle, he is a darling, my mother's brother. He has a sweet voice much like a very young Elvis Presley and has (had) the jet black hair too once upon a time. I remember him coming over to take care of my sick little puppy when I was a wee little girl, he asked me..."Do we have a sick little puppy?" ...as he took the little puppy's temperature...yes he was so enchanting to me as he said that in his most handsome Elvis voice to me, a wee little wide-eyed brunette gal. He ended up with a yacht basin on the waterfront, not too shabby. But not a vet either. He was also the Taub family's skipper for their beautiful yacht. The yacht had gorgeous mahogany wood on the deck, when I see Natalie Wood's yacht in the news lately I think to myself...It doesn't hold a candle to the Taub Family yacht, it just doesn't. To make a long story short, my uncle made a call out of desperation for my Grandmother's life to the Mr. Taub. Quick as a wink Mr. Taub made one phone call and my grandmother was in the beautiful Methodist hospital the next day, unfortunately her legs were amputated to save her life. I recall so very vividly walking into the lobby of that beautiful place and something heartfelt happened. I can't place it but it did. Bitter - Sweet. Such tragedy, but such heroic life saving action as well...My uncle thinking to himself of missed opportunity I'm sure. Life is funny that way is it not? Such a funny world we live in, beautiful at times, quite a quiz at others. The answer is the Lord, the Father. May we make the most of life. Every day is a journal page what will we write? Unedited for the mostpart, uncooked....This most enchanting and thought provoking eve after Thanksgiving as the holy advent season begins... Love to all, ~Amelia loading ... ~ Photos here by Robert Stock

Friday, November 18, 2011

Keeping in Touch Friday, Fall Garden, Fall Mornings and All that Jazz...Including Crazy Schmuckiness

I figured I would see how fast I could put a blog up before I get down to the busyness of folding clothes and the art of the home here. The pic above? This was taken a month or so ago, the day I made the cloth bags. This is Joycie, Grace and Zuzu working on the Fall Garden one beautiful sunny Saturday eve. At the same time Janie was putting the patio set by the pond, yep, all four our sweet daughters. We are so very, very blessed. Another blessing are the beautiful mornings here, this was taken a month or so ago early one morning. There is something about walking in the Autumn coolness. The crisp cool breeze upon my face like kisses from the Father above as my hot coffee warms the hands...Me and the doglets, a special time for me with the Father. Today: A nice sunny Autumn day today. Oh it's beautiful here today...Thinking of Christmas and Thanksgiving meals and such. The girls and I are planning on what to do and not to do when my dad comes to visit. I hope he enjoys the visit and all works out with he staying at Mother's house. Quite a burden for an only child like myself at times. I hold the Father's hand and thank God for my blessings though and try to keep things in perspective. Christmas and Thanksgiving: Anyone else having a hard time trying to keep balance at Christmas? I want simplicity but not cheap or thoughtless, thoughtless gifts are so insulting. Gifts are fun but not over the top either...We have a very small budget this year and that's okay. It's plenty enough for a nice sensible traditional Christmas for our girls. I'm making some things by hand this year and praying the rest in as I shop and the Lord shows me bargains. God is so good with things like that isn't He? Datenight: Hubby and I had the best time the other night...We went to Midtown to that nice Green Restaurant. Do you ever sense someone is eyeballing you and listening to you? There was a table behind hubby and a man was watching and listening. Soooo............I decided I would give him something to listen TO. I quietly told hubby about the wonderful book I'm reading, quiet enough for the man not to hear that part of the conversation. The book? House Calls and Hitching Posts, Stories from Dr. Elton Lehman's carer among the Amish as told to Dorcas Sharp Hoover. I am enjoying this book, it's been sitting on my bookshelf and the time was now to read it. I fact, I bought a nice copy for my mother in law for Christmas. Okay, I have a fascination with medicine and probably would have loved to have been in medicine if I wouldn't have chosen to do the best thing in my book, be a stay at home mom and mother. : ) I've had my health crisis' before, many of them were crisis because of the way the medical establishment handled them by the way! The Lord used all of that to point me in the way of natural medicine. My daughter, Janie and I are both Family Herbalists. Yes, you should see me in my granny glasses, visions of me saving someone's life with some cayenne pepper in my purse!  Back to that yuppy green restaurant. As I sat peering over my delicious veggie burger at the man staring but not staring I put my acting hat on. You must know my daddy had done some acting and my uncle was majoring in drama at Rice. If you've ever heard of Jeanette Clift George, she and my dad attended college in the same years when my dad was a single young fella. Once I attended a play at her theatre and told her who my dad was. It was cute, her eyes twinkled and she smiled. Back to my story....I'm good at bunny trails I do believe. I proceeded to tell hubby about one of the medical cases in the above said book. I told of the miracle baby born blue after a month of a mother almost miscarrying and how the placenta was black. The baby had not received hardly any nourishment for at least a month. The baby was rushed to the hospital from the birthing home to miraculously survive! God's hand was clearly upon that baby! Well, the man heard a nice little true story told as if I were there firsthand. *big smile* And the Lord was truly exalted! Ya know? Life is just too short to be stiff I say. Do you ever see church people who are so puffed up with knowledge that they are also puffed up with pride, arrogance and stiff as a board? Yuck. Those are the kind who hung Jesus on the cross. I'm not a total sanguin gad-about let me tell you, I can be very contemplative and what some may consider melancholy. Depends on what mood you catch me in and who I'm with. My hubby knows me best, and my girls do too of course. : ) After the restauranti Hubby and I went over to the midtown bookstore...I love that place. It's an old, old used bookstore and I love to wonder around there...I was standing in front of the cds eyeballing this most wonderful looking Coniff cd of musical movie themes and gave my girls a "ring-a-ding-a" to see if they might enjoy that cd, I was having visions of us singing to the musicals while we cooked! Hubby came over letting me know I was talking way too loud on the phone and everyone in the bookstore could probably hear me, I promptly put my hand over my mouth in embarrassment. It was one of those Scout and Jem moments. It's amazing how cell phones do that to us in the volume department isn't it? I guess it was the good Lord's way of showing me maybe I should have mercy on others with cell phones instead of thinking they are loud schmucks. Well after I said bye and clung to my cd, I smirked and told hubby-Jem that "By the way...At least I don't crack jokes at funerals by the coffin" in a most mischevious but all-in-fun Scout Jean Louise way. (You must be of Italian descent to get the funeral comment.) My Italian relatives are split in half, some quiet, my grandpa would cry at funerals, he was such a sweetheart. But there are some, I want to slap a hand across their mouth at times....I've seen them cracking jokes slapping each other on the backs right by the coffin for pity's sakes...Gee Willikins. Hmph. (And he said I talked loud on my cell phone) ; ) All in good fun though and it makes for a fun night. I better get going now...I hear some hunters in the back, I need to go call my doglets, kitlet and anything or anybody I can think of and make a loud ruckus, yes, a very loud ruckus. Listening to: Corner Cafe' Relaxing Jazz & Ray Conniff Musical in Rhythm - Hollywood & Broadway Sipping on: Paramount Christmas Truffle coffee. (I found it at name brands for less for $4.99 a bag, and it is good too!) Figuring out: Janie and I....What's for dinner and a good ol 40s movie to watch tonight. Have a nice weekend all! Until the next time. Be good. Love, ~Amelia

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Flowing Thoughts and Memories Captured Here

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Oh Hi de Ho it's a blowie blustery day out...Just capturing some thoughts here...

These entries are typed in journal style unperfectly and uncooked, honestly and real. Not much editing goes here, so please bear with me dear reader. : )

It's been interesting lately, there have been some really yuck days, one was a real pistol with a jury duty summons to boot. Let me tell you, it was a bad day. That's okay though because the Lord will slip a scoop of delightful grace to gracefully lighten our loads here, yes indeedie. I'm still flabbergasted by the yuck but am so thankful to the Lord for His grace and mercy. He knows just what we can take can cannot take. I have to relinquish it to Him and as far as that jury summons? There must be a reason.

I love going to the little wee walmart and little grocery store in Smalltown...Do you know I sometimes get more fellowship there than at many a church? Those people are darling and I love them. They have humility. Mar. and I had so much fun, we even found a little white Christmas tree for her bedroom at Dollar General! It's a few feet high and it solves the custody battle between the first wee little tiny white tree between she and Lea. They have separate rooms here at the new house. At first they thought they could put the wee little tiny tree behind the cammode in their ajoining bathroom. They figured that wouldn't work though.... : ) We even found some little Christmas pens for Marianna's girls at the Chinese mission with jingle bells, snowmen and darling felt trees. Soooo perfect for them!

Where else can you go, where no one cares what kind of car you drive, what kind of car they drive and has a minute to say hello and hey. All the while you get to travel down a beautiful ranch road to get there with glimpses of sweet creatures of the Lord, deer etc., and we even see some beautiful elk at a country estate.

Smalltown reminds me of the old movie, Meet John Doe 1941. Oh I love that movie....It was showing the night I got home with my baby girl, Rebecca in November of 1993. It has Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck in it...You must see it! You can see it in entirety HERE. "Beware of the Heelots" (You have to see the movie to know what that means) Hee-hee ; ) (You won't regret it though) In one of the closing parts Barbara Stanwyck talks of the cross over 2000 years ago. Beautiful, so beautiful.

And that's not all...One weekend Mar. and I went to USO town and had a ball. We were going to the wee grocery store and took a little bypass on to USO town with a twinkle in our eye...Ha! Hubby was doing work at home along with my other daughters expecting company. It was a great escape in a sweet way and it was literally like we were in the middle of "It's a Wonderful Life" stage set. Frozen in time. God knew I needed that. Oh did He.

Been busy thinking of Christmas. I'm making some things and buying some, (see flylady.net holiday tips) We do have a rather tight budget this year. Hubby is a Real Estate Broker, self employed bills to pay for our own company trying to sell our old house. Phew.


My baby Rebecca was so lovely in her ballet recital last week. She had a lovely solo to Clair de Lune and it was so sweet. We are so very blessed to have a Christian ballet studio, each recital has a Bible theme too. Costumes are kept modest. Sometimes we have different views on what modest is but that's life eh? I know that teacher is a praying teacher and tries hard. Ms. Sharon we call her. She's an older lady with grandbabies of her own, she stresses dancing with your heart and leaves out anything that would pertain to vanity. She sits on the floor with the girls and prays with them and talks after each class. Where else do we see anything like that? My baby-Becca? The baby I took home in 1993 from a birth center with glorious midwives who loved us and took care of us? The baby who would have been delivered by Ron Paul if we would have gone to the hospital. I always like to put in a plug for that, no matter what, Dr. Paul is sincere and puts actions behind his words.

In fact when I was at the little grocery store I was standing in line in front of a sweet lady who watches Dr. Paul take his walks. She tells me her friend's five babies were delivered by him. Always interesting. The same lady also loves Smalltown and tells me she couldn't be drug away from here. She moved here from california 30 years ago and never looked back. We talked and laughed and gleaned from one another.

Last Sunday was my oldest little girl Lea's birthday, she is now 29.

We had a glorious day, a totally glorious day. We all took a drive to the huge Midtown-Downtown big city old, old Methodist church. It's not far from where hubby and I were both born. We were both delivered by the same doctor and do you know our mothers have the same first and middle names?

I must tell you it's been difficult financially for us lately, my hubby is worried I can see. It's been difficult socially for me, many we know have gone into some movements and churches that seem so prideful and arrogant, some seem cliuqish to me. I'm not understanding how people can be this way..it breaks my heart and if I'm feeling like this, Ms. Homeschool mom? How are others feeling?

I needed to say that to say as we entered this old beautiful Methodist church and quietly walked up into the balcony we were just in heaven. We sang, God of Ages, For the Beauty of the Earth, the Doxology. They had a handbell choir and my husband I both were moved to tears during the songs. We cannot put our finger on it but we felt so loved there, I don't know why, perhaps a sweet smile here and there....Yes, the people were kind. But we also felt the Lord there. Both of us became emotional. I became so emotional I had to precariously reach down for a kleenex praying my nose would wait for me. The sermon was excellent and it was a great feeling to be able to sit under this pastor's sermon, the doctrine was right and we could say amen. One of the other pastors who prayed who prayed for our servicemen prayed such a sincere prayer, it was so touching...so very touching. Veterans were asked to stand up of all ages, families too. The pastor had a country accent that was charming, a bit surprising for Midtown. (I too have an intense country Southern belle accent if you are wondering). Many are shocked to meet me in person after a telephone convo, my accent doesn't quite go with the look. It's funny...quite funny. One of the most sweet compliments was given by a Dr. of Math courting my daughter Lea once. He was Canadian born and thought our accents were charming dahlings.

The crowd of people was interesting, since this is inner-city there were all kinds of people there. Many older couples, just darling, modest clothing even a few hats. I saw one older lady, an Elizabeth Elliot type, maybe a Jane Addison but a bit heavier? Her gray hair was back in a ponytail. She had her purse with the strap crossed over her chest, long skirt like many there, penny loafers with dark blue ankle socks and blouse. I wondered to myself who she was, if she was a doctor or philanthropist or a widow living in a quaint apartment. My pediatrician for our girls is like that, a simple man. He always wears blue and drives a very old blue car, (I think he likes blue) I think his simplicity is wonderful. I later saw the simplegrey haired lady at the bus stop. Interesting.

One thing that touched my heart was a young black youth with studious eye glasses on with a sweet looking family including a nicely dressed grandma. He went all the way down the balcony stairs and up to the altar on his knees to pray at an altar call. Another man went up front to re-dedicate his life to the Lord. One of my daughters later said he was telling a man, "You should hear my testimony".

They had a prayer room I passed by where I saw people in twos, one praying for another for various things, one I'm sure is healing as it was in the program. They also have what they call a Stephen ministry where one goes side by side another to encourage and help people with crisis in their lives. Isn't that wonderful?

Hubby and I were so very touched there, we'll probably be back. We felt loved there. Out in the lobby there was a lady I had eyed who had sat up on platform with the men ministers, she didn't speak but I'm imagining she was there as a minister which probably comes in handy for other women. She was probably in her later years but very beautiful in a sweet simple way. She reminded me in the face of Glenda from the Wizard of Oz. Strange I know but she had a sweet face and a loving smile. She made eye contact with me and our family, we're hard to miss with four daughters. In the bathroom people talked, it wasn't an icicle growing atmosphere. I can't explain it but the Holy Spirit was very present.

We later went to a great Greek restaurant where you order at the front and we ate outside, it was great. Then we went to a most wonderful Mediterranean grocery store that had just opened it's phase II in Midtown, parking garage and all. We had coffee and just enjoyed ourselves.

It was a good Sunday. God is with us. Immanuel.



Won't you sing with me? I love this song, and it comes to mind as I write this. We have both Michael Card and Steve Green both here in this video. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Michael Card but I did listen to Michael Card sing this when I was expecting my Baby-Michelle in 89 and 90...We have many of his cds as well as Steve Green's.

Such memories. I also can say we have met Steve Green and talked with him more than once. He is a very real loving Christian, he took his time talking and visiting with our family more than once. Genuine, a gem of the Lord.

Our God is with us Immanuel.

Much love, ~Amelia