The Smell of Rain...A Beautiful Sunday, Coffee Filter Countdown

...Most tears are grace. The smell of rain is grace. Somebody loving you is grace.
~Frederick Buechner



Yesterday turned out to be such a grace-filled day. It was one of those Sundays where we decided to venture out a bit. We had all decided a couple of days before that we would be venturing to church elsewhere instead of our sweet homechurch. Sometimes we do that little thing. : ) Dh and I felt our girls would enjoy either the homeschool church (a long drive) or one of our very favorites, the old, old, old, Methodist church in downtown.

We decided on the Methodist. We also decided that a fun lunch would be in order for our girls holding down the fort as two other of our sweeties are on a trip in China teaching children English. Dd27 wrote me quickly to tell me among other very most poignant things that she taught the children to say Y'ALL like the Texans do! She shared that one of the sweet Chinese children wrote that she looked more beautiful than a movie star and her eyes were big. Isn't that darling? She shared she was moved to tears as they so sweetly recited the reading lesson as a group for the first time after she read it to them.

This is my advent calendar of sorts. Yes, it's a stack of coffee filters. One for every day til my girls come home. : ) Mar-Mar is the coffee angel at our house and usually makes the coffee the night before; timed and ready to go...So. This is my little countdown calendar. : )



On the way to church it started storming up a storm! I thought of our poor little Muffie at home. That little guy is extremely terrified of rain and thunder. Strange looking tornadic looking clouds were appearing, it was a storm! But it was so neat as we approached the exit it was as if a halo of clearing was over the church downtown area. A little rain, but almost a pleasant rain. Just enough to give it a neat romantic mood of sorts. Sorry about the cross ways photo. This time I wasn't given the chance to turn the pics around. Becs doesn't know how either so I don''t feel so bad. Sorry! I figure, better posted sideways than not. Perfectionism is out!




I love this place. It's where my parents were married, it's only blocks away from where both dh and I were born. Delivered by the same Italian doctor. How could it not strum my heartstrings?



Can you imagine during WWII, relatives who prayed and wept in this church? Can you imagine the blackouts in the area? One of my sweetest friends in the whole world is from the middle of town and she remembered the blackouts, her parents were the drill leaders for the neighborhood black-outs. I miss her so much, she went to be with the Lord several years ago...She was my mother's age. Why did ya have to go? I ask vocally when I go into the little town nearby where she was from. She wound up close by here in the little town as her husband was a teacher and taught as a coach. She looked like Greer Garson in her younger year and was probably the most talented pianist I've ever seen. Our family was so blessed to call her friend and as a piano teacher. I miss her too so much. My girls miss her too. For those of you have read this already on my friend, please oblige.



We park and cross but not before dh kindly places a little note on the windshield of a car with a rather liberal political bumper sticker. ; ) That's my man! I hung back with Becs as I got this shot...Li Li and Dh. Don't worry Dh doesn't normally leave me behind. ; ) We normally even hold hands by George! He calls me Glamor Girl and i call him Handsome Guy.



Li Li and Dh


We get inside and of course the first stop is lady's room. Yes, I did take a pic. I'm telling you, I even love the bathroom, soooo old. You can feel it in your bones...I thought once again of my mom and dad getting married in this place. oooh so neat. Marble and old tile. I helped a sweet lady with a walker, she tells me Honey I was at the hospital visiting, and my back went out and I left in a wheelchair! Poor thing. I shared how my back went out one morning in my kitchen un-announced. I talked with her later and I was so surprised to see she is still wearing high heels! Nooooooo... She was a sweetheart. I wear ballet flats myself and love them. I also wondered if my mom didn't get dressed in this very bathroom years ago?





This caught my eye when we were waiting on everyone to exit the ladies room...


This is the view from where we usually sit...Beautiful. The choir was a melodic chorus this Sunday, a bit like the sweet choruses you may hear in an old Shirley Temple movie? The song? Come and Get Your Happiness. But of course they were singing hymns...So. Gorgeous. So. Sweet. It was starting to thunder..and that always adds to the drama of downtown, you could see glimpses of it through the stained glass. Neat.



When we were on our way out Dh saw this sign at the end of the high-up walkway we were on. This was at the end. "Cry Room". Dh nudged me jokingly, he had been so sweet on how I was feeling but he was joking...Maybe you should go in there. ; )



After the service we were leaving, So Becs, Li Li and I were waiting here. It was raining...I was able to help a sweet elderly lady make it to the sidewalk. So darling. I also overheard two ladies talking about a Bible study.



There goes my Handsome Guy to get the car for his girls!



Well, I think that's the wrap for a Rainy-Sunday yesterday.

After the service? We went to a charming cozy Turkish grill. Fun!

A very neat Sunday. Thank you Jesus.

God loves you in the morning sun and the evening rain, without caution or regret. ~Brennan Manning


Better run, I have noooo idea why in the world my pc is underlining things at random times! Li Li can't figure it out so it's not just me!

I think it's God whispering for me to get off now!

Love to All, Underlines and All! ~Amelia