July 27, 2014

A Sunday of Celebrations

July 27, 2014

Yesterday I promised a photo of the cupcakes I made last night for the baby shower this afternoon.

What a wonderful Sunday this has been!  I was running a little late this morning and asked Ron to go on without me and I got to Sunday school about 15 minutes late.  We had a good class and enjoyed seeing some who had been out for a few Sundays due to health reasons. 

In the worship service there was a group sitting in front of me that had come from Joshua, TX to spend the week working in various mission projects here this week.  Their pastor, Jerry Clements, grew up in our church when his dad was our pastor.  A former Music Minister in our church here, Edgar Hood and his wife, Linda are now members of that church.  It is a small world.  I wish they could have come with the group.  At least we get to keep up on Facebook.

While on the subject of Music Ministers, that is where much of the day of celebrating centered.  Our current Music Minister, Craig Smith, came here to serve when he and his wife were expecting their first child.  Today we were giving a baby shower for that child, Justin, and his wife Mandy who are expecting their first child in about a month.  Justin and Mandy were celebrating their first wedding anniversary today and Justin preached this morning's sermon.  Craig's parents were in the service also and had just celebrated his dad's birthday this weekend.  There must have been a lot of fun times this weekend with the family.

 

It is so wonderful that I had found that using the personal audio cable for my Cochlear Implant that runs from the sound processor to a transistor radio that our church uses for the hard of hearing, works well for me for the sermons.  It was a blessing to hear Justin share from God's Word this morning.  After he completed college, he spent two years serving in a foreign country.  At the time Mandy was serving in a country next door to his and they met and as they say, the rest is history.  Now they are awaiting the arrival of their daughter and once she is 6 months old, they plan to leave to go to the country where Justin served before. 

Part of the 60 cupcakes for the party.

After the service I brought our two oldest grand daughters home with me for a quick lunch and then we loaded up the cupcakes I had made last night and went to their house for the baby shower for Justin and Mandy's soon to arrive baby. 

There was a wonderful turnout for the baby shower - probably about 45-50 ladies and a few little girls.  Oh, and one little boy, the new grand baby of our church pianist, Judy.  Her daughter and son-in-law,  Kristin and Tim are the proud parents of this cute little boy.

Judy and her grandson.

The food and decorations for the shower were perfect. One of the hostesses had this stand for the cupcakes.

We had a veggie tray, a fruit and dip tray, nuts, M&Ms, a very good punch, crackers and dips, a cute centerpiece made from disposable diapers, and a lot of fun.

After the shower we stayed and visited and cleaned up for another hour before I headed home.  I did not realize how tired I was - more sleepy than tired.  I spent the next three hours napping in my recliner, so of course that makes it hard to get to sleep tonight.

The hearing at the party was very difficult.  Large crowds in small spaces just creates a rumble on the Cochlear Implant.  I hear a lot of chatter, but can't follow any of the conversations.  I spent most of the time in the kitchen helping and could visit with one or two pretty well, but late in the party time another lady and I went into the den and chatted for a while.  It was a nice visit and I could hear her.  She is another of the new moms at the church.  Her sweet little baby didn't come with her to the party and that may have been good because I would have been holding her and not helping.  She is a precious little one that is a true miracle from the Lord. 

God has been good to the families in our church.  We have all had problems and heartaches over the years, but we love to celebrate together the wonderful gifts from God - especially the new babies and the young couples getting married.  In fact that grandmother in the photo with the new baby, is a new bride.  There are so many wonderful things happening at First Baptist Brownsville: mission groups, new babies, new brides (and grooms), lots of children who accepted Christ during Vacation Bible School a week ago (over 30) and on going mission work.  Praise God for His many blessings.

Here is another of those blessings.  This is Jo Ann Reed on the left.  She just had major heart surgery about 6 months ago and is doing great after following doctor's orders for a long, relaxing recovery.  She and her husband Roy just had their 60th wedding anniversary this past week.  Next to her is Rhonda, the "grandma-to-be" of the baby the shower was for.

A friend set her plate on the kitchen counter for a minute at the shower and the colors were just too much to pass up and out came my camera.