August 17. 2014

Another Super Sunday

August 17, 2014

 Our son with his youngest daughter in the pool.

Today again, our Sunday School class was filled with friends and some visitors, all there to study God's Word together.  One lady in the class often urges Ron (my husband and the class teacher) to hurry up and get to the lesson because she is so eager to hear from the scriptures.  We have a great group!

The worship service was wonderful as they recognized the group of young people who had served as summer interns, mostly working with the youth minister, but also in other areas.  Then there was a report on the group that recently went to Chiapas, in southern Mexico to spend a week working at a Children's Home.  Our two oldest grandsons were in that group.

Next the pastor asked if there were some who would like to share what the Lord had done for them recently.  It took a couple of minutes to get started, but once it did, the testimonies went on and on.  After the first two, our oldest grandson got a microphone and hurried around the auditorium to give it to each speaker.  I was able to hear them through my hook up on the Cochlear sound processor  and the small transistor radio that the church uses for the hearing impaired.  There were many great things shared and the pastor ended up folding up his prepared sermon to use another time.

For me, I think it is important for us to hear how God is working in the lives of others.  For one thing, it helps us to know that person better.  For another thing, there are times for most of us when we don't seem to feel God is answering our prayers and as we listen to the testimonies of others, we see that God is working and maybe He is telling us to "wait".  Not all prayers are answered instantly.  Many years ago our church used to have testimony services more often and we would see all that was being done in the lives of our fellow church members.  I remember one particular Sunday I was in the choir and we were singing some song about how good God is.  As I looked around the room from the choir loft, I saw person after person who had over the years shared great things God had done in their lives and I was very touched by it and so grateful that I had been able to know so many of their stories.

Last Sunday's sermon reminded us, in part, to tell our children and the next generations what God has done for us.  We were also encouraged to take our children with us when we go to minister to others so that they are a part of it and learn how to reach out to others.  I recall one weekend our two oldest granddaughters stayed with us and we bought some plants, pots, and potting soil.  We prepared the pots with the new plants and went out to deliver them to some widows in our church.  We need to do those things with our children and grandchildren.

For lunch, Ron and I picked up burgers and came home to eat.  Ron was having a lot of pain in his hip and he took a nap.  I dozed off for a while after taking a few bird photos.  In yesterday's blog I mentioned that the young sparrows were all over the bird baths, bathing and drinking.  I later heard that the heat index yesterday was over 110.  No wonder they were needing the drinks and baths - to cool off!  Today a flock of small black birds arrived while we were eating lunch (not sure what they were).  There must have been at least 20 of them.  They joined the sparrows for lunch.

I worked in the yard for a few minutes filling ponds and watering plants.  I planted a bunch of the grass I had pulled out of the flowerbeds that I had enlarged.  I don't know if any of the transplanted grass will survive, but it is worth a try.  I have one area that needs it badly.

Ron and I were to be at South Padre Island at 5:00 for a birthday party for our granddaughter (the one we celebrated with at IHOP a few days ago).  We were just about to leave when I got a text that they were delayed a little so we waited a bit to leave.  I must say this was a wonderful party!  They have access to a beautiful, large pool at the island in a gated community.  It turned out that for all but the first few minutes, we had the pool all to ourselves.

Me with the birthday girl. 

It was not a large group.  Well, let me restate that.  There were only about 3 or 4 families involved, but that was over 30 people.  Our son's family of 9 (plus 2 cousins) topped the list, another family of 7 with 4 guests were there, a family of 5 from our church, 3 grand parents, and one great grandparent... and maybe a couple of other guests.

Me with our youngest granddaughter.

Besides the pool, there were tennis courts, basketball court, wading pool, bathrooms, and a concession stand (not open).  A lovely setting.  I did not plan to swim since I was expecting other people to be using the pool and I would be deaf in the pool without my sound processor, but since it was all people who know me well, I wish I had gone prepared to swim.

 The birthday girl had the pool all to herself about sunset for a while.

I met the guests with the family of 7 and they were a missionary family from California.  They told my mom that they had been praying from me when I lost my hearing.  I had never heard of them or met them until today.  This side of Heaven, I will never know how many people have prayed for me over this last year and a half.  Thank you to all those who have been a part of my progress by praying for me.

Just after sunset we headed home, bringing my mom back to town with us (she had ridden out to the island with our son's family).  We dropped Ron off at home and I took her home and then stopped for milk and bread before coming home.  I talked to our son in New Mexico for a while and caught up on their activities.  It was a very good day!

Coming across the causeway the traffic stacked up a little as we headed into Port Isabel.