Sunday pause

 Hubby asked if we could wait until the first of April before we try Life.Church a few miles away. I get it; if we went today, next week we are up north where I'm at the RV Park, the following week we have the wedding in the morning, so we will wait until the first Sunday in April to attend so that we can attend several Sundays in a row before we make a decision.

With the time change today, I am watching/listening to Jentezen Franklin @ Free Chapel at 6AM this morning.  I really do not like the three hour time difference between us and family in Indiana.  Trying to schedule phone calls is difficult, to say the least.  And currently, my sister is in Florida.  Jentezen is speaking from John 6 today.  We all know the story, the feeding of the 5000.  

I stopped at Ross to pick up a bag and tissue paper on the way to the baby shower yesterday.  I don't know if it was the bag or if it was the tissue paper, but something 'stunk'.  It's that gluey smell - have you ever smelled that?  That's why I quit buying bags at the Dollar Store.  Even opening them up and letting them air out, the odor was still there.  I finally ripped the tissue paper out of the bag because I couldn't tell what was smelling.  Forgot a card; but maybe they will remember what bag I brought in.  Yes, we had already sent a gift via Amazon they wanted, but I also picked up towels and washcloths, white socks, and something else - I don't remember now. Kept it kind of generic since it wasn't announced what sex the baby is.  I would have thought they would have found out by now, but, it's their choice not to find out until birth. 

I had a surprise when I got there - my son and DIL, my granddaughter and her little family, including our new little one, were there as well.  The youngest grandson in this family came with his girlfriend a bit later.  It was so nice to be with them all.  And, we got an invite to dinner tonight with the family.  I'm hoping the grandson who didn't make it to the shower while I was there can come for dinner; would love to see him as well.  Yes, it's a rarity to get them all together and it's a joy when it can happen.  I'm sure my son can attest to that thought!  He is learning how hard it is to gather family together with all the different schedules and conflicts, and I believe is treasuring every moment that he can.

My sister and I were going to start our Bible study discussion tonight, but I think I am going to put her off until tomorrow night.  I have a few more questions to answer, and I need to watch the video yet for this week.  She may have all the time in the world to do these things, but I do not.  Of course I could have watched the video last night - but, alas, I forgot about it and read some instead.  After hubby and I went to El Pollo Loco for dinner.  I had mentioned to him that I was hoping our granddaughter and her little family could come visit and had offered to pick up KFC bucket meal for all of us - but they had other plans.  So hubby and I got to talking and, although he had a bowl of broccoli cheddar soup I had made, and I had drank a protein shake, we decided to head to El Pollo Loco.  Neither of us could eat the entire meal, but we did eat the chicken - and it was good.  I have the marinade recipe; I should just buy a whole chicken and cut it up and marinate it and grill it myself - right?  I wonder if it would be as good.  Probably not - sometimes food is better when someone else cooks it for you - right?

I've gotten started on lesson one in the Bible study to do with my sister and I think perhaps I can share a question now and then in here.  Perhaps it will cause you to think about Lent, about Easter, and why we celebrate it.  So here's the first question in our group discussion:

1) Think about your personal experience with Easter and the weeks leading up to the event.  Did you celebrate either or both Easter and Lent as a child?

2) Do you celebrate either today? How so?

3) What is your understanding of the season?

Interesting questions, do you think?  It gave me an opportunity to think back as to how we celebrated Easter growing up.  We always got a new outfit.  Every Easter.  We always dressed up for church.  If I recall correctly, the church I was raised in would give us a baggie of goodies, an orange, an apple, a boiled egg (I think) and maybe a piece of candy.  Vague memory for Easter, I know we got lots in a baggie for Christmas.  Anyway - we would dress up extra special for Easter.  We always had a good lunch of ham, mashed potatoes, probably gravy as well, and corn and/or green beans and rolls or biscuits.  My mama was an awesome cook.  

I can remember when I remarried and we moved out here, the two children and I got new clothes.  I have one photo of them - both very unhappy.  Which was most of the time because none of us were really happy.  But regardless, they had their new clothes on and mama was going to take their picture. I think that was when the youngest son quit smiling for any photo.  He always looked so sad in his photos - even when there was no reason to be sad. I think he did it to 'get even' with us for taking his photo.  And he continues that look most of the time (although he looks more grumpy now) as his wife is constantly taking photos.  Funny... she used to take at least one photo of my son and I when we were there.  She doesn't even bother now.  There aren't any recent photos of us, at least the past few years, I don't think.  At some point, when I'm gone perhaps, he will wish there were photos.  I'm not photogenic so I don't usually encourage my photo to be taken, and I've quit taking photos like I used to.  I decided to 'live in the moment' versus trying to 'capture the moment'.  I may regret it, but we don't need every visit photographed, unless it is a special moment - right?  Every photo does not need to be a 'selfie'.

I can still remember when I made the decision to 'live in the moment' instead of 'capturing it'.  I had gone to a funeral of a dear friend.  They played a video with photos of her.  I saw her 'living life' by dancing in the street dances in Puerto Rico, doing things with her children, working in her garden, riding bikes with her husband, doing things she loved.  I decided then that I would put the camera down (ok, most of the time, and I think I have succeeded in that; let others take the photos) and live in the moment.  It used to be that I always had a camera in my hand - a real camera, not just the phone - and I was taking photos of every moment.  I don't do that anymore. Yes, I still take photos on my phone occasionally, but most of what I have on my phone are photos that others took and sent to me, and I save them.  So, do you also 'live in the moment' or are you busy taking photos of everyone else and are left OUT of the photos? That's what I was doing - I was doing the taking so I wasn't in the photos.  It makes a difference when one looks back at the photos.  Think about that. Be sure and get IN the photos at times so that you also will be remembered.

Wow - I think my thoughts have gotten all over the place this morning.  I think I will just close this off and enjoy my quiet time for a bit more.  Jentezen is on at 8AM this morning and hubby will want me to come out and watch it with him on YouTube.  Loving my time with Jesus, and with you.  

Loving Jesus, Loving others. Live like Jesus; Follow Him. Walk in His footsteps. 

Ah- the basis of living.  It isn't photos.  It's all about Jesus.

Blessings!