Saturday and Breakfast Out

Bob will be by at 7:20 and we will go to breakfast at Sirloin Stockade.

I slept pretty well last night and got up, as usual, at 5:00 AM.  I drank some Chai and worked the rest of my crossword puzzle.  I will have my coffee at the restaurant and save my Kuerig coffee for later.

I don't know what I will do today.  We missed the rain altogether. It was just sprinkling when Bob left last night. I don't know whether we got any more rain after that. When it gets light I'll check the rain gauge. I need to get a new bird feeder. The one I've had for years broke yesterday as I was trying to hang it. Maybe I'll go back out to Walmart to buy one.

More later....

Well, it didn't rain last night. The few sprinkles I saw were those I saw on Bob's car when he left. It is cold though...something over 40 degrees in the middle of May. In Kansas, that's unusual.

We had a good breakfast and then I came home and just played Free Cell on my computer.  I should get something done but just am not motivated today for some reason.

Maybe more later...

I did work up the energy to dust the apartment.  I got all that done plus playing free cell for a couple of hours.

Missy and I went out for an hour. I visited with Maureen and she enjoyed lying in the back of the flower bed and looking for things to attack. She stayed in sight and that's all I cared about.

Later Bob came over and we ate some more of the pasta casserole. I added another jar of spaghetti sauce to it and then froze the rest. That was a lot of pasta.

He did not come back in the evening. He called and said he thought he would just stay home and watch "The Eighties" on CNN.  I watched it here too...with Missy.

We couldn't finish it. I went to bed at 9:00.

Friday and Exercise Class

I guess I will go to exercise class this morning although I'm not particularly excited about it. I got up late for me...about 6:00. I got an awful lot done yesterday and was very tired. I finished the vacuuming and did the hall, both bedrooms and the living room....plus a load of laundry, which I folded and put away. Then I started sanding on the small kitchen table Katie left when she moved to Ponca City.  I got some done but I have a lot more to do. I will just take it slow and easy and not try to do it all immediately.  When I get it sanded, I will put a couple of coats of brown latex enamel paint on it.

Missy is wanting to go outside but at the time being, there's no sunshine..only clouds.  The sun is trying to come out.

I am having a new casserole dish today. It is a sausage/pasta casserole. I will have green beans with it and Bob's salad. Then we will have either the fruit or the rest of the strawberries with his pound cake for dessert. We had another bowl of the strawberries last evening for an evening snack.

More later....

Well the new dish was not all I expected it to be. There was too much pasta in it for the amount of spaghetti sauce and although it had a good flavor, it was too dry. I added another jar of spaghetti sauce to the remainder. Hopefully that will help or I will not be doing it again.

I notice the roses my daughter gave me last Friday for Mother's Day are holding up beautifully. Here is today's photo of them.

And this is Missy as she makes herself comfortable in my flowerbed. Luckily, I didn't plant anything  there because she really likes to lie there in the mornings.

In the one above, you can see my shadow as I took the photo. This one down below may be better..

More later....

Bob came over to watch Brooks and Shields and the news. He went home at 7:00 and Missy and I watched most of what was showing on PBS.

At 9:00 we gave up and went to bed.

Sunday's Sermon

God’s Spirit Poured Out

May 15^th 2016

Day of Pentecost/Endowment Sunday

Acts 2:1-21New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Chapter 2

The Coming of the Spirit. 1 [a]When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. 2 And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind,[b] and it filled the entire house in which they were. 3 Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,[c] which parted and came to rest on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues,[d] as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. 5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. 6 At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, “Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how does each of us hear them in his own native language? 9 We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, 11 both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.” 12 They were all astounded and bewildered, and said to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others said, scoffing, “They have had too much new wine.” 14 [e]Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them, “You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem. Let this be known to you, and listen to my words. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 17 ‘It will come to pass in the last days,’ God says,     ‘that I will pour out a portion of my spirit     upon all flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,     your young men shall see visions,     your old men shall dream dreams. 18 Indeed, upon my servants and my handmaids     I will pour out a portion of my spirit in those days,         and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will work wonders in the heavens above     and signs on the earth below:         blood, fire, and a cloud of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned to darkness,     and the moon to blood,         before the coming of the great and splendid day of the Lord, 21 and it shall be that everyone shall be saved who calls on the name of the Lord.’

Pentecost comes at the end of the Easter season. Jesus had promised to return and promised his disciples would not be left alone. With the coming of the Holy Spirit those promises were fulfilled.

Today’s text is set in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. Pentecost was one of three most important festivals for the Jews (the others being Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles). They celebrated Pentecost seven weeks after Passover. The word Pentecost meant “fiftieth.” It was celebrated on the 50th day after the Sabbath on which Passover began. For Christians Pentecost is celebrated 50 days after Easter.

Acts was written by the same author as the Gospel according to Luke. There are many parallels between the two books. But there are also many differences.  If the Gospel is the story of Jesus, the book of Acts is the story of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit was responsible for the birth of the church. 

The promise of John the Baptist in Luke 3:16 that people would be baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire, was seemingly fulfilled in today’s text. The Spirit that descended on Jesus (Luke 3:22), now descended on the disciples giving them the power to develop the church. Just as Jesus began his ministry filled with the Holy Spirit, the disciples were beginning their ministry filled with the Spirit.

The Jewish festival of Pentecost is a celebration of giving the Law on Mount Sinai. During that encounter with God there were reportedly dramatic signs—thunder, lightning, smoke, and fire (Exodus 19:16–24). Now, as people came to the new church movement, similar signs appeared. 

The noise of these events obviously drew a crowd. The text goes into some detail listing all the nations present. The people of Israel had hoped the Messiah would bring together Jews from all nations. Peter will connect this with prophecy suggesting they are in “the last days” (Acts 2:17). By the end of the book of Acts the Spirit will be leading the church not just to Jews of all nations but to all people of all nations thanks to Paul’s influence. This passage connects Jewish expectation with God’s vision for an inclusive community that goes beyond Judaism.

Some people have understood this passage to describe the speaking in tongues Paul talks about in his letter to the Corinthians. But the miracle of this story is that everyone could understand in their own languages. History shows the church is dependent on the Holy Spirit for its life. The book of Acts is not so much the story of what the apostles did as it is the story of what the Holy Spirit came to do in and through the church.  The same Peter who had denied Jesus three times, was now on fire with the Spirit and preaching the gospel so all the nations could understand. 

The Holy Spirit is prepared to do the same for us. Let us think: What has the Holy Spirit done in our lives and in the life of our congregation in the past? How has that Spirit led us beyond our human weaknesses? What is the Spirit doing in our lives today and in the life of our congregation? 

When I was a young teenager, I began to attend the First Christian Church here in Coffeyville. All my friends and even my cousins on my dad’s side of the family were members there. I liked the pastor and he had a great youth group started.   I decided to join that church. My grandparents attended our church and were the third generation to do so. But my mother hadn’t attended any church since she left home at 17 to go to work to help support the family during the depression.  

So when I began to attend any church, it was because of my friends.  I was to join on Easter Sunday that year. Our church was having a baptismal service that same Sunday in Independence, where they had a font. I began walking to town to the Christian Church that Sunday and when I got to Washita Street, I suddenly had a very strong feeling that I should turn south there and go with the group going to Independence and join my grandmother’s church. So that’s what I did. At that point in my life, I really didn’t know what that “strong feeling” was. 

They were surprised to see me at our church on Washita Street but decided to let me join that day anyhow.  Luckily we had a pastor whose wife and he decided to start a youth group. There were about eight of us youth and we did a lot of fun things. They lived at the foot of Big Hill in a lovely home there and he taught at our trade school in Coffeyville.  They had our youth group out to their home many times for weiner roasts. We had hay rack rides and a lot of fun activities.  That kept us interested. Finally George McManus and I were asked to be in charge of the early worship service. That gave us responsibility and really cemented both of us into this church for life. I was very sure that the Holy Spirit influenced my decision that day. 

I am sure that many of us have those sorts of experiences where we feel a “still small voice” attempting to influence us in the best paths for our lives. We may not always recognize that as God’s Spirit.  But if we are aware and sensitive to the urging of that Spirit, we may avoid many unwise paths. 

As found in the testimony of John 14:8-17

⁸ Philip *said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” ⁹ Jesus *said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. ¹¹ Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. ¹² Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. ¹³ Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

¹⁵ “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

¹⁶ I will ask the Father, and He will give you another ^[a]Helper, that He may be with you forever; ¹⁷ that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

Exploring this Scripture:

This text for Pentecost Sunday fittingly begins with questions and yearning. Philip wanted to see God. When we gather for worship, we typically offer a prayer of invocation, which is our longing for the Holy Spirit to be present and real to us. We want assurance that the divine presence blesses our offerings to one another and to God.

Jesus’ response to Philip may also feel familiar. Jesus says whoever has seen him has seen God. In other words, “How could you not notice? God has been here with us all along!” Our understanding of the Spirit is that every part of life takes place in such a divine setting. As Jesus responded to Philip, sometimes the invitation is for us to be more aware of the Spirit that is already present, already inviting us into relationship. We do not need to wait for the Spirit for it is constantly with us outpouring! We simply need to recognize it. 

Jesus lived his life with God as the source of everything he did. They lived in such a state of oneness that Jesus was constantly trying to teach his disciples. He is saying, “If you too are willing to dwell in God as God dwells in you, you will do even greater things than I.” The heart of this text then, is that in Jesus, God is seen because Jesus lived in connection with God. “You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you” (John 14:17). We are called to place the foundation of life in the Spirit—the source of everything we do. Others will see God through our lives just as the disciples were able to see God through Jesus.

This text foreshadows Jesus’ death as he gives two parting gifts to the disciples to equip them for their mission in the uncertain times ahead. The first is the promise of the Holy Spirit as an “advocate” (v. 16). According to Jesus, the Spirit’s purpose is to continue to form the disciples. What they do not know now, the Spirit will teach along the way. The Spirit also reminds the disciples of their relationship with Jesus, through whom they came to know and see the divine presence.

The second gift is a blessing of peace. Here we find a distinction between Christ’s peace and the world’s peace and a reminder that the peace given to the disciples is countercultural. It is not a peace that will lead them away from conflict and suffering, but will comfort them and strengthen them as they move forward fearlessly wherever the Spirit leads. “The Spirit is the ‘completer’ of godly life in relationship to God, others, and the whole creation” (Ministry and Priesthood in Community of Christ: Part 1, Theological Foundations, 2013).

The promised Spirit is an everlasting connectedness with God in all conditions of life. The comfort we receive is Christ’s gentle blessing, “Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid” (v. 27). The Spirit strengthens and prepares us for mission. We are reminded of Luke 4:18, where Jesus proclaims the Spirit has anointed him to launch his mission. On Pentecost, we focus on the promise that mission begins with encounter! As God’s Spirit is constantly poured out, in and through us, we discover we are not alone, and have all we need to engage in the same mission of Jesus in the world today! God is seen through Jesus life and teachings because Jesus lived his life with God as the source of everything he did. 

We too are called to live with God as the source of our lives. The Spirit is constantly outpouring. We are invited to be more aware of how every part of life takes place in the constant reality of God’s presence. The Spirit connects us in our relationships with others, creation, and God. And Jesus’ peace is countercultural. The Spirit does not lead us away from the world, but gives us strength and wisdom for the complexities we face as we enter the world more deeply. Mission begins with encounter. 

When we encounter others and really care about them, the Spirit will help us to relate to them in important ways.  So, let us ask ourselves, when have we really yearned to encounter God’s Spirit and then realized God’s Spirit had been there all along?

If every part of our lives takes place immersed in the Spirit, how does that affect the way we view our everyday life and our relationships with others? How can we all live in such a way to allow others to glimpse God’s presence through us? What would it look like to live with the Spirit as the source of all we do? What would it look like in our congregation to be rooted in the Spirit as the source of every facet of congregational life? How are we called to live Christ’s peace in the world today? In our homes, our neighborhoods and our communities? What would Christ’s peace look like in our community?

These are questions we each need to contemplate.  We often rush into decisions about our lives without a lot of thought. If we are really wanting to make good and wise decisions, we will put prayer into our every important life’s decision.  God’s Spirit can give that kind of guidance.  

Thursday and Cleaning

I slept pretty well last night. I will be doing some cleaning today. I need to catch up on the vacuuming I did not get done this week. Between the foot injury and the trip to Bartlesville on Tuesday, I really got behind. Then yesterday I went to exercise class and went with Bob to get his phone updated. It ended up the clerk could not transfer either his old number or his address book with a connection. So yesterday afternoon after the Bingo party, I put the addresses in his address book on the "new" phone.

We missed the storms that were forecast for yesterday. I was glad. We will have storms on Saturday, Sunday and perhaps even Monday this coming weekend.

I need to go to Walmart this morning or tomorrow. I am developing a list again.

We will have the chicken tenders, potatoes, gravy, veggie and salad I had thawed for yesterday this noon.  I will fix the strawberries someone brought me this morning while they are still good.  We will have them for our dessert.

More later..

I went to Wamart and bought a few groceries. I bought a couple of things for Marilyn R. too. 

We had a good lunch and I got the strawberries fixed too. We had a bowl for dessert and another this evening. We've made dent in those strawberries.  I took some over to Marilyn R too. She has been sick all week.

I decided to begin sanding on the kitchen table after I finished vacuuming the house. I spent about an hour on it and took Missy out at that time too.  I have a ways to go to be ready to paint though.

Bob is back for the news and a re-run of Big Bang Theory.

After he goes home I will take my bath and sit with Missy in the recliner.

Wednesday and Bingo

I slept fairly well last night. I got up shortly before 5:00 and made the bed and got dressed, I fed Missy and had my oatmeal, juice and coffee myself.  The foot seems to be doing fine this morning. The swelling from yesterday afternoon is down again.  I will try to go to exercise class this morning and Bingo this afternoon. We are supposed to have some severe storms this afternoon. So I will play it by ear.

I am thawing chicken tenders for our lunch today.  I will fix some of those mystery strawberries for our dessert.

It's getting light now so I will take Missy out and see how warm it is out there. We spent an hour outside.

So...more later. 

The severe storms never developed. We went to exercise class and then to the pharmacy to return my crutches. My foot seems mostly fine.  Then we went to US Cellular so Bob could get his number installed only to find that Walmart would not allow that. So now he has a new number.  We were too late to fix lunch before the Bingo party so I used my free lunch coupon and Bob and I ate at Sirloin Stockade and then I went on to Bingo.

We will have the chicken tenders etc. tomorrow. 

After I got out of Bingo, I called Bob and he brought the "new" phone over and his old phone and I programmed the addresses in it from his old phone.  Missy and I went outside a couple of hours. She was delighted. Bob stayed and read the newspaper and then stayed for the news on TV. He got sleepy after that and decided to go home. It had been a big day.

I took my bath and worked on finishing this blog and will watch Nature and Nova on PBS after they start. Missy loves Nature and usually watches it intently.  She usually sleeps during Nova. After that we usually go to bed.

Tuesday and Hair Day and only a Strained Ankle

Well, I had a surprise when I awoke this morning. The swelling on my ankle was gone. There is a place on the bottom of my foot that is a little tender but that's all. I believe it was only a strain and not a sprain at all. I iced it on and off all evening and kept it elevated until 9:00 when I went to bed. Then there was the Aleve for the inflammation and pain.  I am walking on it this morning...kind of gingerly but so far..so good.  I slept until nearly 6:00 too.

I have my hair appointment this morning and then after lunch, Bob and I will go to Bartlesville. He has a 2:30 doctor's appointment in Bartlesville. I will go along there too since I cancelled my date with Myra. I had texted Myra about the "sprain" and will not try to get a hold of her at this late date to re-establish our date.  I do need to make a quick run to the bank. I had given the Medicine Shoppe my $25.00 to rent the crutches. I will not take them back right away.  I want to be sure this is only a strain first. After I've been on the foot awhile, it may swell again. I'll keep my eye on it.

Ashley, one of my granddaughters, called last night and I told her about my ankle and I also called my daughter, Leslie, and told her it was a sprain. I will need to text her that I was apparently mistaken.  Thank goodness!

I ended up calling Leslie and telling her that I was mistaken and it evidently was only a strain.  She was happy she had one less thing to worry about.  She and John have the girls this week. Jeromy and Marlene have gone to New Orleans for one of Jeromy's meetings for his work.  John and Leslie will have the girls until Thursday evening.  Maia gets picked up by the school bus but they have to drive Cheyenne down to Tyro Christian Church for preschool.  That's only 8 miles though.

Tomorrow Bob and I will have chicken tenders for lunch with mashed potatoes, gravy, a veggie and salad. I have some fruit  and cookies for dessert.

More later...

When I got home from Independence, I found someone had brought me two quarts of strawberries. They were in a sack in the door. I put them in the frig and began doing some calling to see who had brought them to me.  I never did figure it out. I'm down to Marilyn R. She has not been feeling well so I didn't disturb her. I will ask her when I see her out. She may go to Bingo this afternoon.

Our trip to Bartlesville was pretty productive.  We ate at our favorite Bar B Q place, Dinks. Then I told Bob about the 40% off coupon I had for shoes. He had been wanting a pair of black loafers ever since the ones he had were caught in the rain in Branson and did not hold up after getting wet. He found a nice pair at Goody's in the mall. They didn't have his size so after the doctor's appointment we went out to  another affiliated store and found them in his size. The $60 shoes were on sale for $38.00 and with the 40% off coupon he really got a bargain.

When we got home he took me home and went home himself.  He came back later to watch the news with me and left at 7:00. I took my bath and stayed up until 9:00 with Missy. Then we went to bed.

I had a call from Ashley after I got to bed. She had received the birthday card I sent her with the gift card for Olive Garden. She just called to thank me.

Monday and Cleaning

After I finish this segment of the blog, I will clean the bathroom and the kitchen. I started on the bathroom after I finished my makeup but I didn't finish it. Missy was wanting her breakfast and I wanted to have my oatmeal too. I have finished my chia latte and will need to get started on that bathroom soon before I leave for exercise class.

Myra and I will meet in Bartlesville tomorrow after I get my hair done. I will drive down to Bartlesville and meet her for lunch. She says she has a lot of news to share with me. It's been awhile since we've met. Bob has a doctor's appointment in Bartlesville tomorrow so he will not need lunch either. I am planning to fix chili this morning. We are forecast for severe weather today. I may not go to exercise class this morning. I don't want to put my car in harm's way for hail.  We will see what the morning forecast brings.

More later...

I got the chili made and the bathroom and kitchen cleaned. I also vacuumed the dining room.

Just before lunch time, I got up suddenly from my chair and didn't realize my right foot was asleep. I went down fast and my foot turned to one side and something on the bottom, as well as the ankle, hurt.  I took off the sock and shoe and checked it out. It's plenty sore and some swollen but if I am careful, I can walk on it. I walked on it carefully to get lunch on the table.

Bob checked his e-mail and bank account while he was here. His computer doesn't boot up well at all. It took two or three tries to get it to come up. Once he got on it though, it was very fast.  He seemed happy enough then. I went out with Missy and sat on the patio in the sun. She was delighted to be outside. We stayed about an hour. Then she got hungry and thirsty and we came back in. She is resting now and about to take a nap.

I have been reading my new Kindle book. It is a new one of Ehrman's called "Jesus Before the Gospels" . It is quite good. I enjoy his books. He makes good sense in his arguments.

I took some of the chili over to Marilyn R's. She is not feeling well at all. Her allergies are driving her crazy.  She has been more or less down for a couple of days. Bob took the rest of it home with him.

I have my hair appointment tomorrow in Independence and won't be cooking tomorrow. Bob has a doctor's appointment in Bartlesville tomorrow afternoon. Myra and I are meeting after my hair appointment at 11:00 there for a good visit. She says she has a lot of news to share with me. We will eat lunch there somewhere.

More later...

The latest photo of my son and DIL's driveway.

 

Obviously...they are still working on it.

By the way, the ankle is sprained. It is badly swollen and I took some Aleve for the pain.

More even later...



Here's the fireplace. That's lovely stone.



Kitchen cabinets now!

The ankle swelled up badly and I realized I probably had a sprain. I sent Bob to the Medicine Shoppe to rent some crutches. Then I iced the ankle all afternoon and stayed off it. I also took an Aleve for the pain. 

I kept the foot elevated all evening until 9:00 when I finally went on to bed. Getting around on crutches is not easy at my age.

Sunday Mother's Day

Today is Mother's Day. My kids all remembered it. Scott and Leslie sent flowers and I got a lovely card from Keith.  I will take the flowers to church to use on the worship center.  After the miniature roses stop blooming, I will plant them in my flower box.

John and Leslie are taking Jeromy and Marlene and the girls and me to a restaurant for lunch today.  That will be nice.

I slept pretty well last night but got hot. I had turned the air up and the room got warm. I finally got up and turned it down and then slept well. I sleep a lot better in a cool room.

I have had my breakfast and my coffee and chia latte. I have read the paper and worked the crossword puzzle.Missy must be in the den. She wanted to go outside but it was dark out there at that time so I refused.  She is in here now. I will see how nice it is out there and perhaps let her go out for awhile. I have to go with her to be sure she doesn't get into trouble.

More later...

My son, Scott and his wife, Ginger and her son, Nathan, spent Mother's day lunch at the Salty Pelican Bar and Grill.



This is the scene there. 

We had a nice congregation for church.  Afterward my daughter and her family went to Independence where we had a lovely lunch. My daughter gave me another gift at church. It was a cute bracelet. Sher bought one for herself too. I have put away  Bob's bracelet that I had been wearing since he died and began wearing the one Leslie gave me. John and Leslie also gave me a nice tomato plant in a large pot so I can grow container tomatoes this summer.  I have it out on the patio now. If we get severe storms this afternoon, I will move it back under the eaves.

Later I came home and read. I should have got sandpaper and began sanding on that table. But I wasn't in the mood somehow.

I did take a shower and wash my hair. It looked terrible. I should have done it before church but I didn't. Bob came over in the late afternoon to read the Sunday paper. He left fairly early so I had time to wash and dry my hair.

Missy and I sat in the recliner and watched some TV until shortly after 9:00 when I just had to go on to bed.