Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

Yesterday evening our church did a Guess Who's Coming to Dinner event.  I was the main organizer, so I was glad to hear that it was a great success.  There has already been discussion about doing another one.

We had four different host couples who were each assigned 4 or 5 guests.  The guests were a combination of couples and individuals.  I actually quite enjoyed trying to figure out where to place the guests.  I tried to send the guests to homes they would not otherwise visit. I also worked to mix up the other guests so that they would be meeting new people, but not completely unfamiliar and uncomfortable.  It was a challenge, but in the fun sort of way of a puzzle.  Many of you know that I like puzzles.

Saturday morning we had our monthly Women's Prayer Breakfast.  There I was able to pass on information to some of the guests so that they would know where to go for dinner.  I had help informing guests where to go from our pastor's wife, Lynne.  She called some of the people and I emailed others.  Any guests going to her house I contacted.  It worked out very well.  I had a lot of fun knowing where everyone was going in advance, even though they didn't know.

The evening was a great success.  Before I went to bed after coming home on Saturday evening, I had heard from at least one member of each group.  Everyone enjoyed great food.  In addition to dinner and getting to know people better, one group had a small hymn sing, another group was playing a couple of guitars and even restrung one, another group played some games, and another group had a tour of their host's house.  I received some compliments on how the groups were a good mix and the locations suited people well, even if the hosts were not well-known to the guests.  I was thankful that it was such a great success.

Even today at church, it was good to see some of the positive results of the evening.  People were discussing it and comparing stories.  Others had gotten to know new people better.  Some people were intentionally greeting people they don't regularly visit with after church, but had been with the night before.  I am thankful that the event was such a great success.  I am also very thankful for our wonderful church family.  I look forward to continued growth in community in the future.

Satsuma

I picked a satsuma (a kind of mandarin orange) when I cam home from school today.  I ate it as part of my supper.  It was a little tart but very delicious, and it had no seeds.  I had eaten one already this season, but this was the first one from home.  Yay for having satsumas growing in the back yard.

Simple Things

Sometimes I am thankful for the simple things.  For example, this year I got a USB number pad for entering grades.  After entering grades for 3 years on the regular keyboard of my laptop I decided it was time for a change.  Another contributing factor was that this is the first year I have not had to use a paper gradebook in addition to entering my grades electronically.  So, instead of copying my grades from a gradebook, I copy them directly from the papers.  Being able to enter grades with one hand while paging through the papers with the other hand expedites the process.  Having to use a gradebook, and typing grades on my regular keyboard were not bad things, but I am thankful for the ease and efficiency of these simple changes.

New Record

I talked to Grandpa on the phone this evening.  He called and left a message yesterday while I was at Bible Study.  We talked for almost an hour (55:51).  That is definitely a new record.  Often we talk for 10-20 mins.  It was really good to chat with him and catch up on different things.  I am very thankful for modern communication and the ability to talk over such a long distance, for an extended period of time, and not have to worry about it costing anything extra.  I am also very thankful for my loving Grandpa who is a great Christian example to me and many others.  God has truly blessed me!

Supper

Sometimes I get excited about food.  On Friday for example red peppers were on sale at the grocery store for $0.68 each.  The friendly check-out lady asked me if I had noticed.  I went back and got three!

I do enjoy snack foods, but one of my favorite meals to eat is some sort of taco or burrito.  Mainly it contains various veggies (and fruit - tomato), sour cream, salsa, cheese, and some kind of protein.  Today I did taco salad.  I am somewhat abnormal because I build it with the meat on top, but that is because I was heating the meat while I put it together.  I thought it looked delicious and colorful, so I did something very unusual - I took a picture of my meal.  Here it is for you to enjoy (notice the red peppers?)

It was delicious!

As I thanked God for my dinner, I was especially appreciative for the variety of vegetables, and the fact that I have money to buy them.  I know I could be sustained on far simpler food, but I am thankful for the variety.

To All Canadians:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Prayer for our Nation

This is not my typical blog post, but I wanted to pass on a section from our school newsletter.  As a faculty we have been focusing on prayer for our nation as we approach the election.  That is a small piece of the background for excerpt.

THE POWER OF PRAYER Since our nation's very first days, God's greatest movements in our midst have been fashioned and sustained by prayer, from the signing of our earliest documents, to our triumphs over days of darkness, to the spiritual awakenings that have sustained our faith and resolve over the centuries.  Throughout Scripture and throughout our history as a nation, persistent, prevailing, intentional, and never-ending prayer has always brought the presence of God. How vast are the possibilities when we pray! Prayer is a wonderful power placed by the almighty God into the hands of His saints.  When we humbly seek His face in prayer, he is moved to act on our behalf and accomplish His desires for us. And when we seek God in prayer for our leaders, we impact the very direction our nation will take. THOMAS JEFFERSON Almighty God, Who has given us this good land for our heritage; We humbly beseech Thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of Thy favor and glad to do Thy will.  Bless our land with honorable ministry, sound learning, and pure manners.  Save us from violence, discord, and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way.  Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people, the multitude brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues.  Endow with Thy spirit of wisdom those whom in Thy name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that through obedience to Thy law, we may show forth Thy praise among the nations of the earth.  In time of prosperity fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in Thee to fail; all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. --Washington, DC, March 4, 1801 ********************* Only God can unite us. Let's ask Him to do just that. Will you commit to pray daily for the 40 days leading up to the 2012 Presidential election, Sept. 28-Nov. 6? If so, go to maxlucado.com/election to register.  In the meantime, consider praying this prayer... Dear Heavenly Father, You have given us this promise: "If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked way, then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14 So, we pray to you. We choose to turn from evil and to look to You, our God. Please                            Unite us                            Strengthen us                            Appoint and anoint our 2013-2016 President. In the name of Christ we pray,   Amen

Weekend Blessings

This has been a weekend full of blessings and the weekend is not yet over.

Friday
Friday afternoon I got together with Rebecca, another teacher, to go for a walk before the homecoming football game.  There was an ultimate frisbee game going on so we joined that for 15 minutess until they finished and then walked a couple of miles.
After walking we showered and shared a meal.
Together with other friends we attended our homecoming football game.  There I visited with other friends and enjoyed the fellowship as well as the game.
Late Friday evening - actually early Saturday morning - my college roommate Rachel arrived for a weekend visit.

Saturday
Saturday morning a group of ladies gather for a birthday brunch for our dear friend Susan.  I had suggested and sort of planned the idea, but everyone else came together and did far more than expected.  It was truly a blessing for Susan, as well as for the rest of us.

Saturday afternoon Rachel and I enjoyed relaxing activities including visiting, doing a fall puzzle, walking at Magnolia Ridge in beautiful weather, picking up a few things at the grocery store, cooking tacos, baking speculaas and pumpkin cranberry bread, and then watching Hogan's Heroes projected on the wall downstairs with friends.

Sunday
Sunday morning we attended worship practice at church and then the church service.
After church Rachel was able to join me for First Sunday Luncheon - our monthly church potluck.  It was a blessing to have her here and to share some of my life with her.
Shortly after the potluck Rachel had to leave to drive back to Waco - I am so glad that she was willing to come for a couple of days.

After Rachel left I went to a baby shower for a friend from church.  More time of fellowship with believers.
Later in the afternoon I visited with Hannah, my landlords oldest daughter, who is visiting.
I also read a part of a book for our small group Bible Study.
I just chatted with a friend online, read some thought-provoking blogs, and ate dinner.
Tomorrow we have a day off from school for Fall Break, which is on Columbus Day.  I am  glad to have another day to get work done that got pushed aside while enjoying some of the special events of the weekend.

It has been a full weekend, but one full of blessings.  This weekend has been a reminder of how greatly God has blessed me, and how undeserving I am of such great blessings.  Thank you God for your infinite love and blessings beyond measure!

Fall

My perspective on fall has changed in the last few years.  I now can tell it is fall because there are some evenings where I can open my window and it actually helps to cool down my apartment.  Going outside in shorts and a t-shirt can be comfortable instead of simply hot.  There are also a few trees that look less green and have a somewhat yellowish tinge.  I have driven past a couple of soybean fields where the plants are all dried out; they look more like fall than the trees.  Also, with some cooler and refreshing mornings the students have started bringing sweatshirts to school.

Growing up (in Canada, not southern Louisiana) fall meant frost overnight.  The leaves turned yellow,  brown, and a few rare ones red, and actually fell off the trees.  The plants in the garden finished producing and died - typically because of the frost and the cooler weather.  There was also often fresh snow on the mountains.  Pants and light jackets became the norm for outside, and sometimes gloves were appropriate when biking to school.  Fall also had a crisp freshness accompanied by its own unique smell.

I continue to enjoy fall and the change of season, despite the variation resulting from different locations.  I am extremely grateful that God blesses us with seasons and that He is faithful to watch over us and provide for us throughout the changing seasons.

I am reminded of Genesis 8:22 - "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."