A Blast From the Past

This Monday I opened up an envelope from a former church council chairperson who mailed me this book. Apparently when I left Belleview, it got left behind and put into the church library. As they were cleaning out the library it was found and mailed back to me. It is such a beautiful gift - part of my seminary graduation present from the Seffner church where Daryl and I grew up. Inside, it is signed all over the various pages from folks who were members of the church back then. What a wonderful reminder  of how incredibly supportive the folks at Seffner were of my call to ministry. 

 

Christmas Drive Thru

The boys and I spent Thursday night at the Belleview UMC Christmas Drive Thru and then Daryl was able to join us on Friday evening.

Davis trying to pet the donkeys

A Wise Man and a Shepherd

The Wise Man helping toddler Jesus keep his hands warm

Parades and Parties

So last Saturday night was the Ocala Christmas Parade. Parker's school had a float for the kids from Lego Robotics team and the Student Council. We dropped him off at the McPherson Government Complex at 3pm - the parade started at 5:30pm and we sat near the end 3 miles away. It was after 8pm before he reached us and this blur is Parker and his friends. The robotics team made Lego hats to wear with their South Ocala t-shirts.

Sunday at 2pm was the Belleview Christmas parade. We entered the bus and had a few folks inside waving to people (including Davis). Some of our Visual Arts folks walked with the church banner and then Wesley and I walked with his friend Wyatt handing out candy and information about the church. We wore our matching VBS t-shirts from this summer.

Monday morning was the VPK Christmas program at Carousel ELC. We went to see Davis dressed up like a reindeer and to hear him sing his songs. He looked great! But he certainly fit into our family in terms of his performance - while he would sing the songs at practice at school and for us at home - when it came time to sing in front of everyone, just like his older brothers Davis decided not to sing....not to do the hand motions...and not to ring the bells for Jingle Bells. That's ok! Afterwards they went on a field trip to the nursing home across the street and he sang over there.

Grandma Update

Grandma is continuing to take chemotherapy at Moffitt. She has her fourth treatment there tomorrow. The tests that they ran after her second treatment show that the main tumor has shrunk 20% and that the chemo is keeping the metastized spots steady. So that's good news.

Grandma was able to come up the first Saturday in April for a Spring Fling/Mother-Daughter banquet at Belleview UMC. We had a really nice time that day - catered luncheon, barbershop quartet for entertainment, and we got to judge the hat contest too!

Easter Drive Thru Experience

On Friday night, we all participated as a family in Belleview UMC's Easter Drive Thru Experience. This annual tradition is one of the church's gifts to the community 

explaining the true meaning behind the season of Lent and the celebration of Easter ... 

A live reminder in 6 scenes of the last few hours of Jesus' life and his resurrection. 

Druid Hills does something similar each year on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. 

For this year, Daryl and Parker were in scene 1 - The Garden of Gethsemane. 

Daryl was Jesus praying, and Parker was one of the sleeping disciples. 

One of my church members captured this cell phone picture of Daryl as Jesus! 

Wesley and I were in scene 4 - as observers at the foot of the cross. 

Our entire job for two hours consisted of sitting on blankets at the foot of the cross 

and gazing up at the young man playing Jesus. 

This picture was taken during the break when we could stretch.  

From my vantage point literally sitting at the foot of the cross, 

it was truly humbling to look up and be reminded

of what Jesus had gone through on our behalf. 

I was also able to have a conversation with Wesley too about why Jesus was on the cross. 

It was a very special evening together. 

Trunk N Treat

Wednesday night we had Trunk N Treat at Belleview UMC. 

This year we were the Justice League characters and turned the van into the Hall of Justice. 

Parker helped Debbie make all of the logos and signs. 

The boys were Batman (because neither wanted to be the sidekick).

And the parental units were Superman and Wonder Woman. 

The Justice League - ready to save the world!