Weekend

January 19: Excavation Continues



This is, indeed, the closet from hell. Cover me, I'm going in.


January 20: Building Steward

Tim is our building steward at church for this month. He also was the steward during December. He volunteers for those two, the worst weather, months each year. Almost every Sunday he ends up shoveling snow, dealing with the quirks of an ancient heating system, and various other not-so-fun winter activites. He also helps by fixing things that aren't working properly, carrying large objects up from storage, and getting up on ladders and hanging banners in the sanctuary. All without (much) complaining. He truly has a servant's heart. We are very lucky to have him.

Catching Up

I have such good intentions of posting every day, but life just seems to get in the way sometimes. So here are some catch-up pics from the last few days.

January 16: Disciple





This Bible study is quite a commitment. I've taken it before, many years ago, but it looks different this time. I suppose it's a matter of perspective and a different group of people who are studying it along with me. There's a lot of work involved, but it is very worth it.


January 17: Pass the Baby, Please

Andria's (our choir director) little one, Felicity, joined us for choir practice this week. Of course we were all over her. It's pretty clear that she lives in a musical household: when we weren't singing she would get a little restless, but once the music started she would settle right down.

January 18: Poor Thing!

Amy came home from Kalamazoo last night with a bad case of bronchitis. Poor girl, she is so miserable. There's nothing like coming home, though, to make you feel at least a tiny bit better.

Mark and his Mandolin

January 14: Mandolin




Mark unwinds by playing his mandolin. He's still learning how, but making progress. I like to listen to him play. I love it when someone I love does something they love.

Coffee Hour

January 13: Coffee Hour


Susan and Linda are deep in conversation at coffee hour after church. Susan is such a wise, funny person and Linda is the kind of listener I would like to be. I'm so glad to know both of them!

Like many other churches, mine has a tradition of serving refreshments after the worship service. Such a small thing, but a big thing, too. Who would think that some coffee or juice and a few snacks would be so important in the life of a group of people? But it is.

It's where we connect: we catch up with what happened with each other's week, we take care of "business" (can you help me out with this project I'm working on?, Here's the copy of the article you asked me for, etc.), encourage and validate each other. Oh, and just plain visit. Or get a chance to hold that new baby. It feels like family time.

We take turns hosting, so pretty much everyone gets an opportunity to provide for the rest of the congregation. It's something that I look forward to very much. I get to see everybody!

It's said that God is in the details. It is wonderful how important the little, doable things are to an organization. Or a family. Or an individual. It is encouraging that everyday actions that are within my power to do can have a positive influence on the quality of someone else's existence. Something that I think I'll be keeping in mind.

January 12: Sculpture

I was out today taking pics for a circle journal page I need to get done this weekend (Show Me Where You Live) and I took some photos of the Calder sculpture, Le Grande Vitesse, in our city square. This is an angle that I don't think I've seen portrayed in anything I've seen.

I like it. It seems to portray a feeling of movement that I don't see from other perspectives. I wonder why this angle seems to be so neglected? But I guess that's the beauty of sculpture: we experience it from the point of view that's most meaningful to us.

Lazy, Just Lazy

Janurary 11: Lazy

Topanga and I were lazy today. I can't speak for her, but I slept 12 hours! Not good. Tons of things to get done and there I was in bed. But it was nice.

Getting in My Own Way (Again)

Here I am talking about simplifying, de-cluttering, and so on, and what do I do?

Just the opposite of what I'm trying to achieve! And it's taken me over a week to figure it out.

Along with Project Simplicity, I am also trying to take at least one photo a day with my new digi camera. I figure it will accomplish a few things: I'll learn how to use the thing, I will have a photographic journal of my year, and I'll write at least a few lines every day. So what did I do but start a second blog for those entries!

What was I thinking? One blog is much easier to maintain and simpler. As in less clutter. Which is supposedly my focus this year. Well, I guess simplicity is simple, but not necessarily easy. Especially for some of us!

So I am moving the pic a day over here. Here is yesterday's photo:

January 10: Windy Day

Jasmine seems fascinated by the leaves swirling in the wind. Today was a good day for watching the wind at work. The unseasonably warm weather we've been enjoying is being pushed out to make way for typical January- in- Michigan weather. Although I do like the snow, it has been nice having it a little milder.