It was a busy weekend. That's pretty normal around here -- and probably at your house too.And here in this post, I'll catch you up on the last couple of days. Keep in mind, this is for those who have asked me to include (at least occasionally) a few words in this blog about our personal activities. If you're only looking for the "regular" issues covered by Vital Signs Blog, I completely understand. Skip this one and move on.
But for you others, here goes...
In preparation for the book club's meeting at our place Saturday night, Claire was busy cleaning house and I was busy trying to finish the book!
The book was Jack London's Sea Wolf, a dramatic and disturbing novel in which the materialist philosophies of Nietzsche, Darwin, Spenser et al are portrayed in the brutal hedonism of a late 19th Century seal-ship captain. Everyone had been moved by the novel, even those who found certain elements weak or inconsistent, and the discussion that evening was probing and profitable. Our Notting Hill Napoleons group is one of the best things we have going and we really enjoy our time together. (For more on our literary society, now in its 18th year, check out that section at The Book Den.)
And Claire's blueberry cobbler (served with ice cream) was another nice touch to the evening.
After chasing everybody out, it was time to finish my sermon for the morrow and to go over my notes for a presentation on the Christian history of Omaha, also to be presented the next morning.
That history talk was for an adult Sunday School class at King of Kings Lutheran Church, the invitation for which came from Bill and Karin Coker. It was the third time I've delivered it in recent weeks with another one scheduled in April. And Sunday morning brought what looks like is another invitation for a mid-week fellowship there at King of Kings. Interesting how these things sometimes run in seasons.
Following the Sunday School presentation (which was received most favorably), Claire and I had to book back to the eastern part of town for church. My sermon text was Colossians 1: 15-20 and we had a great time "unpacking" that momentous text. By the way, that sermon (along with a gang of others) will soon be up on a completely new Exposition 101 website, available for listening online or on podcast.
Following the service, we went out to dinner with several church friends to a Mongolian restaurant that we had never been to before. It was a very interesting experience to watch one's food prepared. We had a nice time. And then it was off to Life Care Center to visit with Mom, to attend church services with her, to check in with her rehab therapists, and to give a call to her other kids. We found 3 of the four at home (Sherry in Wichita, Ric in Denver, Linda in San Jose) and we joined in on the conversations too.
Then, finally to home where we read a bit, watched an old episode of "It Takes a Thief," and enjoyed a late supper.
As is often the case, Monday morning blogging doesn't get done because Claire and I join friends in sidewalk counseling down at the abortion clinic in Bellevue. We take the first shift down there but still we're not back here in the city until 11:30 or sometimes later. Yesterday, we were delighted that the place was closed but we stayed around until 9 or so to make sure. And, of course, during that hour, we prayed together and showed our signs and banners to the hundreds of cars that drive by Mission Boulevard.
(The last Vital Signs LifeSharer letter gave an imaginative take on that kind of pro-life witness that you might find of interest. We've received a lot of positive response from it, including it's stimulation of a few extra Christians joining us yesterday morning. That was the best response of all.)
Because of those extra friends (including Steve and Connie Buller who had driven in all the way from Blair!), we stopped by a coffee shop after leaving the clinic so that old friends could catch up a bit and that new friends could become better acquainted. While there, we also met a pastor and his wife who minister in a Southern Baptist church there in Bellevue. Their family lives in Santiago, Chile, the city located at the very center of the earthquake. Because of the complete power outage in the area, they have yet to contact their loved ones and so are living in terrible uncertainty. We would appreciate your prayers for them and for their family members.
And that catches us up too, doesn't it? Good. Let's all get back to work.
