Family Visits

Sorry it's been a week since the last post. My evenings have been blessed with several home visits & activities this past week which have made posting difficult...especially considering the amount of food in the tank upon returning to the rectory! haha

Last Wednesday we had Youth Group as usual. After dinner and some games we talked about "Saints." We had a nice discussion about what "Saints" are and the kids shared about different saints that they know.

As they would share, I would write down the saint's name as well as common attributes of the saints (i.e. they are in heaven, they love us, they gave their lives heroically in love, they are our role models for Christian living, we can talk to them and ask them for prayers just like we can ask people in the Church community on earth to pray for us, etc.)

Here is the board at the end, decorated with my exquisite handwriting:

Sunday afternoons have been a great time to visit some families from the Hispanic Community at St. John's. Sunday is, for many of our parishioners, the one day that they do not have to work. So it is a great time to drop by for some chatting, eating, discussion, and prayer.

Here are some shots I took this past Sunday of a trailer park where several families from our parish live.

Here is the field where all of the neighborhood kids play soccer everyday

Later on Sunday evening, Tom and Luanne invited me over to dinner at their home as well as Alice and Chuck. We enjoyed great food and wine and even better company.

Here is a shot of a beautiful lake on the way to their house.

Tom and Luanne have a lovely and most interesting home. Throughout Tom's career in the Army, he and Luanne moved all around the world. Along the way they really developed a knack for collecting and decorating. Plus, Luanne was an elementary school teacher for several years, so, like most people in her field, her creativity knows no bounds.

Once, while visiting China, Luanne noticed a Chinese Coke bottle laying beside a trash can. Interested by the Chinese writing, she picked it up thinking it would be an interesting souvenir. Living in Korea at the time, Luanne then picked up another Coke bottle with the writing in Korean. Little did she know that this would over the years blossom into an extensive "Coke" parafanilia collection which now adorns there sun room making for a room-sized conversation piece.

I was amazed by Alice's bravery in admitting that she prefers Pepsi as she sat on the Coke Couch in the Coke Room!!!! hahahahaha

Their back yard is a kid's paradise. Besides the little pool, fountain, and space to run around...they also have a playhouse for their granddaughter and a "Crooked House" for their grandson.

Tonight, Eva, Pablo, and Jasmine invited Father and I over for a Shrimp Broil for Pablo's 31st birthday. Happy Birthday Pablo!

Pablo has been in the Army for 9 years and is currently stationed at Fr. Rucker like many other of our parishioners are or have been before they retired.

Pabo is from Southern Texas and Eva is from just across the border. They are a great couple and have been very hospitable to me since arriving here. Jasmine is 6 and pretty much dominates the Coloring Book circuit. She had just churned out some masterpieces of Justin Beiber, Selena Gomez, and Phineas and Ferb earlier today which Father and I were able to enjoy. She loves the color Red, chocolate chip pancakes from Bob Evans, and losing teeth. She was sweet to let Father and I crash her Dad's B-Day Bash! Thanks Jasmine!

And, as I am one that made a point to not make a serious face in a picture until the age of 11, I have to give Jasmine serious props for the face she made the first time we took a picture together.

That is pretty much unbeatable....so with that....

Thanks to everyone here in Enterprise for being so warm and inviting. It is a real blessing to be sharing in the richness, height, depth, diversity, and particularity of the People of God down here at St. John's.

Goodnight and God Bless ya'll.