A new old drug store

We have a new "old-fashioned" drug store in town.  A step inside will take you back a few years in your memory to the days when fountain drinks, sodas, and milk shakes were all made by hand by the "soda jerk."  This drug store opened a few months ago in east Bradenton.  It is housed in a grand old brick building that used to be a department store.  Western wear was available there.  When Don and I got married, I bought him a pair of cowboy boots from there.

On my way to meet a friend for a movie one day, I decided to visit and see just what was there.  I sat right down at the counter and enjoyed visiting with the "jerk," a likable gentleman from England who has settled here and is working there.  The menu has all sorts of ice cream pleasures and all kinds of fountain drinks.  On their menu, they have a few sandwiches, but the emphasis is on the fountain part.  I had a chicken salad sandwich, a bag of chips, and any drink in the drug store for 6.95...not bad.  I chose a chocolate shake.  Yum!

While sitting on the stool at the counter, I enjoyed admiring the antiques and remembrances from days gone by. The cabinets in the drug store are beautiful.  At the top of the one above is a Stetson hat box.  That reminded me of my daddy who loved to wear hats in the day, and he bought them in Tampa at the Stetson hatters.

This old cash register sits at the end of the counter, again reminiscent of former days.  In a newspaper article about the department store, you can see the photo of it with the gentlemen who owned the store. 

While not functional now, it adds to the atmosphere.

While I was sitting there, the "jerk" was busy making the syrups for the different drinks that they make.  Even the whipped cream is made the old fashioned way.  The cream goes into a canister, then a "bomb" is attached that aerates the cream. 

The counter is made of onyx.  It had originally been in a store here in Bradenton, and the owner obtained it and installed it here.

My mother worked in a drug store all the years that I was in school.  She wasn't a soda jerk, rather put out a hot plate special every day.  In the day, you could get a hot plate, a meat, two vegetables, and rolls for 55 cents.  As I grew up, I ended up working in the drug store too.  I must say that it was not my favorite job.  One thing that was hard was the fact that the ice cream scoops were made for right-handed people, and being left-handed, it was very awkward to scoop hard ice cream. 

I have many fond memories of the drug store where my mother worked.  It was on the ground floor of the professional building in Bradenton.  Lawyers and doctors had their offices in that building, and many of them ate there.  From the time I was in second grade or so, I had to go with my mother to work in the mornings, eat my breakfast there, and then walk to school.  I lived just inside the city limits and was not eligible to ride the bus.  So, in my elementary school years, my mornings were spent there until it was time to get to school.  I got to know some really neat people during those growing up years.  This drug store in east Bradenton is a lovely reminder.  I hope it stays around for a long time.

Trees

I haven't blogged much lately.  Facebook is so much easier, but the first one to comment on my last post about my husband was Carmi, from Written, Inc.  He does a photographic theme each week, and this week's theme is "trees."  How simple can this be?  When I traveled to Virginia in April to visit my children, I had the added plus of its being spring. 

When you live in Florida, you see flowers year-round, but there is something about seeing trees burst into bloom in the spring.  I live too far south in Florida to see dogwood, so my mouth dropped open often during those days I was in Virginia and on my way there, seeing dogwood everywhere.

As I was getting out of the car one day at my son's house, I looked and saw this beautiful sight.  First is the Japanese maple in his yard and then the dogwood, white and pink in the yard next door.  I took out my phone and snapped the photo, and I was quite pleased with it.  Enjoy.  Go over to Carmi's blog and take a look at other entries to this week's theme.

When you can't trace His hand, trust His heart

Another year has passed.  April 30, 2002, my husband Don got up as usual.  His routine was to shave and sit down for his morning devotions.  He faithfully read Scripture each morning and read the daily devotional, "Our Daily Bread."  This morning was like every other morning.  The Scripture that particular morning was Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them the love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."  Later that day, Don was ushered into heaven through an accident.

Ten years have passed.  I used to put flowers in the church each anniversary, and I finally stopped realizing that the money spent on flowers could be used to feed some hungry people or given to some worth cause.  I decided, though, to have some in church this morning.  Several people spoke to me after church, remembering Don fondly.  One gentleman, in particular, shared with me how he and Don had had such a good working relationship.  This man was an electrician before he retired and offered his services to the church when a need arose.  He often spoke to Don asking him questions to be sure he was doing everything right, and he appreciated always the assurances that he received from Don.

A few months after Don died, I received a CD from some friends in Cincinnati.  Their son-in-law who was a music minster in a church had recorded a song that I listened to over and over again in those months that followed, and I'd like to share it with you.  The words are so true...when you can't trace His hand, trust His heart.

Spring!

 It has been a long time since I last posted.  In fact, it was after I had traveled to Virginia at Christmas time, so maybe my blogposts will depend on trips that I take.  I must confess that I spend more time reading what everyone is doing via FaceBook, but I know that there are many who do not go there, so I hate to give up blogging completely.  The purpose for my trip to Virginia was to visit Ella at her school for Grandparents' Day.  Last Friday, I got to visit her classroom and then enjoy a program that was presented by the music teacher at her school.  School was a half-day, so we left, went to Chick Fil-A for lunch, and then went to her house, where her mommy was working from home for the day, and her daddy was recovering from pneumonia.

 One of the perks of coming at this time of the year has been getting to see all of the beautiful spring flowers.  This dogwood is in David's yard.  Dogwood has always been a favorite of mine, and I have just been in awe of all the flowering trees in the neighborhood, and in the parks and along the highway.

 David lives not far from a park where all kinds of activities take place.  Right now the baseball season is opening for the kids.  A river runs along the edge of the park, and a little way away is a serenity garden which has been dedicated to cancer survivors and their caregivers.  This particular photo and the one below were taken from that garden.

 This lovely building is the P. Buckley Moss Museum.  She has lived in this area for many years and can be seen at different times of the year here and also in St. Petersburg, Florida.  When I went to a signing one year, she told me she prefers now to paint in St. Pete, because the light is so much better there.  I understand completely what she means!

Ella is playing T-Ball once again.  What a difference a year makes!  There are some really tiny kids playing ball.  When they swing the bat, they usually go around with it.  Ella has pretty good form and pays more attention this year.  If you've ever watched four and five year olds play, you know what I'm talking about.

It is so much fun to listen to her read and watch her write.  I told her mother the other night I'm interested to know where her imagination is going to take her.  Dr. Seuss's book, Oh the Places You'll Go, is a great fit for her.

Until the next trip...or maybe before...

What I Did on my Christmas Vacation

A couple of posts ago, I wrote about my fall vacation.  I feel like the student who goes back to school and writes a report about his activities.  Most of you know my daughter moved to Virginia last year so that she could be closer to her brother and Ella.  She had only been seeing Ella a couple of times a year, and it just wasn't enough.

Several people had talked about taking the auto train to Virginia, so I decided I would try that out one time.  The train leaves in the afternoon at 4 from Sanford, Florida and travels all night, arriving in Lorton, Virginia at 9 the next morning.  My good friend, Peg, lives about a half hour away from the station in Sanford so I went to her house on Sunday afternoon, visited with her the next morning, and then was on my way.  All in all, it was a pleasant trip.  I didn't spring for a Pullman, but I think I will if I do it again.

The whole process went quite smoothly, from dropping off my car in Sanford to be put on the train and getting in and driving it away when we got to Virginia.  It took me two hours to get from the train station to Sarah's apartment in Charlottesville...not bad.

Sarah and I enjoyed Christmas together, going to church and then to see the movie "War Horse."  David, Sabrina, and Ella were with her family in Ohio.  After they returned, we had our family Christmas together at Sarah's on Thursday. 

Ella was enthralled with the Wii game that her daddy got.  It's a Lego Indiana Jones game.  He also got a golf game to play on the Wii.

Sarah gave Ella and Sabrina matching monogrammed aprons.  Sabrina is a great cook and baker, and Ella is a great helper.

With a wonderful imagination, Ella transformed one of aunt Sarah's chairs into a sleigh.  Note that Rudolph is guiding the sleigh with his red nose, along with Clarice, his friend.  Ella was also careful to put some taillights at the end of the sleigh.  Two little ornaments that lit up were the taillights.

I left today to come back to Florida.  It was 21 with snow flurries when I left.  When I got out of the car in Dillon, South Carolina to get gas, I thought I was going to turn into an icicle right there.  The wind was so sharp, whipping around the gas pumps.  I am sitting, nice and warm, in a hotel room now enjoying the Virginia Tech/Michigan football game.  I hope that the freezing temperatures will have left Florida by the time I get there.

Food for Thoght for the New Year

You Will Never Be Sorry

...for thinking before acting.
...for hearing before judging.
...for forgiving your enemies.
...for being candid and frank.
...for helping a fallen brother.
...for being honest in business.
...for thinking before speaking.
...for being loyal to your church.
...for standing by your principles.
...for closing your ears to gossip.
...for bridling a slanderous tongue.
...for harboring pure thoughts.
...for sympathizing with the afflicted.
...for being courteous and kind to all.

Wishing for you a happy new year.

What I did on my fall vacation

Usually I've been doing Monday Morning Manna at the beginning of the week, and I will, but I wanted to share a bit about my recent trip to Virginia.  I feel like the school child who returns after summer break and has the assignment to write about what they did on vacation.

When I was with my family in September, David asked me what I wanted for my birthday.  "Nothing," I said, and then I thought about the times that I had told him I would love to see a college football game with him.  That never happened,  So when I got home, he wrote and asked me if I would like to go to a UVA game.  I didn't have to think twice.  It was a cool, crisp day for football, perfect weather.  The band was great; the team lost, but it was fun to watch the faithful fans cheer their team on.

The next week, Sarah and I went to hear the Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra at the Paramount Theater in Charlottesville.  Experiencing the theater was a treat, but hearing the symphony was even better.  The director of the symphony is Peter Wilson, a master sergeant in the U.S. Marine band.  The them of the evening was a salute to America.  He brought along with him two members of the band from Washington.

Toward the end of the evening the three men performed a piece of music that Mr. Wilson composed after September 11, 2001.  Below is a video of the song.  In the video, Mr. Wilson is the gentleman on the end, playing the violin.  Listen and enjoy.

Monday Morning Manna

I spent Friday and Saturday in Tampa at the Women of Faith Conference.  It was good to go again after not having gone for the last two years. I've always looked forward to hearing the speakers who always give a lot to laugh about as we look at our lives and tears often come as moments are shared that so many women have in common.  This year was no different.  However, the evening before we left to go, I looked online to see who all was going to be there, and alas, none of my favorites, except Luci Swindoll, was going to be there.  Except for a couple of ladies, they were new to me and young. I guess that says something about me...yes, everyone gets younger all the time.

About thirty went from our church.  Among them some young women whose names I had heard but did not know. One of the pluses was getting to know them better.

One particular session stood out to me, and that was a mini-concert by Nicole C. Mullen.  She and her husband are involved in two ministries.  One is Baby Girls Club, for girls 5-18 and teaches them the love of Christ through the arts.  The other is Team NCM, which trains young boys and girls (ages 9=17) who are gifted in the arts, and provides them with outlets to use and show their talents while growing as disciples of Jesus.

As she sang and danced with her group on stage, I thought of the passage of Scripture from Philippians 4.  The passage here is from The Message.

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

^8-9Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.
 Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

I'm putting one of her videos here.  It's called "Brainwash."  It isn't the style that many are used to, but it speaks of keeping our minds clean and pure.  I think the title is perfect.

Monday Morning Manna

How many of us have beautiful feet?  Probably not very many.  Maybe that's one reason we cover them with shoes.  I see some ladies who love to wear sandals, and their feet do look nice, perhaps after a pedicure, or if they have just polished their toenails themselves. 

I remember one of the first things that a friend did when she saw my babies for the first time was take off their socks or booties and kiss their feet.  She thought they were beautiful.  Would she do that today to them?  I don't think so.

When I was young, my mother always spent the money to put me in Buster Brown shoes, thinking that would help me avoid foot problems like she had.  Guess what.  It didn't.I developed hammer toes, had surgery for neuromas, had shots for heel spurs, and I find it hard to walk without orthotics in my shoes.  Dress shoes went out the window a long time ago.

I wonder why podiatrists would choose their particular profession since all the do all day long is look at feet, feet that have all kinds of problems and are not very pretty.

The Bible speaks of beautiful feet, feet that are used to spread the gospel among those who are lost. In Isaiah the prophet writes: " How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news,  who proclaim peace,  who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, 'Your God reigns!'"

In Romans, Paul writes "And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Last Thursday a grouop of us who worked in lived in Haiti were together for the morning and one of the ladies shared this story. 

The Bible School students all went out on the weekends to preach at churches in the country.  A truck would take them and drop them off, and then the men would walk to their appointments for Sunday, ministering along the way as they went.  The preached in their church on Sunday and then walked back to their pickup point to come back to the school. 

One Monday morning my friend was working in the office when one of the men came in.  When she asked him about his weekend, he was so excited.  He told her that one of people attending the service he spoke in on the wekeend had come to know the Lord as His Savior.

When he walked out of the office, my friend looked down at his feet, and they were bleeding..beautiful feet.  She sad that before she went to Haiti, she had often thought of that verse about beautiful feet, but it came to life that day.  I have to ask myself, "Are my feet beautiful?"

Monday Morning Manna

Our church observes the Lord's supper the first Sunday of each month. I've been away from home a lot and have missed it, so I was especially glad to see the preparations for it this morning as I entered our sanctuary for the morning service. While our pastor is on vacation and the assistant pastor is in Virginia visiting his dad who has had two strokes, our pastor to the senior adults spoke.

  We so often associate fellowship with food. Baptists are notorious for that, and the Bible speaks of it often. When the three men came to Abraham and told him the Sarah would bear a son, Abraham had food prepared for them to eat. They had no doubt come from a distance and were hungry. In Exodus24 Moses and Aaron and other men went up and saw the God of Israel. It says that under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright and blue as the sky. It goes on to say that God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank. Can you imagine?

Coming to the Lord's table gives one time to look into one's own heart and examine to see if there is anything to hinder fellowship with the Father and to ask for cleansing and restoration. As the pastor was speaking, the following song came to mind. One day we are going to gather around the table in heaven. Won't it be grand!

Monday Morning Manna

I've had the privilege of hosting a missionary family in my home this past weekend. They live and work in Cameroon, associated with Wycliffe, an organizaiton whose goal is to see the Word of God translated into the language of the people. Mindy went to Cameroon as a young, single woman and worked for many years when she met Efi, a Cameroon gentleman who was also working with a group involved with translation. Efi shared with us how there are 280 languages in Cameroon. Seventeen of the language groups have a complete Bible; fifty-eight have a New Testament.

  He shared with us what joy the people feel when they hear the Word of God in their very own language. He also said that people used to think that pastors made up the Bible, but when they heard it being read from the Book, they knew differently. He also stated that people listening to a preacher in another language and having it translated for them makes them feel inferior. When they hear God speaking to them in their own language, they feel like they matter.

How many Bibles do you have in your home? More than one, I can imagine. Think of having none. "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." . Scripture says that some from every tribe and nation will gather around the throne of heaven. "After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and languages tanding before the throne and before the Lamb."

Do It Again, Lord

The prayer here, "Do It Again, Lord," was a prayer prayed by Max Lucado at a seminar I attended on September 15, 2011, four days after the terrorist attack on our country.  I think I have posted it every year since that day, and here it is again.

Dear Lord,

We're still hoping we'll wake up. We're still hoping we'll open a sleepy eye and think, What a horrible dream. But we won't, will we, Father? What we saw was not a dream. Planes did gouge towers. Flames did consume our fortress. People did perish. It was no dream and, dear Father, we are sad.

There is a ballet dancer who will no longer dance and a doctor who will no longer heal. A church has lost her priest, a classroom is minus a teacher. Cora ran a food pantry. Paige was a counselor and Dana, dearest Father, Dana was only three years old. (Who held her in those final moments?)

We are sad, Father. For as the innocent are buried, our innocence is buried as well. We thought we were safe. Perhaps we should have known better. But we didn't.

And so we come to you. We don't ask you for help; we beg you for it. We don't request it; we implore it. We know what you can do. We've read the accounts. We've pondered the stories and now we plead, Do it again, Lord. Do it again.

Remember Joseph? You rescued him from the pit. You can do the same for us. Do it again, Lord.

Remember the Hebrews in Egypt? You protected their children from the angel of death. We have children, too, Lord. Do it again.

And Sarah? Remember her prayers? You heard them. Joshua? Remember his fears? You inspired him. The women at the tomb? You resurrected their hope. The doubts of Thomas? You took them away. Do it again, Lord. Do it again.

You changed Daniel from a captive into a king's counselor. You took Peter the fisherman and made him Peter an apostle. Because of you, David went from leading sheep to leading armies.

Do it again, Lord, for we need counselors today, Lord. We need apostles. We need leaders. Do it again, dear Lord.Most of all, do again what you did at Calvary. What we saw here on that Tuesday, you saw there on that Friday. Innocence slaughtered. Goodness murdered. Mothers weeping. Evil dancing. Just as the ash fell on our children, the darkness fell on your Son. Just as our towers were shattered, the very Tower of Eternity was pierced.

And by dusk, heaven's sweetest song was silent, buried behind a rock.

But you did not waver, O Lord. You did not waver. After three days in a dark hole, you rolled the rock and rumbled the earth and turned the darkest Friday into the brightest Sunday. Do it again, Lord.

 Grant us a September Easter.

We thank you, dear Father, for these hours of unity. Disaster has done what discussion could not. Doctrinal fences have fallen. Republicans are standing with Democrats. Skin colors have been covered by the ash of burning buildings. We thank you for these hours of unity.

And we thank you for these hours of prayer. The Enemy sought to bring us to our knees and succeeded .He had no idea, however, that we would kneel before you. And he has no idea what you can do.

Let your mercy be upon our President, Vice President, and their families. Grant to those who lead us wisdom beyond their years and experience. Have mercy upon the souls who have departed and the wounded who remain. Give us grace that we might forgive and faith that we might believe.

And look kindly upon your church. For two thousand years you've used her to heal a hurting world.

Do it again, Lord. Do it again.

Through Christ,

Amen.

As

Monday Morning Manna

Our pastor has been challenging our church the last two Sundays on reaching out to those in our cmmunity who are in need of a "good Samaritan."  People all around us are hurting and in need of someone to come alongside to help. I was reminded of this once again by a blog post that I read last evening.  The writer wrote about the book, Sarah's Key.  It is a work of fiction, but it is based on the rounding up of Jews in France in 1942.  They were rounded up by policemen who worked in their neighborhoods and knew them.  To this day there is denial of any knowledge of this happening.

All around us are people in need.  I have to ask myself, "What am I doing to be a good Samaritan?" What am I going to do today to get out of my comfort zone and minister to someone who might be hurting?

Monday Morning Manna

The Parable of the Lost Sheep
¹ Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. ² But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
³ Then Jesus told them this parable: ⁴ “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? ⁵ And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders ⁶ and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ ⁷ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Jesus often spoke in parables to the groups of people that he met  This chapter, Luke 15, has three parables: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son.  We have often heard that parables are earthly stories with heavenly meanings.  I was the lost sheep, found by my Savior, and I am in the fold instead of being lost outside.  I'm so glad He found me.

Look Who's in School

 Wednesday was Ella's first day in kindergarten.

 Some of her friends from her pre-K are in her class.

 It's hard to believe that time has passed so quickly.

Here's hoping the year is a great one for Ella.

Monday Morning Manna

 Guess who's 5 now!  Ella the Bella.  August 4 was her birthday.  The night before her mommy and daddy told her that when she woke up in the morning, she would be five.  She thought and said, "In the morning I'll be all growned up."  The next morning she said to them, "Look, my legs are longer."  These five years have flown by.  Some of you have been with us from the start.

When I look at David and his love for his child, I am awed.  What a wonderful love it is.  And I am reminded of the heavenly Father's love for us

1 John 3

¹Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
²Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
³And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Monday Morning Manna

When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.      

Micah 7:8

As I cross on life's tumultuous seas,
sailing from earth to Heaven's bright shore.
Christ is like a mighty lighthouse,
Helping me to navigate my course.

He guides me safely through tides of temptation,
Over dangerous reefs of sin.
Lighting my way through dark troubled waters,
'til the glorious port of Heaven I win.

- unknown -

For thou art my lamp, O Lord; and the Lord will lighten my darkness. 2 Samuel 22:29

Great Advice

Here is some advice from Pastor Tim on weight loss..

1.Weigh yourself with clothes on, after dinner...as well as in the morning, without clothes, before breakfast, because it's nice to see how much weight you've lost overnight.

2. Never weigh yourself with wet hair.

3. When weighing, remove everything, including glasses. In this case, blurred vision is an asset. Don't forget the earrings, these things can weigh at least a pound.

4. Use cheap scales only, never the medical kind, because they are always five pounds off...to your advantage, of course.

5. Always go to the bathroom first.

6. Stand with arms raised, making pressure on the scale lighter. (Waving them is optional but occasionally helps!)

7. Don't eat or drink in the morning until AFTER you've weighed in,completely naked, of course.

8. Weigh yourself after a haircut, this is good for at least half a pound of hair (hopefully).

9. Exhale with all your might BEFORE stepping onto the scale (air has to weigh something, right?)

10. Start out with just one foot on the scale, then holding onto the towel rack in front of you, slowly edge your other foot on and slowly let off of the rack. Admittedly, this takes time, but it's worth it. You will weigh at least two pounds less than if you'd stepped on normally.

Big

Carmi's photograph theme this week is "big."  When Ella was here in June, we visited Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, and she had the opportunity to feed a giraffe. I walked up on the platform with her, and standing close to the giraffe, realized just how big they are...big beautiful brown eyes, that long tongue that reaches so far to take hold of leaves, the long neck and legs.

Giraffe

A giraffe came by the willow tree
Stopped to gaze and talk to me.
For he was very lean and tall
A pillar, a column, a walking wall.

And as he looked down upon my face
His eyes were wide two pools in space,
As they engulfed, the countryside,
The sky above, held me inside -
Their special height and slant of things
Their special view of every thing,
And I could see by looking up
The wealth within his loving cup
That thinks and drinks the sun and sky
And watches us from way up high.

And yet I found it sad to see
That he could never reach down to me
For he was too tall, too much ideal
And I was too small, too much the real.

So, this angular figure, graceful and wise
Of astounding vision and cool clear eyes
Watched the sun rise, then watched it set
Looked down on me and seemed to forget
That I was as much a part of this scene
As the sun in the sky, the oak in the green.

Then the willow tree watching standing near by
Saw the distance between us and started to cry
she bowed down her head touching the ground
And from that day to this,
it's the way she'll be found.

Author Unknown

 

Monday Morning Manna

Are you amazed by God? We often look at present day "miracles" and say, "What an amazing God we serve."  We look at the miracles in the Bible and think "Wow." Scripture says that people were amazed out our Lord's sayings.
God did an amazing thing in the family of some of Don's relatives during this past month.

In July, one of Don's great aunts died. Her youngest son and his family had flown out to Arizona for the graduation of one of their boys from motorcycle mechanic school.  Doris died while they were there.  After graduation, the son wanted to accompany his family back to New York where the service for his grandma would take place.

His dad went online, and there was one ticket left for the flight they were taking home. That was amazing, but the even more amazing thing was that it was right by the rest of the family.  When it came time to change planes in Atlanta, they again sought a seat for the son.  Where was it? You guessed it...right with the family.  This family was impressed with God's interest in the little details of their lives, and I think amazed.
Take time to day to be amazed by God.