A change of plans

I didn't play for Maundy Thursday service - a meeting was called that I needed to attend. And I didn't drive to the beach on Easter - I still felt tired from being achy, feverish and coughy earlier in the week. So I called Bryan, explained about still recovering from the flu, then we talked for a while about Angie.

Easter I went to Trinity's 11:00 AM service. The service was mostly good but Matt seems to have adopted the Presbyterian "party line." Disappointing, to say the least.

I drove down to Cherry Grove Thursday morning and spent that day, night, and most of Friday with Harold, Mary Lois and Jesse in their nice rented condo. It was so peaceful and calm there, the beach quiet and clean. Thursday afternoon we walked on the beach a while, ate a light lunch, then all of us drove to several stores including all the way to Coastal Grand Mall so Mary Lois could shop for Jesse a new navy blue blazer. After she finally found one at Dillards that fit him, we drove all the way back to Cherry Grove and ate a delicious supper at Olive Garden.

Friday morning Mary Lois and I walked on the beach again, then we all went and played miniature golf, ate lunch at Applebee's and came back to the condo. I watched a little TV while reading a book, while Harold and Mary Lois and Jesse went to look at and photograph a huge sand sculpture close by (a whale and a huge tortoise, very well done). About 4:00 I packed up and came home, as they were expecting Jesse's other grandparents to come up from Charleston for the night. Traffic was heavy and it took a good two hours to get home with no stops on the way.

Saturday I was tired and a little sunburned from walking on the beach without sunscreen. Sunday morning after breakfast I went back to bed and stayed there until after 11:00, reading the newspapers and watching the news.

Today has been an odd sort of day for me. I didn't feel like talking to anyone much, just went to the ships office and did my work, came home for lunch, returned to the ships office and worked a little more. I was polite, spoke to everyone, just didn't have much to say.

I miss Tim. I could talk to him about the way I'm feeling and he would understand. As I thought about all that this afternoon, "Write Write Write" is what I heard in my head, so I am. I'm writing. Maybe this blog is not the best place, but Tim always encouraged me to write, too.

Several subjects for Bible study came to me, as I was meditating. Such as the story of the Prodigal Son. Not the faithful father character, not the prodigal son, not his resentful older brother. No, instead consider the servant who killed the fatted calf. Hmmm.

Second - how many soldiers, when confronted with an enemy, call up the general to come shoot that enemy? That's the way many people pray... I've written about that before, but it's still appropriate.

Then there are all those "If" statements in the Bible. Some things God promises are conditional. Sometimes it IS about me. My response. My obedience. My believing. How many of those "If" statements are there, I wonder? Maybe I'll start looking to see. Doing these Bible studies will help me, they always do.

Easter

I'm not involved in any of the Easter program at church this year -- except for playing for the Maundy Thursday night service, just a couple of hymns.

So this year I'm going to drive down to the beach and attend the Easter Sunday service at Belin United Methodist Church with (Tim's brother) Bryan, Sam and Olivia Cox, and whoever else in the family is there. Sam's parents, her brother and his wife I think all go to that church, so it should be a good day.

Bella's 7th birthday falls on Easter this year. Vernie is now one of my Facebook friends, so I sent him an email asking if they were planning a special party or anything for her. Also, if there was a chance I could see him and/or Angie and the kids while I'm there. I haven't heard anything definite back on that. It would be great to see them all while I'm there.

I had thought about going up to old Salem (Winston-Salem, NC) to the sunrise service there. Tim and I went to that many years ago, when his Uncle Jay was pastor of Home Moravian Church. It was a fascinating service, with brass bands playing antiphonally, marching from all corners of the old historic district to converge together on the grounds of the cemetery. I'll write about that another time, but it was a great day, a spiritually uplifting and joy-filled day.

I decided not to drive all the way up to Salem, choosing rather to spend the day with Tim's family who I have not seen in a long time now. It will soon be the year anniversary of T.C.'s and Ora Lee's death (in June), and I haven't seen T.C.'s grave site, there in the cemetery on the grounds of the church. I think Easter would be an appropriate time to do that. Whenever I think about T.C., I can see him strong and tall in my mind, playing with and teaching small children, smiling and laughing. It's a good image.