A funeral and new shirts

I had a funeral yesterday morning. It was for a lady in the church who used to live not far from the church building and she used to stop in and see me all the time. She had been in a nursing home for the past several years. It was one of those "easy" funerals in that it wasn't hard to find things to say and to celebrate her home-going. I was glad the service was at the funeral home and not the church though - so I didn't have to go to the church on my sabbatical. It lasted 20 minutes exactly. Then the committal service at the Waynedale cemetery was just the words of committal, the 23rd Psalm, and a prayer. I thought it was a nice service.

Then yesterday afternoon I bought some shirts. I bought a sleeveless running shirt at Meijer, and then two golf shirts at Kohls. Most of my golf-type shirts are either too big or too old.

This morning Jane and I got up and ran a 5k down the rivergreenway, then walked another mile. Now we're getting ready to go to Anderson to hear son Isaac preach.

New patio chair cushions

I bought some chair cushions for our patio furniture yesterday. We had just been talking about getting some - because we've never had any cushions for our patio chairs - and Jane sent me a text yesterday that someone from her work told her about this big sale on chair cushions. She gave me the address and I couldn't find anything out about it other than it was near the airport. So I hopped in the Buick and headed to West Ferguson Road. It wasn't until my second time by that I noticed this little sign hung on the fence at the Arden Company. I didn't even know this place existed. I think it is maybe the old Kmart distribution center. It's a brick building with a chain link fence all around the property just across from the airport (and a smidge to the east).

Anyway, I stopped in and this place that makes patio furnishings was having a warehouse clearance sale. I bought these really nice chair cushions for $5 each! I also bought some basic seat pads for our wooden chairs in the house at 4 for $1. So I spent $21 total. Just one of these cushions would have cost at least that much in the store. They are nice, and I was happy. Apparently they have this sale every year.

Five things friday

1. I think I might finally be starting to get a little tired of lima beans. They have always been my favorite vegetable, but I think I may have eaten them a little too much lately.

2. We came home last night and someone had put some garbage in our bin out by the curb. I'm pretty sure it was the neighbor because Jane caught him putting recycling in that bin one time. Of course it didn't really matter because the only thing in our garbage bin was a few sticks. We didn't even have a half of a garbage bag this week.

3. I guess I can't even take a sabbatical right. I agreed to do a funeral tomorrow. I didn't have to, but I wanted to. Plus funerals are about the only thing about my job that actually gives me some sense of satisfaction. And I could use the money.

4. Apparently I can't plant grass seed either. This is the second Spring I've put out some grass seed - last year was in the back yard and this year in the front - and it hasn't taken either place. I thought I did everything just how it was supposed to be done, and it's not in the shade either. I suppose I haven't watered it enough.

5. I've been sitting here for ten minutes and I can't think of a fifth thing. There.

Locked out at a day game

Yesterday I went to another Tincaps day-game at Parkview Field. I needed to send a text after I parked (along Ewing Street) and when I sent it I just got out and shut the car door. When I put my phone in my pocket I realized that I'd forgotten to take the keys out of the ignition. Dang. I haven't locked my keys in the car in a long time. I often don't even lock it, but I did this time. So... I just went ahead and went to the game and called Jane and asked if she had a lunch time today. I got some popcorn (lunch) and watched  part of the game, then Jane came by with my extra key probably an hour or so later. So it worked out fine.

I don't think I will attend anymore of these day games though. Just like last week there were a MILLION screaming kids at this game. I guess it's a big thing for elementary and middle schools to take field trips to these day games. Certainly it's a good way to keep attendance up, but I would just as soon not have to deal with it myself.

I did actually talk to someone yesterday. I had a standing-room-only ticket ($5) but they have tables and chairs in various places beyond the outfield. I saw a lone guy sitting at a table just beyond the third base line and asked if anyone was sitting with him. So we chatted a bit. Pretty soon I got a text from Jane that she was on her way so I sat along Jefferson in front of O'Reilly's on a bench and waited for her. I went back to game after I got my key, but I just walked around after that.

Trip home, mother's day, funeral, and 30th anniversary

We spent a few days at my parent's house in Buda this past weekend. There was a shindig ('spring fling') at Brothers in Sheffield Saturday night, my parents had a few things they wanted me to do, and then Jane had an aunt who died and the funeral was Tuesday in Dixon, IL. Tuesday was also our 30th Wedding Anniversary. So we headed for Buda Saturday morning, and got back late last night. It was a pretty good trip.

Saturday we left late in the morning and went through Chicago again. Once again we made it in about 4 1/2 hours. We visited with the parents awhile, had Casey's pizza for supper with them, and then went over to Sheffield. There weren't too many people at the 'Spring Fling,' but there was a good crowd there to hear Windjam take the stage from 9-midnight. We saw some old friends and had an okay time. We closed the place down and had Butch's pizza at 1:30 am (which would have been 2:30 our time).

Sunday we went to Bunker to church with my parents. It's always weird going there, but we don't really know very many people there still. It is just like our church (and probably most churches), so many people have left, and new people come, that it's not at all like it used to be. Anyway, after church we went out to the country club for a Mother's Day brunch, then went back to the parents house. I mowed their lawn - since my mom isn't able to mow yet (due to her foot pain from shingles) - we took a nap, and actually went to bed pretty early.

Monday we didn't get up until after 8 am, so we got over 10 hours of sleep that night. It felt good. Might have had something to do with sleeping in the two twin beds. They are more comfortable than the double bed in the orange room. Anyway, we dinked around most of the day. We helped my parents put the carpet down on the back patio, put up a solar motion light (which didn't seem to work yet), and I mowed the yard once again. It was so high on Sunday that I had to raise the deck, so I lowered it down and mowed it again. I also ran the weed eater. It looked much better. My dad had mowed it the last time and I could see where he just completely missed big patches. Plus he mows with the riding mower instead of the push mower. Anyway, after that we ended up taking a 2-hour nap in the afternoon. We kind of just hung around the house again, went to Dixon to her aunt Doris's visitation, and once again went to bed around 10 pm.

Tuesday was our wedding anniversary, and I forgot to get Jane a card. I thought I did good remembering a Mother's Day gift and card (Charleston Chews and an arm band holder for her iphone), but I completely spaced out about the anniversary card even though I knew full well it was our anniversary. Oh well. We got up around 7 and started packing, and then left around 9:45 am to go the funeral for Jane's aunt. There was a decent crowd. It started at 11 am, was done about 11:30; then we went to the cemetery and back to a place in downtown Dixon called the Post Ballroom. It was a big old reception hall. We had a nice lunch. We sat next to a couple who used to be good friends with some people from Bluffton, IN (they have since passed away). We visited with some of Jane's relatives (and brothers) and left for home around 1:30 pm. We took rt. 52 through Amboy and Mendota down to Interstate 80. We stopped at a little gas station in Amboy and changed into more comfortable clothes. And this time when we went through Chicago, instead of taking the 80-90 tollway we followed I-94 into Indiana and took exit 26A to catch route 49 down to route 30. It saved us a 60 cent toll, but otherwise wasn't any quicker. That way there was just the one toll of $1.10 though. We got into Fort Wayne a little after 7 pm and just went straight to a restaurant to get some food. We saw some good friends there, who bought us a couple drinks for our anniversary, and then got home way too late and unpacked and went to bed.

Around 10 pm I got a phone call and text message that someone from church had passed away. So I suppose that was a fitting way to end a nice relaxing trip back home.

Live life...

I just saw this thing on Facebook and thought it was pretty good:

Don't be afraid of death; be afraid of an unlived life. You don't have to live forever, you just have to live life.

I like that. You know, it's not complicated. Kind of like the Jason Ringenberg lyric from his early days: "The point is dying if we don't live when we're alive."

Five things friday

1. Dang, I almost forgot it was Friday. It's kind of hard to tell what day it is anymore.

2. I bought a running hat and a new knee brace this week. I've never had a running hat before. I suppose now that I'm old I need to worry about burning the top of my head. Plus I sweat a lot, and a sweat band just doesn't look too good out in public.

3. I started a new paper journal. I haven't been doing real good in the paper journal for awhile - mostly just stuff I don't want to share on here - but I thought I would journal the sabbatical there instead of here. It could be pretty messy for awhile.

4. I probably did way more than I wanted to do on this first week off. I keep being told I need to cut myself more slack (or give myself more grace). I'm trying.

5. I was thinking.... there is a big difference between just 'listening' to someone, and actually trying to 'understand' someone. I don't think most people want or need someone to just 'listen.' I think most people want someone to try to understand where they're coming from.

Day game and a pulled muscle

Yesterday I wanted to jog early because I wanted to take in a Tincaps game (Fort Wayne minor league baseball team) at 11:05 am. First I decided to do one last furniture move in the basement (I rearranged the basement furniture the day before) and pulled a hamstring muscle in the process.

I was moving this footstool/storage box that Jane and I made to store blankets in. It has wheels on the bottom, but I thought it would be easier to just pick it up and carry it from the living room into the pool table room. That part worked fine, but when I went to set it down.... I knew to bend with my knees and not my back, but when I squatted down I felt/heard my hamstring start to pull. Ouch. It hurt kind of bad, but I still jogged anyway.

I pulled a hamstring in high school - in one of the last races of my track career. It was a 200 meter prelim race at the district meet (where we qualified for the state meet). I had a pretty big lead going down the straightaway and felt like a gazelle - oh, it was the best I'd ever felt I think - and then it was like someone shot me in the back of my thigh. I jumped in the air, stunned, and somehow hobbled across the finish line. I was so far ahead that I still managed to qualify for the finals. But it hurt so bad that I couldn't even get into the starting blocks. It almost immediately turned black and blue. That was probably the worst track injury I ever had. So..... this is nothing compared to that. I did a light 4-mile jog. It's still a little sore, but nothing too serious.

So then I went to the 11:05 Tincaps game. It was a gorgeous day... mid-seventies and sunny. I figured it to be a relaxing day with a very small crowd. Maybe have a couple beers and soak in some sun. I was totally surprised by the number of people there though. Holy cow. As I approached the stadium there were people all over the place, and then I saw the line of big yellow school buses. Ugh. I forgot about field trips.

The seats were all sold out so I bought a 'standing-room-only' ticket ($5). I have been there for a lot of sellouts, but this was the first time I can remember the seats actually being full. One of the concession workers told me they heard there were something like 3,500 elementary and middle school kids there that day. Ugh. I'd believe it. There were packs of kids all over the place. There were quite a few adults too though.

Anyway, I stood in the shade just beyond left field for awhile, then I got some popcorn for lunch and found a seat at a table in the sun in the left field home run area. There were a bunch of Amish people in the seats in front of me. I thought that was a bit strange. They were eating junk food like it was going out of style.

It was still a nice way to spend an afternoon. I left about 5 minutes to 1 because I parked at a parking meter. I couldn't find any free parking since it was during the day, so I chose the meter over a parking garage/lot. It was only $1, but there is a 2-hour limit. I got to my car  near Taco Bell just as the meter expired.

All in all a pretty good day.

Articles on church unity

I know I'm supposed to be on sabbatical, but I ran across some articles on church unity that I want to keep for later:

• Four Ways to Create Unity in Your Church (http://pastors.com/four-ways-to-create-unity-in-your-church/)
• Six Biblical Ways to Handle Disunity (http://pastors.com/6-biblical-ways-to-handle-disunity/)
• The Enemies of Unity (http://pastors.com/the-enemies-of-unity/)
• Nehemiah's Five Steps For Handling Conflict (http://pastors.com/nehemiahs-5-steps-for-handling-conflict/)

Carrie's facebook post

My lovely daughter posted this on her Facebook page this past Sunday. She's pretty special. I can't think of a higher honor than to have a daughter write something like this. Love ya, sweetie!

Today is the last Sunday I'll hear my dad preach for three months. I've known this for a while and have been nothing but excited for him and mom to get a break and also to get three months of the guy who's going to fill in while he's gone. But, last night as I laid in bed praying for my parents and our church, I was not prepared for how sad I got. And this morning it didn't go away. Getting to be a preachers daughter is a really special thing and I'm going to miss seeing my dad in that role this summer. Anyways, if I had a diary I would write this there but I don't. :)

Iron man 3

Jane and I went to the movie theater last night and saw the new Iron Man III. It had one of the best opening weekends of all movies. I thought it was... okay; but not great. I like Robert Downey Jr., but there seemed to be a little too much 'Tony Stark' and not enough 'Iron Man' to me. I also thought separating the two from each other wasn't a good idea. But what do I know. It was still an enjoyable evening.

The worst part was at one point Jane thought she'd left her purse in the bathroom. She couldn't find it in her seat and just kind of bolted out and ran down to the restroom. She wasn't even at the bottom of the stairs and I reached under her seat and found it, but it was during the movie and there was no way to notify her without disrupting things. So I figured she would be right back when she didn't find it in the restroom. I didn't think about her going to see the manager and whatnot. Just as I was about to get up and carry her purse down the steps and out into the hall to look for her she finally reappeared and was very much relieved to see that I had her purse. Still a good night.

Changed mic batteries

I changed the batteries in the Shure lapel mic yesterday. They were last changed on January 6. They hadn't gone out yet, but I had a wedding yesterday and didn't want them to go out during the wedding. Plus I won't be back until August and this way they should last until then.