Friday, July 2, 2010

 
This morning we left to go to Clark's Summit in Pennsylvania to see my sister Mary and her family and bother Tom. It was a beautiful drive up there through the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains. The sunset was really pretty. 

Mary works second shift as a nurse, so was not home when we got there about 9:30 pm. It was the first time to meet the nephews, David and John, 15 and 13 respectively. John is the talkative one; David is quieter. They have two beagles that took a little time to get used to us. Geoff works in the medical field, but is not a doctor. My brother Tom is about four years younger than me and has grown a full beard since I last saw him back in 2005. He has not changed much, but has taken care of the dogs and gotten them into better shape.

We left there about 10:30 and went to a hotel where Mary and Geoff generously paid for a room for us. It was really a nice place, Nichols Hotel and Spa. The spa part was closed by the time we got there so did not get to enjoy that part of it.


 

Thursday, July 1

Can you believe it? July already. It was a beautiful, low-humidity, clear blue sky kind of day today. Perfect for walking around a normally humid, hot DC. 

We met the ladies at the station and got them one day passes for $9 each. You can ride the Metro as many times as you want for the same price. We did. Our first stop was Arlington National Cemetery. In all the years I lived in DC, this was the first time for actually going inside. In the main reception area there are some binders set up by some children to remember the fallen soldiers if Iraq and Afghanistan. I looked up and found James Finley, the son of one of my roommates many years ago, who died in 2008 via a road-side bomb. Made me cry to see it. 

Arlington is really a beautiful place for our soldiers to be laid to rest. We saw the Kennedy graves and the Tomb of the Unknown and were just in time to see the changing of the guard. I think that is done every hour. Ron Shuffield (from Texas early on this blog), was one of the guards at one time when he was in the Air Force. I took a short video I hope will upload on Webshots. We walked around the grounds and saw all those names and dates and the tombstones laid out in a perfect grid so that at any angle you look, you are seeing a straight line. Most are white, adding to the beauty of the mature trees and meticulously-kept grounds. 

We then got on the Metro and stopped at the Pentagon City station for lunch. The three ladies got big portions they could not finish. We then got back on the train and got off near the White House and walked over. It used to be car traffic would pass in front of the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue, but now that is blocked off and people walk in the street. There were a couple of groups protesting the war and government support of foreign dictators, thereby exercising their First Amendment rights. Many people took photos in front of the mansion. Many guards were around and I asked one young man if he loved his job and he smiled and said yes. This is good to know.

After this we walked around to 15^th Street near the Treasury building where Henry told the ladies where they could catch the train back to the hotel and what to see on the Mall. One can spend days and days in just this part of DC and not see all the history.

I love DC.  
More photos are posted at:

http://community.webshots.com/user/japanquilter

Monday, July 19, 2010

Today Jackie went to work about 6:30 a.m. and we said our goodbyes. They were really a blessing to us. We got everything together and packed and left about 8:30 a.m. Joe got a hug out of Sara and a "Bye". Amazing how she does not say much at all to anyone.

We opted to drive around New York City and took Western routes through Jersey and Pennsylvania. Beautiful country. We were going slowly through one town because of traffic and I noticed a quilt shop, so we had to stop. The Quilted Cat sold Webkins stuffed animals that Sara collects, and she bought one of the cats. I found some floral fabrics and one with little ladybugs on white, as well as some pre-printed Bible verses that I can turn into wall hangings and quilts. It helped that there was a 20% sale, also.


We got back to Clinton about 5:30 p.m., just in time for Vacation Bible School at 7:00 p.m. Henry joined Matthew on his bus route to help him. He could use some dependable workers. There were bunches of kids at VBS, about 80 plus the workers and counselors. I was asked to be a counselor and at that time I talked to two young girls about their salvation. They did not seem to grasp that they were sinners, so I did not asked them to pray but gave them a tract to take home. Perhaps later this week they will fully understand.

Wednesday, June 30

One of Henry's English class ladies and two of her friends from Japan came down from New York today. They are on a vacation, sans husbands, and came here so we could be tour guides for a time. We met them at their hotel in NW DC, a Marriott located on beautiful grounds and right near a train station. We drove down to Mt. Vernon, even though it was late in the day and had just enough time to tour George's Mansion. This second time around proved that the house is really not that big as mansions go. The number of rooms on the two floors open to the public was maybe 15 or so and not that large. We took photos around the place and across the Potomac. It really is a beautiful place and the actual grounds that The Washington's owned in their time was really huge—miles and miles down the modern roads we saw some of the original outbuildings like the Grist Mill. 

We had just enough time to drive a few more miles to the Heritage Baptist Church in Woodbridge for the evening service. The three Japanese said they would like to go. This church has really grown over the last 20 years. Pastor Edwards was not there. Henry showed the DVD and then introduced us all. A Pastor Ball from Missouri spoke about photographs. Someone is always watching. Proverbs 15:3. God's eyes are all-knowing, timeless and ever present. God is taking pictures of us when we don't think anyone is watching. How is our salvation? Service? Seriousness? Separation?

 Gardens around the hotel in NW DC.


Since it was late, we drove the Japanese ladies back to their hotel then got back to Clinton about 11:45 pm. It was a long day.

Monday, June 29

Since we were already near my friend Pam, we drove down to her place. But first we stopped at a JoAnns so I could use my gift card. Found several fabrics on sale and got a yard of each—penguins, pansies, patriotic things, a new ruler and some buttons for crafts.

We got to Pam's about noon I think, maybe sooner. Her dad was rocking on the porch and her mom was inside. I have not seen them since before I married, 27 years ago. They sound the same, just are way thinner than they should be. Then again, he is 92 and her mom is 88. Mr. Munro still is interested in model trains and is a part of the Baltimore Railroad Museum. Pam brought them down from their long-lived-in home in District Heights, MD, last week. It was decided they could not really manage the house and yard anymore. When Pam and her husband built their own home, they figured in an extra room just for them. He still drives, but for how much longer is anyone's guess. It was really good to see them again.


 
We returned home about 5:00 pm due to the heavy traffic going up I-95. That still baffles me. For all the time, money and years that governments have spent on road improvement, they still have not got it right. At 3:00 pm, traffic was backed up for miles coming out of DC south past Woodbridge and Quantico. I think there was talk of adding toll lanes to the HOV lanes in the hope that people would be willing to pay to get home faster. I suppose it would depend on how much tolls are for this brilliant government idea to prove itself useful.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

This morning we got to church a little early and set up our display.  

Sunday School was taught by Pastor Williams.  He had taken prayer requests then, as well as before the other two services.  The message was the last of a series on becoming a First Century Church by following what they did.  1) They moved forward by faith by looking unto Jesus.  The church must have strong faith in God and must be a believing church by exercising faith in God.  2Cor. 8:7.  2) The membership of the church has to join, not just attend, the church.  When someone does not become a part of the body of believers by joining, they feel no responsibility to the functions of the church and no burdens to tithe or make offerings.  Acts 4:23, 9:26, and 2:44.  3) The motive of the believing church is to have a clear vision of what you need to see.  2 Cor. 12:1-10.  How did Jesus see?  Are we obedient to His commands?  Do we glory in our own infirmities, instead of complaining, so that Christ can get the glory?

The morning service Henry preached on heaven being like a homecoming. 1) We are not at home in this world.  Man messed up God’s creation.  Gen. 1:31.  The way of transgressors is hard.  2) Someone has come after us to bring us home.  Compare ourselves to God’s standard.  The Father will receive you.  Matt. 11:28.  3) Stay home.  Christ keeps us safe.  Col. 2:6-7; 2 Thess. 2:15.  4) Be in the right doctrine.  Remember what you were. Stay in love with God.  Don’t stay at home—go out and get the sheep and think about the real home.  John 14. 

The choir and congregational songs were good, old-fashioned hymns and sung beautifully.  The choir did a special called “The Lord is My Light” which is really beautifully arranged.  You have to hear it.  I’ll find a link where you can hear this.  “The Lord is my Light.  And my Salvation.  Of whom shall I fear?”

After church, there was dinner on the grounds, only it was inside in the AC because outside it was over 100F.  A pig was roasted and pulled pork was the main course.  It was g-o-o-d.  The ladies prepared wonderful side dishes and desserts.  I think it is a requirement of believers that they be good cooks. 

Pastor Williams was teasing Sara for being so talkative.  She just smiled.  He said he would try to get her to talk before the day was over.  After the evening service, the Pastor’s family and we went out to McDonalds.  Sara finally said something.  In the car going back to the hotel she told us, “I like the Pastor.” 

During the evening service, Henry showed the presentation and preached again.  We had a great time there; it is great to know churches have not changed their standards, although the pressure is out there to do so.  Trinity is one church that has stayed the course.

Saturday, June 26

Today Henry and I visited Matthew's bus route for him since he was on an outing for the College/Career group at church. We found just a handful of people home and less that said they were coming on Sunday. It sure has changed since we ran a route back in the 80's.


Later in the afternoon we drove over to Warrenton, VA, to spend the night in a hotel near Trinity Baptist Church where we would be spending Sunday. It is a newer hotel, very quiet, clean. We ate at an Applebee's Restaurant which served too much food; we could not eat it all even though we shared the entrees. It was good chicken, though.