JUST REMEMBER

Thank you for your prayers.  My mom is on the mend and brother Steve is on the road to recovery.


Saturday Robyn and I went for a walk.  My battle with the weeds had been raging for three days now and she knew I needed a break.  As we walked along we wandered past a yard where all the other dandylions were.  I had to take a photo

the reinforcements

This actually makes my yard look good.   But I still have a bunch of weeds to pick.

We stopped for a photo op during our walk

Sunday morning it was off to church.  This was our first week in a month that we didn't have to get up early and serve the coffee.  It was nice to go to second service

another beautiful day at Point of Grace

The message is the continuing series of the whole story in the Bible.  Today we studied the beginning of the battles.  When the promised land was taken.  By faith they waged war the giants in the land and won miraculous battle after battle.  It helps me realize that with faith I can fight the giants in my own life.

After church I continued one of those battles...

a bag of dead giants

Then we decided to grill out.  BBQ chicken, yum.

grilling to perfection

We opened a bottle of wine and watched the world go by..

this is how I like to camp out

Monday I had an install to do.  I took the vanity to the country house.  Just so you can get a glimpse of the ornate wood work in this house, I took a picture of some benches they had built to go by their pool table..

no,..  seriously

I can tell you that the guy helping me do the install never wants to hear the phrase 'dry run' again.  We lifted the face piece into place maybe a dozen times.  But actually all the pieces fit perfectly.  I couldn't have been happier with the way the install went.  When the caulk dries (it will be clear) the vanity will be awesome.

I know kitchens that aren't this nice

Tuesday we processed the pieces for the job in Chariton Iowa that my boss had templated.

gonna be a fancy kitchen

And just so you know we aren't one trick ponies at our shop, I snapped this quick pic of one of the guys showing off another skill.

two trick pony?

Tuesday after work I came home to find that Robyn had fallen off the budget wagon and landed on a flower cart.  We didn't have the moohla set up for this but what ever mamma wants, she usually gets.

not creeping charlie,  just sneaking flowers

Speaking of flowers,  Wednesday I had to travel south about an hour to template a huge job.  On the way back I stopped for lunch in the dutch community of Pella, Iowa.  Famous for making Pella windows, but also the home of the Pella Tulip Festival.  Because of the unseasonable tempuratures, all the tulips are in bloom about a month before the fesival.  I brought home a dutch letter for Robyn. ( I know it wasn't in the budget but monkey see, monkey do)  Dutch letters are a delicious pastry.

tulip time comes early

Wednesday night we hosted our small group.  I keep learning more and more.  I'm sure you've heard about the parting of the Red Sea but did you know that water was parted four times in the bible?  The Jordan river became dry for God's people to enter the promised land.  And two other instances are documented in the old testament.  Wow, the things we learn.

Terry, our very wise small group leader, and very good friend.

Thursday morning I caught this beautiful sunrise on the way into work.

pretty

At work I began forming the giant job from down south.  They will have three large pieces for their bar, a couple of drink rails around their pool table area, and a hearth for the fireplace.  One piece is going to be over nine feet long.  It's gonna be another challange.  Here we go..

thats a lot of concrete tops

When I got home Robyn had something cooking on the stove, and it STUNK!  Here is what I found when I opened the pot...

WHAT!?

It turns out that she was boiling her cleaning rags.    I know.    Let me explain..  The rags are expensive micro-fiber cleaning tools.  They are supposed to be boiled once in a while.  

That's all I can tell you.  Not because it's a secret, but because that's all I know.  I don't think I was hungry that night.

Friday at work I continued forming the giant southerly job, and thought I would let you have a peek at a couple of jobs waiting for install...

once these are gone, we will have a lot of room for activities

Friday night we went to church for the Good Friday service.  We were treated to a special presentation of 'Christ in the Passover".  It was an explanation of how the Jewish people who believe in Jesus have celebrated Passover (which is the week of Easter) for 2000 years.  It was kind of slow but very informitive, and we know I like learning.  

In my own way, I may have figured out the answers to some current Easter questions.

Question 1 - Why do we have Easter eggs?

Possible answer - It so happens that one of the traditional symbolic foods used in the Passover feast is the Chagigah.  A roasted egg.  It represents the peace offerings to the Lord.

Question 2 - Why do we hide the eggs?

Possible answer - The Matzoh, or unleavened bread is broken.  One half is hidden during the ceremony.  It is called Afikomen, meaning "That which comes later".  After dinner the children have to find it before dessert is served.

Question 3 - Why an Easter bunny?

I got nothing on that one, but I think we are off to a good start.

Jews for Jesus

Saturday morning, we packed up the old griswold family truckster and headed out of town.  We were supposed to have all the family over to our house for Easter, but since my mom broke her hip it was obvious she could not make it to town. 

Ready for a road trip

 

So after a little organizing, my sister Debbie, brother Steve along with his son my nephew Deano and his two daughters, niece Sarah and her two children, niece Shonna and her husband Joe all decided we would trek up to Sioux City and surprise mom and dad.  We all arrived in small groups about a half hour apart from each other.  More family was already up there including my brother David with his daughter my niece Ashley and her daughter, my sister Diane with two of her sons my nephews Brandon and Kendall with their girlfriends and children.  You can imagine my parents excitement.

mom and dad excited

Debbie and I stopped by my brother David's house on our way to get some beer.  He is always called on to work on somebody's car when we come up.  He always obliges.

Niece Shonna's tie rod

David loves drag racing.  He has been building his Nova for years.  It's always in various stages when I come up.  In this picture Debbie is mesmerized by her reflection.

"I can see myself!"

As always happens at mom and dad's, a five dollar Texas hold 'em tournament broke out Saturday night.  That means that there was a bunch of beer drank and a little money changing hands.  These card games go on deep into the night.  What always happens next is best explained like this...  maybe you've seen the commercial for Hopper.  It is some kind of recording device for satelite TV.  One person says Hopper, then another and another until somebody yells SHUT-UP!  Well in our house the word isn't Hopper, it's boat.  Somebody suggests "boat?"  Then a couple more chime in with "boat. boat."  Then we all get excited and give each other fist bumps and chant "boat boat boat!"  We are talking about the river boat casino.  We like to gamble.  Sadly, it's never a good idea.  But after whetting our appetites with the card games, off we go.  Sometimes we are there till early in the morning.  A couple usually go overboard.  Not from the boat, from beer.

the aftermath

We did skip church (I've already asked for forgiveness, and I did go Friday) but several went to Easter service, then we all hung out, watched the Masters and played yard games.  Robyn and I brought a couple of hams up with us and a fabulous dinner was prepared.

the Easter Feasters work up an appetite

After dinner we relaxed a little..

who looks more comfy?

All fun and games aside, let's talk about the real reason for Easter.  

Because we are all sinners, because no one is blameless, God sent us His Son to be our deliverer.  There was a chasm between us and God.   The people before Christ made offerings of unblemished lamb to God to have their sins forgiven.  They made these sacrifices continuosly.  By Jesus suffering and being crucified, God placed the sins of the world on the lamb of God.  He was the final sacrifice.  Since that very moment we don't have to make sin offerings ever again.  We only need to accept what He did for us and ask Him into our lives.   It's pretty simple, I just realize that I'm not in control, I'm not God.  He is.  He loves me that much.  He paid the ultimate price for us.  I belong to Him.  Do you?

Peace

Dan