This post is a thanks-to-God statement – a thanks that He ordained that day since the beginning! I have the greatest parents in the world and I’m not afraid to admit it!
I pray that my relationship with my wife can continuously blossom into the marriage that I see from my parents!
Happy anniversary Dad and Mom!
What a fun afternoon we all had!
The drive itself proved exciting with numerous sights along the way including an Amish buggy with an attached boat trailer – a sight we had yet to see in our lifetimes.
One shop where we stopped had the great-American game of Teatherball, so of course I attempted to school my father in “my sport”. He beat me, 2 to 1.
I didn’t. (much)
He DID, however, manage to rub it in throughout the evening and I’m guessing it will come up a couple hundred times tomorrow as well.
We’re going back to Shipshe tomorrow for Mom and Dad’s 30th anniversary. We’ll take in more of the same and hopefully some NEW sights, sounds, and smells! (I’m also going to show dad what a “works bomb” is!)
Full 41-picture photoset is available by clicking THIS.
Wanted to share with everyone one of my favorite photos from last night.
Wow, what a two-days it has been!
Highlight? Lunch @ Fazoli’s! Yay!
District Conference photo set here.
At 2PM, we left conference (early), picked up Jess’ sister, Jaymie, and headed East to Montpelier. The family viewing of Grandma Payne was at 3, and after visiting for a bit, I took a bit of a photo-opp stroll through the town of Montpelier, Indiana.
I found an Indian.
Full Montpelier photo set here.
The viewing yesterday and funeral this morning were both beautiful events. The pastor in charge of today’s funeral was Rev. Steve Criffield. After the burial, I was introduced to him and found out that he’s the Pastor at the Southern Wells Community Church – where Grandma Payne attended – and also a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan as well as an ordained Western Michigan district Wesleyan Pastor! What a small world (at least a small Indiana) it is! We had some good conversations about how he looks a lot like Adam Sandler.
The funeral home where we spent much of Friday and today was quite the interesting place. It’s been there in Montpelier forever, I guess, and had some neat antiques through much of it. They had a “break/rest area” where I spent some quality time reading and investigating every open door I could find. They also had a VERY interesting antique hearse. Yes, the keys were in it. No, I did NOT try and start it up. (but I did open the back door and snap two photos)
Tonight we shared dinner with the staff and LBA and our Pastoral Candidate and family here at the church. It was a delicious dinner with many sweet meatballs nearly swallowed whole by yours truly. (they were just that good)
Mom and Dad arrive tomorrow afternoon sometime and we’ll be practicing a song for tomorrow evening to be sung by the “Sheets Quartet”. Should be a blast.
Pray for Warsaw Wesleyan tomorrow – for God’s direction in the church and with Rev. Jerry Lumston and his family!
It’s early.
Too early for a Friday morning.
And yet I’m up, dressed, needing only to brush my teeth before heading out the door.
I’m so thankful I don’t have FEET of hair to wash, dry, and curl every morning!
Yesterday afternoon Jess and I headed to her 1st Grade Classroom to move some furniture and then to Applebee’s for a dinner date with Steve & Rita Zerbe.
They seem to be doing great – we saw some great updated pictures of their three grandchildren and got a great update on Steve’s new job up in Portage, Michigan.
They’re still trusting God in the sale of their home here in Warsaw, though they’ve been without a solid offer as of yet.
In a few moments we’ll head out the door and head to the church to pick up our delegates and then head to Lakeview Wesleyan in Marion for a day-full of “good ‘ol” District Conference.
For, District Conference is a struggle between “good and evil”. On one hand I’m supposed to be an “example” to the delegates from our church, the folks around me, etc. I AM an ordained Wesleyan minister. On the other hand, District Conference is WAY TOO LONG and oftentimes BORING – so I struggle with wanting (needing?) to try and “disturb” by calling fellow bored youth pastors on their cellphones, causing them much embarrassment when they’ve left their “secular” ringtone on! I struggle with wanting (needing?) to put “John Wesley”, “George W”, or similar names on ballots as they pass.
I’m hoping I’ll ALWAYS struggle with such wants (needs?) as I continue to “mature” (get older) and continue attending these wonderful district events.
(this post could probably get me into a lot of trouble, i.e – “He’s that guy that wrote John Wesley down for District Superintendant last year!”)
