Taa-Daa!

Well, yesterday we put to use the things we'd purchased the day before. Dee took care of the hardwood floors and made them shine, and I installed the shelf in the laundry area. Now, that might not sound like much to you, but it was an awesome accomplishment for me. The guy at Home Depot explained how to do it. I'm not thrilled with the idea of putting holes in these new walls, but we live here now and we want it to reflect our lives making our new house a home. So with a power drill, a couple of screwdrivers, a level, a stud finder and some wall anchors I gave it my best shot. An hour or so later... taa-daa! It is finished! Now that wasn't so hard was it? Not really.

I think that sometimes when we haven't done something before, then we make the task harder in our minds than it really is. I guess the key to get over this is to believe in yourself, give it a try and see how it turns out. Here's a picture of the end result. Now we have a place to hang clothes when they come out of the washer/dryer. Dee says I filled her "love tank" by completing this first of many such projects.

The rest of the day went well too. I went to Rotary and turned in my application for membership. I was asked to offer the opening prayer. (This was the first official "clergy thing" I've done since retiring. It was good to put words to thoughts and heart felt concerns again in public.)I guy I sat next too attends a local church. He said he attends an adult Sunday school class there and that he often speaks up. I asked him what they're studying and he said "the Holy Spirit." That led us into a nice conversation about what we believe about it and how difficult it is for most people to grasp the concept of God as Holy Spirit. And as it turns out, he went to high school with Dee and her friend Kathy (but they couldn't recall him).

Later in the day we went for our 8th dance class with Kathy and Russ. We were introduced to a new dance, The West Cost Swing." It's quite different from the other dances we've learned so we really have to concentrate on the basic step first. Both Dee and I seemed to catch on more quickly to it than we did to the "hustle". I enjoy the times after class too when we just sit and visit. Dee seems so happy in her element when she's with Kathy. They always seem to have lots to talk about. (Russ said he thinks they probably spent a lot of time "in the corner" when they were in school together.) LOL

Here's another pic of the progress on the building behind our home. It is so cool to be able to monitor their progress day by day. Click on the picture if you'd like to see it up close.

I received a phone call from the local "Area Minister" in charge of the baptist churches in the Pittsburgh area. We talked about interim work, and he mentioned that he'd given my name to some people and therefore I might be getting a phone call from them. I have no idea where or whether it will lead to anything, but I look to God for His leading as I look to the future.

As I continue in theis experience called "retirement", I am realizing that it's important to have plans, to have places to go and things to do. In the past, others set my agenda as I ministered to their needs. Now I can pick and choose what those "things and places" are, so I want to be more deliberate about what I commit to. Fascinating process.