Stock toilet paper to the ceiling in sharing 515

[Roscoe]

I still am cautious about the whole livestream thing. For instance, ours will be limited to the preaching.. there are parts of Pentecost that does not translate well to video, and people's worship is and should be private.  I won't have folks worrying about what a camera and the world sees instead of focusing on Him. We Pentecostals are enthusiastic with our worship, and if someone feels moved to run, jump, dance, shout- I don't want the camera to be a stumbling block.

But I will say that the livestream has enabled us to reach people that would otherwise have not been touched by us.

And in sharing- day for without Dr Pepper and I am diligently trying to watch what I eat. Currently, however, I could eat a deep fried Shetland Pony dosed liberally in BBQ Sauce and chased by a 55 gallon drum of Dr Pepper, and not feel remotely guilty.

[Nelle]

Illinois has not opened up the churches yet officially that I'm aware of, but there are some that are going to slowly reopen I believe. Our church is very small and could totally do the 6ft distancing, but 90% of our church is also very elderly, so I'm not sure how much danger we are putting them in. Such an unknown.

@work. Needing all the snacks!

[MsJennJenn]

My church opened back up last Wednesday. Not a lot of elderly there though thankfully.
I didn't go. Haven't been. Still lots of lock-downs here in Dallas county, so I'm not 100% in agreement with the openings.

About to head to Indiana for a few weeks to spend time with my sis-in-law and my niece and nephew.
My brother is traveling a lot for work so she's there with the kids alone.
I need to get away to clear my head also to be able to make some important phone calls.

I'm in the process of needing to change churches. Quarantines brought a lot to the surface.
Appreciate any prayers anyone can give.

[Roscoe]

Urgh. It is morning. I am dragging. I did NOT want to get up this morning, and then it was cool out when I stepped out. I prefer my hot weather.

[Nelle]

I knew it was chilly out when my bed was ultra comfy this morning when the alarm went off. Made sure to start my car so I wouldn't be too chilled haha.

@Work. Ready for a nap!

[The Purple Fuzzy]

It's been a beautiful day here.

[Lynx]

I woke up cold this morning. Something is very wrong here. I should not wake up freezing after May begins.

[Roscoe]

Morning. It's been absolutely beautiful here for the past several days, but crisp in the mornings. I've has a ton of things to do, but by the time I get home in the evening, no incentive to do it. I enjoyed sitting in the chair on the front porch last night, relaxing and contemplating life. Funny how you take pleasure in stuff like that the older you get. Surrounded by my flowers, looking out over a well cut lawn...

[Nelle]

@work. Completely exhausted. Sleep was not good last night and I tried to wind down a little early since Friday mornings are my early mornings. Combine that with weather system moving in, and apparently it ends up with a grumpy, tired me.

I do at least get to leave work early today due to an eye appointment. I have to call them later and confirm they're keeping the appointment. I also want to make sure I know the rules for entry.

[Roscoe]

At work. But it's a good at work day. I don't have anyone scheduled and my coworkers wanted to grill. So I threw the new pellet grill on the trailer, hooked up Rusty and headed to town.
I've got a pork loin smoking, chicken to go in soon, and burgers to cook as well. We are gonna eat well! And since the grill is on the trailer, tomorrow at church work day, I'll do up another pork loin.

[Lynx]

I don't mean it to sound like Judas here, but... are other people chipping in for these pork loins? Them things ain't cheap!

[Roscoe]

I don't mean it to sound like Judas here, but... are other people chipping in for these pork loins? Them things ain't cheap!

Well, everyone chipped in and brought food. I will admit I spent a bit, but it's the least I could do- these folks have been amazing to me and anytime I'm out they take care of things. I'm blessed to work in an office that is more like family, so opening the deep freeze occasionally doesn't hurt.
One of my coworkers made a banana pudding that was ahhhh-maaazing!

And I was lucky. People have started buying meat like they did toilet paper around here. Fortunately one of the local supermarkets has a friend of mine who is the butcher. He rustled me up a big pork loin. I smoked half today and will probably smoke the other half tomorrow for the church work day.

[Lynx]

Friends who are butchers are handy to know.

[Roscoe]

Y'all got quiet. I can't fuss though, I missed posting yesterday. Got up at 6 am, drug the smoker to church. Smoked pork loin, warmed up pinto beans, and made sure everyone that showed up for work day got fed. We got the front of the church painted, the yard mowed and four trailer loads of brush hauled off.
Then I came home, cleaned up some stuff,and brought home a new log rocking chair from Tractor Supply to replace the broken one on the porch.
Today we go back inside for the first service in a couple of months. Seems like forever- we will be practicing the "social distancing"- I wish I'd trademarked that phrase, I'd be a quadzillionaire.
Put together a Mother's day message- One of the dilemmas is honoring mothers, while simultaneously realizing there are sweet good people who want children but haven't been so blessed, and making sure that your well intended words do not make them feel like second class citizens.
 I hope I succeeded in that. I don't want to hurt anyone. Titled the message, " Lessons from Hannah".
Now, what to eat.....

[The Purple Fuzzy]

Beautiful day here. Perfect weather.

[Nelle]

That IS such a hard line to walk, even as someone who isn't ministering.

We've been married 8 years, and while we don't know of any issues officially, we obviously have no children. A sweet older lady at our church was always in charge of the Mothers Day gifts for the whole church. (She would have a little knick-knack, and then like a candy bar and small soda.) Well, she would first call the moms individually, then call up women without children, etc etc.. until everyone had one. She always had enough for EVERY single person to have something. A younger-than-me mother threw a fit about it, because she thought it was silly that anyone not a mother was getting anything. She was like "Isn't that embarrassing to you?" (to me).. to which I responded.. no.

I thought it was kind of her to include everyone. We aren't really one way or another about us having a child.. I sorta would like to have one, but I also know that the lifestyle we have will change dramatically if we have one. Having said that, there are a few childless older ladies in our church who ARE stepmoms to others, and to have them completely left out would have been incredibly hurtful. I was appalled... because she herself had miscarried once that I know of. I thought of all people, she would have been the most considerate. You do not know what people have gone through unless they tell you. We don't know that those ladies didn't miscarry sometime in their lives. I was hurt for them. She didn't know that we haven't miscarried, even tho as family she probably thinks she would know. It's just... something you really need to step carefully on, and with a kind heart.

Having said that, Roscoe.. I'm sure you did a wonderful job. I know often things can be taken wrong, but when I know the person is kind, I know they meant them the best way. God can also pave the way in our hearts for those rougher messages.

That lady has since stopped doing the mass giveaways. I have no idea what caused this to stop, but I hope no one hurt her feelings. She's like a grandma to every child she knows. I believe she even has kids, which we didn't know until just recently. (She visits them.. not the other way around.)

Anyway. You're welcome for the soapbox. LOL.


@work. Not too bad of a weekend. Not a total lazy one, haha. Trying to reorganize our kitchen a little in order to not feel like we're suffocating in our home. It's chaos throughout the house. I need a week off or so to really work hard on it, but.. that whole "essential worker" business, hahaha.

[Roscoe]

LOL. I was delivered, as Bro Wilson decided to preach yesterday. So I didn't have to worry about it after all. One of the reasons I wanted to be careful- we have a young couple who is fairly new in the faith- around a year, year and a half. A work in progress, but aren't we all? The man has became close to me, well, as close as an introvert like me lets people in- and has confided in me ALOT. One of the huge things to them has been the fact that they've been married several years and haven't had children, and it is one of their greatest desires. The last thing I want to do is make them feel less of a person because God has not so blessed them yet.
 You know, it takes a lot to build up a soul, but not much to destroy someone. I don't ever want to be known as a destroyer.

We had church indoors yesterday. Around 35 people there. I wish they had wore more masks, but at least they worked on the social distancing part. We have just about substituted hand sanitizer for oil...lol. Anoint, pray, sanitize...
There was an awesome spirit of God in the place.
Now I'm back at work, getting caught up on the wayward children that strayed from the path of righteousness this week.

[The Purple Fuzzy]

I love this, Roscoe "You know, it takes a lot to build up a soul, but not much to destroy someone. I don't ever want to be known as a destroyer."
We all need to remember this.

[Roscoe]

Morning. It is COLD here. Like 48! And misting rain. This depressed me so much, I went and bought a double-stack from Wendy's to cheer me up.
One day closer to the weekend. Chey completed her schooling for the year and is happy about that. I am too- no more pushing to get school work done. That kid is just like me when I was younger, procrastinate until it can't be put off any longer. Thankful that's a habit I have mostly overcame...

[The Purple Fuzzy]

Saw Chel & the kiddos briefly today. It's been cloudy most of the day but we only got some sprinkles.

[MsJennJenn]

I'm in Indiana. Having fun with my niece and nephew.

Niece is a mess. Brought my bluetooth speaker cus she loves music. She's always telling me to sing.
So I turned on music and she started bopping. She put the speaker to her mouth and sang into it lol...she said "i love this".

and I hate mothers day services. And i have a great mom! we didnt even go to church. we just spent the day together. most of my friends who are mothers hate mothers day too lol

[Roscoe]

Overcast but no rain here today, thank God. Slogging through hump day. Totally ready for the weekend.

[The Purple Fuzzy]

It's 81* so it's feeling pretty summerish.

[Lynx]

JenN I concur with your niece. Bluetooth speakers are the best things modern technology ever generated.

[MsJennJenn]

She always wants the "la la" song. Aka the oh happy day version from Sister Act II.