Hello again!  It has been a busy month, with sermons to prepare, Charles finishing his paper and new people moving in.  As you can tell, my preaching a sermon did not end the world nor did the pews do an emergency evacuation drill.  For my first sermon, we borrowed a robe from the associate pastor.  The good news is--I didn’t pass out or throw up.  That has been deemed a good sign.

 

Great news, Carson & Doug along with the kids have moved in next door.  It was a good community gathering experience as we all chipped in to help them get moved in.  Thanks to our other new neighbour, Richard, who was able to determine the exact angle that Doug & Carson’s sofa would get in through the front door.  It took several attempts prior to this calculation being determined.

 

Charles again donned his mechanic overalls for the start of the Summer term as our new neighbors Richard & Shay’s Suburban suffered a power steering leak – Déjà vu for Charles as last year Todd & Trisha arrived with a power steering leak in their vehicle which Charles looked into.  It’s becoming a tradition for Charles to fix power steering leaks for new neighbours.

 

Charles has finished his paper and sent it off to England.  We are all so glad that is done, none more, I think, than Charles who has been working on it since last October.  Strangely enough he opted to not celebrate July 4^th so that he could concentrate on it. Wonder Why?

 

My sermon on Mary Magdalene went well.  The only complaint was the sound—which are my nerves freezing up throughout my body including my diaphragm.  Lots of people said that they enjoyed it, even Charles who is completely unbiased.  I spent a lot of time practising it to empty pews so that I could get comfortable in the pulpit.  This Sunday I do Helen Keller.  Using people the exemplify discipleship is a different approach to sermon writing.  Instead of finding the biblical text first; I find or in Hellen Keller’s case was given the subject.  It’s interesting then to work out the biblical text.

 

I’m enjoying my internship with Emory Pres.  Oddly enough, I have been pleasantly surprised at how it is going.  I’m getting to visit with folks, help plan worship (especially when I preach) and make ministry suggestions during staff meetings.  I’m planning a social for the 30-40 something crowd for this month—I have to say I almost stole Sardis’s title the Mixed Nuts.  I instead dubbed this group the In-betweens.  Coming up in August I’ll be helping with the children’s music camp—their going to be learning a play about Moses to be presented on our Rally day in September.  I’m having so much fun that I can’t believe they pay me to do it.  The only thing that I really wonder about it is the sermon prep and delivery—for the whole week previous to preaching I’m completely distracted.  Any preachers who are reading this—does it get any easier?

 

I received a surprise in the mail this month.  I have been chosen to receive the Columbia Friendship Circle Scholarship (which covers tuition for one academic year).  CFC is the Presbyterian Women from two Synods (regions) come together to support seminary students.  The scholarship is specifically for students with families.  I get to speak to the PW folks throughout the year about my experiences at Columbia as a student, vocational plans and calling.   This scholarship has been a tremendous blessing for us because it allows me to take a break from work study to spend more time with the family and studying.

 

For the 4^th of July we watched the fireworks in the square in Decatur with the Overstreets and several other Columbia students.  We enjoyed walking to the square because it gets a little crazy to drive around here during big events.  As previously mentioned Charles opted to study instead, you might think that he had a secret leaning towards the British.  The kids have great fun pointing out to our friends that Charles doesn’t celebrate the 4^th of July and explaining why.

 

The weather has been wet and thundery down here, we even had S on our floor the other night, B however slept right through it.  She takes after her Mom.  We’re glad to have the rain though.  We’ve had some trees issues on campus with big limbs breaking off.  The maintenance folks were quick to sort that out and even spotted a pine that Charles was concerned about since it was tall and leaning.  The pine is now gone.  Not sure how much of this tree response is due to one of our new families Scott & Lona—Scott is a former forestry ranger.

 

The kids are having a wonderful time with Wendy looking after them.  They usually have swim lessons every other week and go on trips to the local sights with Wendy and her kids.  On the swimming front, they are becoming strong swimmers and have been practicing the butterfly stroke.  I’m not sure if I could do that now.

 

Tech camp went well for both of the kids and we have been entertained by their ultra short movies of themselves and their own music CD’s.  This coming week they are off to soccer camp which I am sure they will enjoy.

 

Scout camps also went well for the kids.  S and Charles came back without being eaten alive by the mosquitoes.  S got to experience what it was like being a scout by eating and hanging out with his Troop.  At night though he came back and camped out with Charles since no one else from his pack was in the group.  They both passed the swim test which allowed them to canoe.  I say both because S worked hard to prepare and you wouldn’t believe how many adults failed.  So, I think Charles was lucky to pass given his current PT schedule or lack of.

 

B enjoyed her scout camp.  She was able to pick which activities she wanted to do.  She picked canoeing, indoor cooking (so she could help Mom), and art.  She enjoyed the day she got to swamp the canoe and “swim with the fish.”  She very excitedly shared the recipes she tried in cooking class and they have become members of the family collection.  She came home tired and happy each night.

 

I’m going to Ohio next week to celebrate my Grandmas birthday.  It will be nice to say hi to her.  Fortunately, Wendy was able to increase her hours to look after the kids in the morning when I’m gone.  Then the following week my folks are coming for their summer visit for S’s birthday.  I’m sure Grandma and Grandpa will spoil the kids with visits to Stone Mountain overnight stays at the camper, swimming, put put golf, ice cream and s’mores.

 

On the job front, Charles has been given more work which in theory should keep him busy for a year so that is wonderful news.

 

That’s it for now, keep in touch

Diane J