As a short month draws to a close, I share some personal reflections.
The shortest month of the year has been shortened even more by the impossible weather that kept many homebound for the first week of February. We started February at home rather than in ministry travels since we flew home a day early from two delightful weeks of ministry in Michigan.
Our plans for the first Sunday of February had to be postponed–we attended our home congregation at Main and Oklahoma in McAlester that day. The church held morning worship only with the remaining “normal” activities for the day cancelled due to weather.
Our Sunday visit to the Iglesia de Cristo–Park Plaza in Tulsa was delightful, although we were saddened by the fact that the Davila family could not be present due to serious health condition (and eventual death) of Millie’s mother in New York. It is always a joy (and healthy challenge as I need the practice that keeps my language fresh) to teach and preach and fellowship in Spanish. We enjoyed an extended visit with Mike and Teresa Hawkins as we focused on numerous mission concerns. (We also enjoyed our visit that day to the deaf congregation at Park Plaza–see my blog of February 17.
About the middle of the month, we got to do our “grandparent thing” as our youngest grandson came to visit. He had an ear infection and could not go to school, so we nursed him back to some level of health. We took him home on Saturday as his mother and our daughter-in-law, Maria (Michael’s wife), graduated from the University of Phoenix with her bachelor’s degree. It was a proud day for her and the family.
I was privileged to preach at Main and Oklahoma on February 20–I spoke on the “Holy Spirit–Living Water Gushing Forth from Within Us.”
Our time with the Edmond church (Early Bird Class) was a special renewal of friendships. I taught the class on Luke 15, but had the privilege as I began of sharing the Baxter story. Our trip to the Oklahoma City area also included visits with John Wilguess, chairman of the Memorial Road mission committee, and visits on the campus of Oklahoma Christian as I checked in at the offices of the “Christian Chronicle” about some project details.
We also visited our good ministry friends, Don and Carol Vinzant, as Don was in the hospital, recently diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Please add Don Vinzant to your cancer prayer list. Before we left the City that night, we stopped for a brief snack at Braums and visited briefly with Lynn and Joy McMillon and with the Javier and his family. Javier is currently serving as minister to Hispanics at the Edmond church.
Yesterday, we worshiped with the North Side church in Mena, renewed friendships, and met with various leadership groups in consultations concerning future ministry planning for effective use of available ministry resources for outreach and growth. Our return home was relatively late, but we wanted to be home for an early morning hospital visit today. Remember Leo Utley in prayer as he has exploratory surgery. Leo is 94 years old, and most any surgery is major.