Today was a Happy Old Fashioned Fall Sunday!
We met up with the Bells at Fellowship church for the 11:30 service.
Pastor Ed Young started the first of three sermons on...
It was a powerful sermon and we are blessed to have a pastor who is not afraid of preaching truth!
Even when it is not popular and goes against the current culture.
Hearing Ed Young week in and week out - either live online - or in person as we were today - is what keeps me centered and gives me hope and comfort.
As in 'old fashioned Sundays' - for us - that means lunch after church at Dickey's BBQ!
It was wonderful being together with Amber and Mike and the kids!
The Coppell location is less than 3 miles from Fellowship and the perfect choice for our family.
It was not the least bit crowded - for most of our meal we were the only patrons - and that makes me a little sad. So many businesses have suffered through this Covid dominated year of 2020.
We felt safe eating here and Amber and Mike came armed with disinfectant wipes, cleaned our booths and settled the kids down while we, the parents and grandparents, went up to order.
Notice the Big Yellow Cups are now PINK!!
We love these cups!
In keeping with the safety issue, they had a box of plastic gloves to use when self serving in the line for pickles, onions, peppers, lemons and such and then for the beverages.
Louis Dean dutifully donned a glove on his right hand to use the drink fountain dispenser.
BUT the glove slid on the plastic cup and he dumped his entire Big Pink Cup onto his tray of food!
Thank goodness there was not a line of people behind us and the employees were very kind in taking his tray back and dumping out the tea and replating it for him.
I added a healthy tip to the ticket.
It's so much fun to spend some time with these kids!!!
When we were walking into the church service - nowadays we purposely arrive late so we can avoid the crowds and sit in the back - it was so dark I could NOT see a thing. Trystan took my hand and said, "I've got you, MeeMaw!" Except I STILL walked right into Amber - in the dark - when she stopped and told the usher, "There's too many of us to grapple in the dark. We'll just sit here!"
Good call!
We ate and talked and laughed and enjoyed hearing the quads in their own booth giggle and enjoy themselves. It was a wonderful meal! Spent with loved ones - which made it all the more special - especially at this time of Covid and fear and isolation.
We did linger long at the table - a true sign of a good meal.
We parted with the promise of the kids coming soon to spend at least a part of a weekend in early November with us.
Amber and Mike may have wondered why we turned the same way they did to go home.
I wanted to go back to Old Town Coppell and take pictures!
The State Farm office is a real State Farm office!
How cool to come here to work everyday or to drop off your insurance premiums.
The Tattered Style is a Vintage retail shop and I would love to come back and browse when it's open.
Maybe a good place to visit with my friend, Dee!
We came home and Louis Dean and I both took a basket out to the front yard to gather pecans.
I am so excited that we are getting a harvest this year.
It's not a given.
We have two different pecan trees for cross pollination which insures us an abundant crop every two or three years.
I started writing my memoirs several years ago and truly hope and pray I finish it in 2021.
I recently read this Best Seller book by Jimmy Dwayne and was so touched, impressed and inspired by it......
He told his story without being sensational about it - and there was much left unsaid that you could read 'between the lines.' This book has helped me in writing my own.
I had not heard of Jimmy Wayne before reading this but I went on YouTube and listened to his songs and read up on him. What an amazing man and an equally amazing story.
Written with no bitterness and from a loving heart that still told hard things.
I read it on my last trip to the ranch and it was a page turner.
I looked forward to tucking myself in the girl bunk every night and spending an hour or two reading.
If anyone would like to read this I would be happy to mail it to you. USA or International.
It is well worth the read - more so if you have had a challenging childhood.
And I have added Jimmy Dwayne and his sister, Patricia, to my personal prayer list.
They are inspiring.
Wishing you all a wonderful last week of October!!
Hi honey --is the print really small in the Jimmy Dwayne book? I'd love to read it, but if it's small, I may need to check it out buying as a Kindle book. My eyes are just getting worse and worse, and having the ability to change the font size and light on he Kindle Fire has really helped me. Not the same as opening and turning real pages, but not a headache from trying to see! I hope 2021 sees you with a published memoir!
ReplyDeleteI always love seeing the Chapman and Bell families together on Sundays -- or anyday! Everyone looked happy!
Our church is so tiny, I giggled when I read you all had to avoid "grappling" with all the people because of the crowded darkness. 😁 Having 15 people at church is considered a "crowd" for us! Even my "home" church isn't too much bigger -- maybe 75 members, and on a good Sunday, 35 present. I love both though, and Ed loves this little Sunbeam Baptist so much. (It is "home church" to neither of us, so the playing field is more "level", in that we have no family on either side there.) And, we have so few that will teach, and even less that will do special music, (or much of anything at all but complain on occasion) so Ed is much needed and we all need to be needed. He is chairman of deacons and finance committees, teaches adult SS class and does special music in Worship nearly every Sunday, and can fill in at the pulpit when needed. I think we joined about 7 years ago. The people there are wonderful folks --a doctor,a lawyer, nurses, farmers, teachers, all around good people, and of course, amazing cooks!! ( It IS a Southern Baptist church, so...!)
Hope you and Louis get to the ranch safely when you go. 💕
I guess soon you'll have to get your Christmas 🎄 cards printed up -- or have you already? October👻 is nearly gone. Hard to believe, huh!
In other news,
Trick or Treatig ha been cancelled all around us!
What next, 2020?!
Who would ever have thought a picture of a family simply eating in a restaurant could bring so much joy? These are interesting times.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to see you and your family out and about and that you're working your way into your new normal and doing a good job of it! I would to have gone to that town to take photos. I love love the house in the first collage and yes I would like to work in that little village
ReplyDeleteSo glad you had your old routine to fall back on. It makes life seem a bit more normal. We go out and about a good bit but cautiously. I have some friends who have not been out since March for fear of Covid. I would be in the crazy house by now if I were inside all the time. We are headed to Grimmwood this morning. No big plans, just helping my mother with her laundry tomorrow and spending time with the sisters. Hope yall have a good time at the ranch. Keep working on your book Linda. I really do want to read the story of your life. You are such an encouragement to us all.
ReplyDeleteSo good to be with family first at church and then out to lunch in a favorite place. Oopsie on "the episode." That staff sounds wonderful. We are not allowed to serve ourselves here nor are we allowed menus nor any condiments on the table. I'm sure that this saves people from mishaps, but it seems odd. It is just like you to leave a generous tip.
ReplyDeleteGathering pecans sounds like such a romantic thing to do... ☺️
A Sunday go to meeting with family is the best and of course lunch is a added treat. Was surprised they allow you to serve yourself as no where here is that allowed. Poor LD and his mishap.
ReplyDeleteI would like to read the book if still available. Sounds like a good one. So glad you could attend church in person. We need the community and live worship even if we can't hug or shake hands. Just seeing people you know and having a word or two makes such a difference. Besides this way you can SEE they are ok.
ReplyDeleteThat gives me hope that my life will be ok eventually. :-) Have a great week and stay healthy.
You really had a great Sunday so it should definitely be a good week for you !
ReplyDeleteWhat's better than a Sunday of services, good food and family get together? Nothing beats that day, Linda, and we are only envious that we cannot do the last one (sigh). Glad that the staff at Dickey's BBQ was so helpful, so nice to read that. And the town of Coppell would also be a place we would have turned around to visit. The State Farm office is a treasure!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful weekend you have had! This little town looks so cool, I would love to drive around and just look and snap.
ReplyDeleteI love that you were able to see family, attend church and eat together. That just does the heart good.
ReplyDeleteWe did the same thing a week ago when oldest granddaughter was in town. Cherished memories.
It's good to be cautious but its even better to live the life the Good Lord gave each of us.
I can't wait to read your life story. It's going to be a Best Seller.
There's a whole lot of healing that goes on when things are written down.
Love you and hugs to LD too.
Sue
Sounds like a perfect Sunday to me!
ReplyDeleteThat book sounds interesting, I'll have to see if I can get a kindle version of it.
I love your ending quote!
They have the Jimmy Dwayne book at our library--in several different formats (hard copy, ebook, and book on CD). I ordered the book on CD so I can listen while walking and/or doing my chores.
ReplyDelete