Show Us Your Cafe or " Eat Local"

Just six or seven miles down the road is the "Big Town".  At one time, the city was known as the City of Restaurants.  Just about every chain restaurant imaginable had/has a presence in Fort Wayne.  Yesterday, some friends called and asked us if we wanted to meet them "in half-an-hour" at our local cafe.  In spite of my newly adopted 3 Bite Rule, we met them.

There's nothing like a small town cafe!  When we DO eat out (not as often as we used to), there is something satisfying about the local restaurant - where you are greeted by name and recognize many of the other diners.  The food is fine but nothing fancy.

It feels a little like home to eat in a local cafe.  A lot more goes on there than just eating!!  When traveling, we frequently search out cafes in small towns.  We look for a lot of cars in the parking lot which seems to indicate approval by the locals and are seldom disappointed!

Being a pastor's wife, I maybe jump to this comparison quicker than others might...but I think the church in one's own community is a good choice, too.  Rather than jumping Sunday to Sunday to a church that has a guest musician or famous-named speaker, get involved and be faithful in attending the church nearest you where people are eager to learn and live out the Word of God!  In addition to listening to Christian music, reading Christian books, downloading services or watching television services, go in person to your local church where you can be greeted by name and recognize and interact with the other diners! Be a "regular"!

It may not be fancy but it will be fine.  

In fact, Jesus said:

"Where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."  Matthew 18:20

By the way, do you have a favorite local cafe? 

WHAT A DAY THIS HAS BEEN!

Before meeting a friend at the Olive Garden Restaurant, I spent a little time at my favorite thrift store.  I spent just over $5 and came out with two pair of jeans, three interesting fabric items (more later), a plastic cleaner caddy, and this wire sculpture!  I have no idea what I'm going to do with it, but I couldn't pass it up.  It is quite large!

No pictures of the Olive Garden - what was I thinking?  But next I went to Borders where I met my husband.  We spent a couple of hours looking at magazines.  If you're reading this and haven't seen this magazine yet, you really need to get a copy!  It is VERY inspiring.

Here's a quote from one of the articles written by a fellow blogger:  "Like all good art, blogging connects your head, your heart, and your hands...So don't hold back.  You never know what may await you if you throw your heart into finding your voice, your audience, and declaring your dreams to the world."

When I got home, I looked at some of my favorite blogs.  Diana had just discovered how to use her scanner and demonstrated her results with a picture of her adult son as a young child.  I had never used the scanner on our printer, but wondered if I could make it work for me.  Here is the result--a picture of me as a bride on June 5, 1971.

The day isn't over.  This evening, husband and I are attending a town meeting.  Our small town is considering incorporation.  This is a required meeting that all citizens are welcome to attend to voice opinions and help determine whether or not the incorporation efforts will move forward to final stages.

What a day this has been!

Three Bells and All is Well

The last Thursday of every month, people from the local Lutheran church prepare and offer a free meal to all who come.  Until now, "Last Thursdays" came and went for us.  This week we decided to go and check it out. We arrived toward the end of the evening.  (Husband had been raking MORE leaves in anticipation of the rain that would fall later.)  Still there was plenty--hot chicken sandwiches, a choice of three soups, potato chips, fresh vegetables, and several wonderful desserts!

While intended to provide practical assistance to those experiencing hardship due to the economy, they also have seen many single adults turn out for the fellowship.  Since the "Last Thursday" in November falls on Thanksgiving Day, they plan to serve Thanksgiving dinner at noon with all the trimmings. What a great ministry!

The three bells?  I found out last night.  Three small congregations united in the early '60s.  When the new building was built, the bells from the original three church buildings were mounted and are displayed like this near the entrance of this Holy Trinity church.

The use of the bells to mark the time stems from the period when seamen couldn’t afford a personal timepiece and even if they could, they had no idea on how to tell time with such an instrument. So bells marked the hours of the watch in half-hour increments. The seamen would know if it were morning, noon, or night. Each watch was four hours long.

Every crew member shared watch duty, maintaining a constant watch for danger and helping to insure the safety of all souls aboard. The end of each of the six watches were signaled by eight bells. The crewmember would announce, “Eight bells and all is well” as he turned over duty to the next seaman.

Said one explanation about this custom: “Watch is the most important duty aboard any vessel. We each serve a watch for our fellow man while living this life….”

...and that's just as true NOW as THEN!

What Will Be the Sign?

The sign is situated just outside our Post Office.  It is maintained by one of few organizations that exist in our unincorporated small town.  My husband participates in that organization.  After several years of passing by this sign that never changed, I said, "Why don't WE offer to be responsible for it?"

I had many, many ideas and plans.  After the initial change, months went by.  I knew it was now our responsibility.  I asked myself repeatedly, "What can we put up on the sign?"  Finally, last week, armed with some enlarged copies of churches in our community from a presentation my husband did at the local youth center, we changed the display.  "Now more than ever, we need these....Support and attend our local churches", reads the main caption.

The disciples asked Jesus about a sign once.  ""When will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"  (Matthew 24:3).  His answer takes up the rest of the chapter.  It includes this:  "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come...you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."

Jacquelyn commented on my post yesterday telling of a conversation she'd had with a minister's wife. 
     We were talking about transitions they are going through in their semi-retirement and twilight years--she said she wants to "make the last lap the best." Their son, our pastor, told us that each morning they toast their orange juice glasses and say "this may be the day"...looking towards eternity...but then they have faithfully continued to labor in ministry roles.

Isn't that beautiful?!   This MAY BE the day!  We must be ready!