Handsome Hubby Preachin' to the Choir (Ladies)

Yesterday Rob stepped into Pastor Steve's pulpit for the first time as an Army Chaplain. His sermon was "Church on Fire" and let me just say he was on fire.

Before Pastor Steve found out he was deploying, he had intended to do a mock pinning ceremony with Rob at church. He really wanted the youth to see that you could still be a tough guy and a strong Christian at the same time. Well, when Pastor was called into service plans changed a bit.

First, Rob was asked to preach so the Youth Pastor and his wife could take one last vacation before their first baby arrives in a few weeks. Second, Rob was asked to preach as an Army Chaplain to help remind everyone of just how important military chaplains are to the troops when they are fighting enemies of our country (and those of our allies) and the enemies of Christ.

Well, let me tell you, the minute Rob walked into the sancuary, every woman over the age of 40 was focused on him. Men of course, respect him for so many reasons, but the ladies--to say Rob had their rapt attention was an understatement. As soon as we can find our camera cord to download photos you will all see the big smiles of all the ladies.

It was actually very touching, and I mean literally, these ladies couldn't keep their hands off him. I do have to say he is VERY handsom in his uniform!

Rob started his sermon with a little history of the chaplaincy and stated how he wore the best rank in the world--The Rank of God, right on his collar! He went on to give such a great sermon and he really did hit a home run with the choir ladies. They can always be counted on to give an "AMEN" and "Praise the Lord" when you need one. His Church on Fire sermon was such an uplifting one, and certainly applies to Crown Point!

When all was said and done, so many people came up to him after service and thanked him for a great message. Pastor Steve's wife, Gloria has been such a boost to both of us and can always be counted on to keep us lifted in prayer. I know without doubt a big part of the day's success was Rob's preparation and prayerful thought, and Gloria's targeted prayer.

We went home after church and crashed for a few hours before heading back for an AWESOME concert. One Hope is a group of three women with the voices of angels! Mariam, Karen and Patty rocked the house and filled our hearts with songs of praise for our Lord. Their songs make those of us who aren't the best singers feel like the beauty can stick even if it is only in our minds.

Yes, I am speaking of myself. This girl who grew up in a Catholic church, with a big pipe organ and opera singers actually gets up into the choir to sing...and I do it next to the tamborine lady. God works in the most mysterious ways and yet again, I am proof. I sing with joy because I love the words, but I am always thinking to myself, "self, how did I get here?" Oh well, Suzanne (tamborine lady) always smiles when I get into the choir loft and often threatens to have me use the shaker. I'll probably miss her the most in the choir, for just that reason--she scares me. And, I love her for that!

That's all from the swamp for now. Preachin' and a teachin', rockin' and a rollin'.


M

Four Churches One Mission

Today Crown Point Baptist Church hosted a "super picnic" with our three sister churches who use our building as a home for their congregations.

All Souls Anglican Church left the keys to their building a while back after changes with regard to gay priests became a breaking point for these faithful followers. First Baptist Church of India is a small and wonderful little church with a great pastor and lovely members. Finally, the Kachin Church from Burma is a steadily growing church. These people left their country without really knowing what lay ahead in the United States. Many of the children in the congregation are taking English language instruction from some of the Crown Point ladies. We absolutely love everyone we have met.

Personally, I think it would be amazing to have all four churches celebrating Easter together, having all four choirs singing, hand bells ringing and the pastors "team preaching" as a way to really rejoice in OUR LORD! (Hint-hint Pastor Steve)

Pastor Steve Thompson (Crown Point) and the wonderful Deacons and members of CPRC opened their hearts and the doors to the church when these three groups needed a home to worship. It is really a unique way to fellowship with four different groups having one common belief...that Jesus is our Lord and Savior! Each church has such a distinct personality, yet people from all four churches always blend seamlessly and have so much fun together making new friends.

Now that informal introductions have been made, lets get back to the picnic! All-American hot dogs and hamburgers provided the BBQ base for the picnic. Deviled eggs were on parade along with various cole slaws and nibblers and exotic Indian dishes--well, at least those of us not from India thought they were exotic. Cookies galore and other home baked treats weighed down the end of the table and that is always a good thing. I made another big pan of banana pudding, which was a hit again, whew! I'm taking my recipe to church tomorrow since I had a bunch of requests. ***The Recipe does have a special 'Cake Lady' ingredient that will not be available for purchase until later this fall***

Pastor Pradeep from First Baptist of India had his newborn little boy there for all the 'aunties' from the other churches to lavish their attention upon him. Between the four churches there really is a sense of being a part of God's family. It is AWESOME!

The Bug (Eleni) also came to the picnic since she loves "going to church" and seeing all the kids...and they love to see her. She had a little nibble of chicken and some baked bean sauce and decided she wanted to be out by the water slides with the kids. She went and got her little paws and belly wet in the puddles and then found a nice comfy home on a pretty teenager's lap. The youth seem to just love on her whenever she comes to church. She is one content little dog when she is at Crown Point and we are so thankful that everyone is as happy to see Eleni as she is to see them.

Unfortunately, Pastor Steve wasn't able to join everyone since he is deployed to a very dangerous part of the world for a few months. He is winning souls and ministering to the soldiers who protect our great country and we miss him terribly. With that said, that just means more banana pudding for everyone else, and people don't mind telling Pastor that he is missing out. It is a tough crowd at times...just like family.

Another great time shared with friends in Christ and we look forward to what little time we do have left with our Crown Point family.

Tomorrow, Rob preaches in Pastor Steve's absence. More to follow!

xoxo M

Back at the Swamp...for a little while longer

Well, it has been a long month. We Left Jacksonville the day after Rob's final day at WRTC in the Air Force. We went to Columbus, GA to visit our dear friend Margot while she waited for her hubby to return from the National Training Center in California. Doug (Margot's dude) is getting ready to deploy to Iraq in the near future.

From Georgia we headed north to Michigan. We made a quick pit stop for breakfast with the Feds in Chatanooga. The Blevins clan is always up for the fun get-together on the fly. They have grown used to my crazy travel schedule over the years, which makes it that much more challenging and great when we can actually coordinate a meet up. Oh, did I mention that the day prior to our leaving the Swamp I came down with Benign Vertigo?! "OOOH THAT'S BAD" should really be the name of this stupid ailment. I woke up and went to get out of bed and thought I was going to go sailing right out the window. At least my balance (or complete lack thereof) thought I was moving.


I had to try to decorate a wedding cake before we left and had to do it all backwards and leaning to my left side. This task was difficult for a variety of reasons...1) I'm right handed so I lean to the right when I decorate...2) It was flipping hot and humid in the kitchen and I was feeling cranky due to the dizziness...3) I was very cranky and dizzy...4) Did I mention I was really cranky?

Finally got the cake decorated and delivered with Margot's help (THANK YOU TONS!!) and then we proceeded to go directly to the NAVY JAX emergency room because I was really feeling like I was struggling with something very bad. Sat on the bed in the ER for an hour then a doctor came in and moved my head around. Normally, not a bad thing, but today not such a good idea. I thought I was falling off the bed and started grabbing for the first thing I could reach to keep me from falling. Do you know how close a NAVY doctor's lower half is to the side of the bed, and how close it is to your reach when you are feeling dizzy and like you are about to fall over? IT IS VERY CLOSE. Yikes! Then he had me stand up, put my feet together and shut my eyes. (This was going to be very bad--I could feel it). Tip my head back--WHOA I'M FALLING PEOPLE. Guess who caught me? Man, that was embarrassing.

They came up with the Benign Vertigo and then added "that really sucks" to the diagnosis. The same greeting came from one of the best Army doctor's in the country when we were visiting Margot. "Wow, that sucks" was then followed by a rather pitiful shoulder shrug. Basically, a gunshot wound, a knife gouge, perhaps an arrow shot through my butt would have been a better problem to have. They can ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING about those little items. I was told that it would most likely go away in a few weeks. I won't even go into details of some of the other options I was given. The were all lousy!

OK, I'm done being a baby (for now). Whoops, wait, I'm not. We had to drive through the Appalachian Mountains on the way up to Michigan. UGH! As long as there were trees blocking my periferal vision of the valleys, dips, swails and ranges I was ok. Sort of. I was popping the prescription for dizziness along with my beloved Mike and Ikes in an effort to comfort myself. That just made me nervous. Poor Rob!

Finally made it to Michigan. The weather was great! No humidity! Low temps in the 80's made sleeping with the windows open a treat. Eleni got to hang with her cousins--Angus (95lb lab) the loveable giant with a knee breaking tail, Cork (25lb cat) who was so irritated by the Bug that he didn't swat at her, he simply pushed her off the couch! What? I know, brat! And then there is sweet Beau (small cat)who pretty much stays out of the line of fire. Angus and Eleni are really cute together because Angus thinks he is little and Eleni thinks she is big. The two of them really like to cuddle when they finally settle down.

On to Minnesota by way of Illinois and Wisconsin. We had to pull off in WI for squeeky cheese that our friends had always told us about. Oh My Gosh...super squeeky! We grabbed some old fashioned Wisconsin pop and giggled and squeeked our way to the twin cities.

We were going to Minnesota to attend the International Ministerial Fellowship conference (Rob's endorsing agency)and his Ordination by IMF. What an AWESOME three days! We stayed with such a nice couple, Beth and John Brevold and their little dog Oliver. They made a great trip that much better. We hope to come back and visit again, but as friends rather than strangers the next time. THANK YOU BREVOLDS!! Also, fantastic, cool and low humidity weather. Technically, it was like our winter weather and we were loving every minute of it. The conference was beyond anything we could have imagined. We met some pretty amazing people and heard some fantastic Christian artists.

From the land of 10,000 lakes we turned south to Missouri to visit with Rob's family for several days. Again, fabulous weather! Great times playing Skip-Bo (card game) with his mom and dad each night. Got to visit with his aunt and her new hubby, and also with Rob's brother and his family. It was smart of us to keep up with the niece and nephews on facebook before we arrived so we could effectively torment them in person. I gotta say, not having teenagers to worry about is a blessing! Great kids thankfully, but the parents lose a lot of sleep. Hee hee hee!

As we were leaving Kansas City heading south, we came upon the town of Nevada, MO. This is the home of Cottey College.
This wonderful little 2-year, all girls college is owned by the PEO sisterhood, of which I am a member. Rob and I made a small diversion in our plans and it turned into an hour-plus tour and learning opportunity that I didn't think I would ever get. Very cool! Now we are going to work on our niece, Cierra, for admission. I think it would be a wonderful fit!

By the end of I don't even know what day it was on the road, we were in the Ft. Hood area of central Texas. Rob and I added a couple of days to our trip so we could see where we were going to be living for the next three years. It was hot, BUT NOT HUMID! Score yet another great day on the road. We found a really cool local hangout at Lake Belton on our first night. The next day we went onto post to meet with the Command Chaplain and to check out how "gigantic" the post was.

Ft. Hood is HUGE! It doesn't even fit onto one map. We got lost several times, went to two exchanges that were several MILES apart and were told it was easier to get to one point on base if we actually left the post, went down an exit or two and came back on at a different gate. WHAT? We never did find our destination and left more confused than when we arrived...but in a good way. My friend Margot and I are planning a recon trip in November to try to find a place to live and to check out the Austin area. Austin is about 45 minutes south of the Ft. Hood area and we are told is a great city. I already found my Michigan State Spartan Alumni Club there so I am good to go. Watch parties for college football and college hoops? Check!

From the heart of Texas it was a full day's drive back to Columbus, plus we lost an hour from central to eastern time. The day after we got back to Camp Dude (Doug and Margot Dudewicz), Rob received his official orders to swear in. We were so excited that Doug was able to do the swearing in, since he is the one who started this all for Rob back in December at dinner on Christmas Eve. It was even more special in that it was the last time the dudes would get to hang out before Rob leaves for Chaplain school and Doug deploys to Iraq for a year.

We finally arrived back at the swamp on the 8th of August. As we turned the corner into our subdivision the two of us just gasped when we saw how high the weeds had grown in the yard. It rained almost every day that we were gone so the lawn couldn't be mowed and the jungle had free reign on our property. I started to unpack the car and Rob started mowing the lawn. We have a way to go before we can get everything back to normal. Our plan is to rent our home for the next 10-15 years while Rob is in the Army.

So, our next phase is getting the swamp in shape for renters, meeting with the traffic office to schedule our military move and to find our new home in tornado alley.

All-in-all, we are very excited at what lies ahead and have enjoyed sharing our trials and tribulations with everyone.

Your continued support and prayers get us through those days when we feel like we are going two steps back before moving another step forward, and for that we are so thankful. We will keep adding on to our little pebble every so often to keep all of you updated on our antics. You guys know me, you know there will always be antics!

That's all for now from the swamps!

xo Muff

Fort Hood, Texas...here we come!

Well, it has only been a couple of weeks since Rob was accessioned as an Army Chaplain. We found out he will be going to Chaplain school at Fort Jackson in South Carolina and may end up ther for an extra month starting August. Good news! No gap in service. Still waiting for the confirmation on that status.

Rob's last duty day at WRTC was today and only a few hours later he received a call from Washington, D.C. with the information on where we will be stationed after school. We thought we wouldn't know this information for at least another few weeks, and the info was a stunner...we are going to be moving to Ft. Hood in Texas! Sometime in the middle of December we will pack up the swamp and head to the dust bowl, tornado alley, North Mexico...take your pick.

While we were really praying that we would be assigned to Ft. Benning in Georgia, God's call is a big one as they are in dire need of filling Chaplain slots at Ft. Hood, and Rob did get confirmation that he will indeed be a Battalion Chaplain. We don't know which unit he will be assigned to, but we do know that Fort Hood is the home of the Cavalry. Lots of history and we are anxious to learn as much as we can about our new home in a very short period of time. Thankfully, Margot Dudewicz has very dear friends who are now located at Ft. Hood as is already on the job to get introductions underway.

Tomorrow morning we start an almost month-long road trip to visit friends and family in Georgia, Tennessee, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and now we are adding a day or two in Ft. Hood to try to get a feel for the joint. A friend on facebook said it sounded like a covered wagon experience and I'm inclined to agree. Rob has already spent a few hours on the internet trying to learn as much as he can about the base (he learned it has a Baskin Robbins, so he is good to go). I'll have to learn some new lingo so I can blend in. After being Air Force, located with Navy it will be a little confusing to get the 'base', 'post', 'nex' and all that straight.

When we get to Minnesota, Rob will have the opportunity to meet some of his fellow military chaplains who have been ordained by the International Ministerial Fellowship. We are really looking forward to those few days with new friends.

Thanks again for all of the support and encouragement as we have started this new and exciting chapter in our lives. Ever since Rob and I met it has been one adventure after another. God has seen fit to continue this tradition and we are thrilled! Today has been a big day. We went out to dinner with Margot to celebrate and now we are so emotionally exhausted it is time to hit the hay before we hit the road.

We'll keep everyone update on our journey and our ministry. Like I tell my family, as soon as we know what's going on, you'll know what's going on.

Much love from the Swamp! Muff

One Week and on to the June Boards!

Well, we have one week to go for the June Chaplain's Boards and we are getting stressed, cranky and hopeful all at once. Each week, some little stumbling block seems to hit and Rob charges ahead just as he always does.

We remain faithful, but it becomes a challenge at times when others are involved and you know that things really are out of your hands. We know that this month's board is going to be a difficult one for those making the decisions and we are keeping them and ALL the candidates for Chaplaincy in our prayers.

Enough on that since I can't and won't think beyond next week for now.

This past Wednesday I was honored to be a part of a healing ceremony for a woman at church who is once again battling a very aggresive melenoma cancer. Paige and her husband Tim gathered with those of us who were able to anoint her with oil that was brought back from Jeruselum. It is always interesting when one goes on a trip and for some reason a little trinket speaks out to them...not realizing how it may be used at a later date rather than just sit on a shelf. This was just one of those moments. It is very powerful and moving to be a part of something like this, when you see just how much people love someone and want them to heal. This was the first time I had ever been a part of an act like this and was truly humbled before God and felt so blessed to be involved.

Paige has the warmest smile and is such a sweet lady. I made a promise to find some sort of cancer friendly recipe for cupcakes since sugar makes her sick. And then she shared that many in the medical community feel that cancer goes to the sugar. So I am on a mission to find a way to give her a little treat that can give her peace of mind and put a smile on her face as well.

I'd like to take an opportunity to put a prayer request out into the cyber world for a moment before I close. Please keep the following in your prayers:

Paige and Tim as they battle her cancer together and for the financial issues they will face in the process;
Rob, as his packet goes before the Chaplain's board next week, that they will find it in their hearts to make him an Army Chaplain;
For my friend Margot as she prepares for Doug's first deployment to Iraq in October;
For Doug, as he prepares for the brigade training prior to heading off for the sandbox;
For our friend Richard, that his tests next week come back with no surprises, no problems and he gets a clean bill of health;
For our friends at Crown Point who are preparing for a number of missions this summer including VBS up in Virginia at a small and aging church and those preparing to head off to Haiti and work on the orphanage that our church has adopted.

Thanks again for checking in and for keeping in touch with all that is going on with us right now. More next week when we have a better idea of what is going on with the boards.

Stay cool and have a wonderful weekend everyone!

From the swamps-- Muff

A Miss in May, on to the June Assessions Board

This morning Rob got a call from the Army Chaplain Recruiter's office...not what we were hoping for.

Rob's was one of six packages that were pushed to the June Board as they had many packages to discuss. We are remaining hopeful that everything will go through in June as this will keep us on our very roughly outlined schedule. Rob is starting to get a little push-back from his current unit which is unfortunate, but we are certain things will work themselves out in the traditional hurry up and wait military way.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers! All Rob really wants to do is to be there for the young men and women who serve our country. He has been where they are headed and I cannot think of a better person to give them perspective on the situation they face-physically, emotionally and most important, spiritually!

We know we are on God's time and will strive for patience (Rob will strive even harder) as we wait for another month.

In the meantime, Rob has been teaching a fantastic bible study on Wednesday nights. It is great to see him just diving into his lesson plans when he gets home from work each night. I see the stresses of the day slowly easing their way out of his mind as he delves into God's word.

We have been having fun watching a momma duck and her two babies waddling around in the back yard in the rain lately. They have been visiting us for the past two weeks and we love watching them get a little closer to the patio each day. Obviously, they have identified the tiki torch and are ready for the party. The minute Eleni barks they go running just as fast as their little legs and wings can push them back to the pond. Keeps us smiling for sure.


More information as we get our updates. That's all for now from the Swamp. Back to making a warm dinner for tonight with friends. It is so chilly and rainy outside. Only 60 degrees and quite windy here today. I know, I know, we are total wimps. Maybe I'll even dig out the flannel sheets for a cozy night's sleep. ;-)



Much love- Muff

Ding-a-lings in the House of God

This past Sunday, the hand bell choir from Crown Point went down to a little historical town with the oldest church building in Florida to perform for a lovely group of people.

The early history of Ocoee and the beginning of the Ocoee Christian Church are closely related. Immediately after the Civil War, Captain Buford M. Sims, an officer in the Confederate Army, rode into town (from his native state of Tennesse) on the horse he had ridden in the war. Making the lovely spot in the wilderness his home, Capt. Sims named this place Ocoee after a small river he enjoyed as a boy. The city was officially founded in 1886.

Sims discovered sour orange trees in the hammocks that dotted the shores of Lake Apopka (I love some of the great names of places here in FL). He cleared land and planted the groves which would become the first groves to produce citrus fruit for commercial use.

Prior to the founding of the city, a Confederate General of artillery, General William Temple Withers, came to the area from Kentucky in 1883. He began at once to plan a Christian Church building. Captain Sims gave the land and General Withers provided the funding. The church is of Carpentry Gothic architectural design with beautiful stained glass windows that were commissioned in memory of General Withers. These windows were imported from Belgium to the Sanford, Florida area and then on to Ocoee via ox-cart.

Our hand bell choir was so blessed to be able to perform in this lovely little church as the accoustics were fantastic! As it was the third Sunday of the month, all the ladies in the congregation had beautiful hats to compliment their pretty spring outfits.

We brought our little chihuahua, Eleni (aka, The Bug) with us for the day and she was able to attend her second church service in another historical church. Her first service was at the Cathedral Basillica in St. Augustine. She loves the attention she gets from all the church ladies. The hubster (Rob) was in charge of wrangling The Bug wearing a stylish black sling-bag. He is truly a confident man! On top of that he is the most handsome roadie.

On a side note, we made it back to the Swamp in time for this transplant from Detroit to catch the third period of the Red Wing game. We crushed the Black Hawks in the first game of the conference finals. I am ready to see the Octopus flying baby! GO WINGS GO!

We continue to be blessed with wonderful opportunities to share great days like the one above and look forward to many more great days ahead with God's Grace.

Thank you for all of your prayers and good wishes as we wait to hear the results of Rob's packet that has gone to the Army Chief of Chaplain's Office Board. We are hopeful that we will hear something soon. As soon as we know what is happening we will let everyone know.