Minutes to Memories

It may not look like much to you, but this picture symbolizes big things for me. This freshly cleaned/organized fellowship room signifies an important step in a good direction. We have a fresh crop of deacons at our church that are excited about making positive things happen, and combined with the fact that the elders at our church are empowering (and not micro-managing)... well, I'm just very excited to consider the future.

Right now I'm very excited about getting some sleep, though, so good night.

Previous visitors to Ocean Springs may suddenly have a craving for catfish & shrimp after reading the newest entry to my "My Ocean Springs Project" below:

"Once featured in Southern Living, Aunt Jenny’s Catfish Restaurant is a local legend. Overlooking five-hundred year old oak trees and the Bay of Biloxi, waitresses Christina Scaturro and Domonique Homann serve up the all-you-can-eat catfish, shrimp, and chicken fare to enthusiastic diners from all over the world. Aunt Jenny’s location is filled with history, ranging from being home to the last known flowing springs that gave the city its name to its 1852 home that served as a health resort in the days prior to the Civil War. And legend has it that Elvis Presley frequented the site during the times he spent in Gulf Hills!"

Not a whole lot to report on a Monday...
* Lots of administrative stuff that takes place 1st day after one of my Sundays...
* It is a gorgeous 70 degree day...
* Prepared my Peak of the Week class on "forgiveness" - pretty pleased with it...
* Prepared my Sunday class for 3rd-4th graders on Achan from the book of Judges... What a horrible story to tell kids about in one sense, but maybe they won't steal any of my stuff afterwards...
* Had a good visit with my friend, Matt. I'm really glad he dropped by the office...
* Received a call from my "off to college" daughter. Always good to just hear her voice...
* Had a couple of productive phone calls with two separate nursing homes I'm planning events at...
* Read some more out of A Lesson Before Dying - whetted my appetite for more...

Oh, last night I made it to the halfway point of War & Peace!!! Wow, did Natasha ever screw up and lose any respect I had for her. And the whole Bolkonsky family shouldn't call me for a character reference letter either. Pierre's about the only guy I have any admiration for right now, and that's just a plain weird development. And Sonya is cool, too, but she really isn't a "major" character.

Maybe I'll get to start on the second half tonight...

It has just been a wonderful day...

* Our church services this morning went extremely well. Personally, it was one of those rare days when my sermon came out the way I wanted it to come out. More importantly, it was a day where a couple on fire for Jesus caught me afterwards and said they wanted to be recognized as part of our church family. Just a great morning...

* Then we had a great lunch. Well, it was Pizza Hut and a salad bar, so "great" may be stretching it, but I was really referring to the company (our friends, the Bryants, Logans, and O'Connells).

* And then, my wife & I have spent the past two hours visiting with the Schroeders (pictured with me above). I went to take a picture of them for my Ocean Springs photo-project (in their bed & breakfast), but the best part was that my wife got the chance to meet Bruno & Linda, and as I suspected, she fell in love with them just as I had.

I can only hope your day was just as good. I'd doubt it, but I can hope at least...

(Another picture of Dizzy Dean's grave from yesterday...)

It's been a lazy day, which I've needed.

The day consisted of:
* Sleeping in
* Buying candy bars from two fund-raising girls working the neighborhood
* Reading some more War and Peace
* Going to two Wal-Marts with my daughter in search of some faddish toy called a tamagotchi, only to discover that both were sold out
* Cooking my gourmet Hamburger Helper supper (since my wife is out of town)
* Following supper with some homemade chocolate chip cookies
* And now, waiting for my wife to come home!!!

It's Saturday night, which means that (for the past 400 Sundays or so) it is a study night for me. Another big day tomorrow to prepare for - a "Help Wanted" sermon from Matthew 9, and a class on crossing the Jordan and taking Jericho for the 3rd-5th grade class...

I hope everyone has a great Saturday night & an inspiring Sunday morning...

I spent the morning with my good friend, Bruno, on a little trip we had planned about a month ago. We met at 7:30am to take a ride up to the metropolis of Wiggins, Mississippi. After passing through the heavy traffic in about fifteen seconds, we made it to the tiny town of Bond, Mississippi, to begin our search for the Bond Cemetery.

As typical males, we felt sure we could find it without any help, and after a couple of wrong turns Bruno spotted a small cemetery. We parked and wandered the hallowed grounds for a few minutes. We made a local dog very angry by being there, and after recognizing that we weren't in the right place, I think we were both relieved to be back in the car and headed someplace else.

Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States of America, enjoyed an oyster po-boy lunch at McElroy's in Ocean Springs today, about a quarter-mile from my office. It was a good thing she didn't ask to have lunch with me because I've been a little too busy lately.

* The day began with a trip to the Jackson County Science Fair in Gautier where Hillary took home 2nd place in "Engineering, Computers, and Math." We were VERY proud and happy for her! For those who don't know, a trip to the county science fair means that a parent must accompany the child, but during the few hours of judging the parent cannot be with the child. So I did some work in regard to my mentoring of our youth minister and then began reading my next "church" book, A Lesson Before Dying, by Ernest Gaines.

* After the science fair, I took Hillary and her friend, Sydney, home for a little while before taking them to Kids Club. This was Sydney's first time to go to Kids Club with Hillary, and while she was there she became interested in a new girls club Lindsey (our youth minister's wife) is starting. That was pretty cool all by itself.

* While they were in Kids Club, I went to Camp Victor on Government Street where I met Suzie Harvey, the assistant site director. In addition to adding a picture to my Ocean Springs photo-project (which allows me the opportunity to get out into the community and meet people), I also secured some possibilities for our incoming hurricane relief groups that will start descending soon, so it was a doubly productive visit.

* When I returned to pick up the kids from Kids Club, Delta Sanitation was dropping off the HUGE dumpster for a big work weekend scheduled at the church. The driver needing some direction as to placing the dumpster, and I did my best to help him before speeding off for the next stop.

* My wife and I did the relay switch with Hillary after a fast food supper, then I drove out to Woolmarket to visit with the Cook family. We've been trying for a couple of weeks now to get together where I could take a picture of the family with Awesome Dawson now home from the hospital. You can see them HERE. It is amazing to think that he is three months old now, even though his original due date hasn't arrived yet. He is now up to 6lbs, 4oz, and doing very well.

* I came home to a flurry of emails, which is where I'm at now. But I'm about to call it a night. I've been going pretty solid for 15 hours now. That's enough for one day...

If there were such positions, George & Lou Fain would be considered the patriarch and matriarch of the Ocean Springs Church of Christ. They first came here in 1959, and they have been leading ever since. When church news happens, it is simply understood that you call George & Lou first.

George has served as elder, teacher, song leader, building-fixer-upper, and everything else along the way, while Lou has filled in many roles, most significantly the originator of the "bear ministry" which is still going after passing a decade and the 10,000 teddy bear mark.

I went with Hillary to take their picture today for my church photo-project, and we ended up visiting in their home for two hours - which was a perfectly delightful way to spend an afternoon...

When I first sent an inquiry to Ocean Springs about their preaching position in late 1998, I had never met George & Lou, but it was their connection that even made it possible for me to be here. Lou's brother, James, was the Executive Director of Children's Homes, Inc., where my wife & I served as houseparents for three years (1995-1998). It was that unknown (to me) "connection" that helped pave the way for my family's move to Ocean Springs.

So they're even extra special to me...

Today is Mardi Gras, and along the Coast you will find differing opinions on the day, ranging from those who party hard to those who think the entire holiday is disgusting. Whatever opinion you might have of Mardi Gras, there is one thing that is undeniably wonderful about today, and that is a King Cake with Cream Cheese and Fruit Filling.

So for all you living in the hinterland, here is a recipe from the late Myriam Guidroz, long-time food columnist for The Times-Picayune (New Orleans). Enjoy!!!!!!

Basic King Cake Dough
1 envelope dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup milk
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
2 whole eggs
4 cups, approximately, unbleached flour

Mix the yeast with the warm water. Stir 1 teaspoon of the sugar and 1 teaspoon of the flour into the yeast and set aside. By the time you have measured the other ingredients, the yeast should be beginning to bubble and show signs of life.

Bring the milk to a boil and stir in the butter and the sugar. Pour into a large bowl; the mixture should be lukewarm. Beat in the egg yolks, whole eggs and the yeast.

Beat in approximately 2 cups of flour, until the dough is fairly smooth, then gradually add enough additional flour to make a soft dough that you can form into a ball. Knead it, by hand or machine, until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a bowl, turn the dough once or twice in it to grease it lightly all over, cover with a cloth and leave to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Pat the dough down and cover the bowl with a damp towel, plastic film over that and refrigerate until the next day. This recipe makes enough dough for two king cakes. Extra dough may be frozen, or make two king cakes and freeze one. Thaw frozen cake and reheat 10 minutes in a 375-degree oven.

FILLING
1/2 recipe king cake (above)
1 (16-ounce) can cherry, apple or apricot pie filling
8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 dried bean (to bake in the cake as per tradition)
Colored sugars or confectioner's sugar and food coloring

Remove dough from refrigerator and with well-floured hands, while it's firm and cold, shape it into a long sausage shape. Using a floured roller on a floured surface, roll out the dough into a 30-by-9-inch rectangle as thin as pie crust. Let dough rest.

If necessary, drain extra juice from pie filling. Mix the cream cheese with the sugar, flour, egg yolks and vanilla. Spoon an inch-wide strip of fruit filling the length of the dough, about 3 inches from one edge. Spoon the cream cheese mixture alongside the fruit, about 3 inches from the other edge. Brush both sides of dough with egg wash. Insert the bean.

Fold one edge of dough over the cream cheese and fruit, then fold the other edge over. Gently place one end of the filled roll onto a greased pizza pan or large cookie sheet. Ease the rest of the roll onto the pan, joining the ends to form a circle or oval. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Brush again with egg wash and cut deep vents into the cake. Sprinkle with colored sugars if desired.

Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until cake is well risen and golden. Cool before icing with confectioner's sugar mixed with enough water to make a spreadable paste and tinted purple, green and gold. Make one cake that serves 10 to 12 people. If using a plastic baby instead of the bean, insert it into the bottom of the cake after it is cooked.

In the "weird" department, despite what your calendar and mine says today, you have not been celebrating Presidents Day. This is, in fact, Washington's Birthday (observed), as clarified to us by Snopes.com.

So all you Abraham Lincoln fans will kindly remove your party hats.

All sorts of jokes present themselves, of course, about Washington (D.C.) not being able to even clarify a federal holiday involving its own name.

But anyway, I hope you have had a great Washington's Birthday (observed). I meant to send all of you a card, but Hallmark only carries Presidents' Day cards, and I am too much a holiday purist to stoop to such a level.

But I can guarantee you that everyone here in the Gulf South region knows that tomorrow is Mardi Gras, and the only confusion there is the precise point when someone is arrested for public indecency.

I think I'll just plan to put in a regular day's work tomorrow...

It was a few days late, but my wife & I got to have a Valentine's date after all this year: a quick supper at Beef O'Brady's preceded the movie Ghost Rider after our church's evening devotional tonight.

I'm not normally into movies like that, and I'm still not, but I found this one to be very entertaining nonetheless. In between the weird stuff, you could even find a few spiritual lessons. In fact, Nicolas Cage's portrayal of Johnny Blaze even had a Jesus connection when you think about it - a courageous warrior willing to put his life on the line for the sake of love.

That is, if you can picture Jesus riding a motorcycle with a killer chain and a flaming skull.

It's been an interesting day around the Sturgeon house. On the good news front, our oldest daughter came home from college for Mardi Gras break. On the unique news front, we've decided to add an above ground pool to our backyard this year.

And on the hilarious front, my wife and I have decided to build the deck pictured above as an addition to the pool. For anyone who knows us, you will understand the vital nature of the following words: Let us pray...

I just returned from the hospital after checking on our friend, Marcie. She gave birth to her second son, little Noah or Austin (they can't decide!), who weighed in at 7lbs, 10oz. Marcie's husband, Adam, is my kind of guy. In addition to the fact that he is an emergency room doctor, and in addition to the fact that the birth of his second son was scheduled for today, he emailed a trade request to me earlier this week in an attempt to shore up his fantasy basketball team. I accepted Dwight Howard & gave up Jamal Crawford in a trade that should help both of us. I like a man whose priorities are straight!

I'll warn you that I'm about to sound real sappy, but I think I watched a movie that will alter the course of my life this morning. This is strange, particularly because I've watched Field of Dreams multiple times before today.

My Friday "day off" has been good, but its been a bit misguided. I noticed it turning into another list of things to do (which is a personal problem of mine). So yesterday, especially after some thoughts presented in The Divine Conspiracy (which I finished yesterday morning), I decided to reorder a few things in my life, including my approach to Friday.

My intention is to seek solitude on Fridays now, particularly by escaping to nature (the beach, or the woods...). But today is the coldest day of the year in South Mississippi, so I wasn't really keen on the idea of nature.

So I went to Wal-Mart just after 7am to buy a cheap movie, and I decided to purchase Field of Dreams.

This classic movie came out in my college years, and since its a sports movie, I was there when it hit the theaters. I know I thought it was a great movie then, at least that's the impression I remember. Over the years, I've caught it in bits and pieces on television. In particular, I remember catching the end of it one night after moving to Ocean Springs. That unforgettable scene between the Kinsella father and son captivated me that night, so much so that I wrote a devotional essay that I included in my book, Pardon the Inspiration.

But today (I'm guessing) is the first time since my college years to really sit down and drink in the entire movie, and I don't mind admitting that I don't remember the last time I cried as much as I cried this morning. I'm not much into crying you see, but a couple of things about the movie captured my heart in ways I cannot adequately describe.

This is the first time I've taken in the entire power of this movie since the death of my father over twelve years ago now. My dad and I had a great relationship through the lens of sports, with so many days spent playing catch in our backyard. When I drove him to the hospital where he died, we talked about those days, and I'll never forget his statement that he wished we could do that again one more time. This movie reminded me to keep wishing.

The movie made me think about my own family, one where I spend a lot of time reading and on the computer while my wife sews and watches television while my daughter watches The Disney Channel and listens to music. This has to change, and after watching a movie this morning, I am sure that it will.

I was also touched by the character of Moonlight Graham. Ray Kinsella offered that it was a tragedy that Doc Graham came so close to realizing his baseball dream only to see it pass him by, to which Graham replied, "Ah, to only have been a doctor for five minutes... That would have been a tragedy." There was nothing I wanted more as a child than to be a professional athlete. That sounds trite, I know, but you may not understand the depth in which I wanted that for my life. But my life has taken a different path... And watching Doc Graham accept that fate and watching the great baseball players applaud his life... Well, that's the specific moment that the tears began flowing for me.

I'm different now, all from watching a movie this morning. It has turned out to be a most excellent personal sabbath day.

Today marks the eighth anniversary of my family’s move to Ocean Springs. We hope for many, many more to come.

A lot changes in eight years:
* My youngest daughter has changed from a pudgy eighteen-month old sweetie to a smart & beautiful nine-and-a-half year old sweetie.
* My oldest daughter has transformed from a shy sixth grade beauty to a beautiful sophomore at a university carrying eighteen hours and a part-time job.
* My wonderful wife has changed from someone who wasn’t too fond of moving away from Arkansas to someone who would not be agreeable to moving away from south Mississippi.
* I’ve changed a lot, too, but it’s a lot harder for me to notice where. One thing is certain: I sure feel a lot older.

We went to a “Connections” open house tonight at our youngest daughter’s school. “Connections” is their name for the Gifted & Talented program, and of all the things we’ve been impressed by in this school district, head and shoulders above all the rest stands Mr. Estis (pictured above from a couple of years ago now with Hillary – standing head and shoulder above her, of course).

Hillary loves learning, but Mr. Estis makes learning a passion.

Seeing him tonight was a good way to celebrate our eighth anniversary in Ocean Springs.

This is sisters, Audrey & Katie, after Katie's baptism a couple of weeks ago now. This past week, they lost their little brother & former stepdad in a trailer fire. Today, I attended the double funeral.

Audrey began the service by taking the podium and reading a letter she had written in memory of both Ryan & Seth to an overflow crowd in the funeral chapel. When she finished, Katie took her turn to do the same, including sharing two poems she had written especially for them.

I always thought I was pretty courageous when I spoke at my dad's funeral back when I was twenty-four years old.

I don't hold a candle to what I saw in both of these sisters today.

I would like to begin by noting that South Mississippi is NOT in "tornado alley." Now if someone would please notify the tornadoes.

Two days ago, Gene Logan and I had a conversation with Joe Roberts, preacher for the Orange Avenue Church of Christ in Eustis, Florida. (And I should note that Eustis, Florida, is nowhere close to Tornado Alley thank you.) This church was next to the hardest hit area of the killer tornadoes that devastated central Florida recently, and Gene & I were calling to get an update on their relief efforts and see where we possibly could help.

In that conversation, Joe (and Gene) confirmed my longstanding proclamation that hurricanes are preferable to tornadoes. I realize, of course, that I lost my house to a hurricane & have only lost sleep to tornadoes, but I stand by my statement nonetheless. Hurricanes give you a couple of days to get somewhere safe. Tornadoes give you a couple of seconds to try to assume a fetal position.

Well this morning was exciting in South Mississippi.

Jody left our house at 6:40am, and Hillary & I left at 6:50am. I dropped Hillary off at school and drove down Highway 90 toward work. At certain points on the drive, sudden sheets of rain rendered seeing ahead impossible, even with windshield wipers on top speed, but I made it to the office without incident. When I arrived, I noticed that a small pond had formed by the fellowship room door because the rains had come so hard that it blew in under the door, so I took the time to mop up that mess.

Then I went upstairs and turned on the computer. I went to our local television station's website to get a weather update. There, I read that a tornado had been sighted near Exit 57 (our exit) and that the windows of a van had been blown out near my subdivision. Later, I read that there was damage near the Middle School (which I had driven by that morning).

After we had called around and cancelled out morning events at the building, I drove out to our house. It was perfectly fine, but several houses leading into our subdivision were missing siding, shingles, and parts of fences.

I really don't mind living in hurricane country, but I could do without facing the tornadoes, too.
:-)

My friend, Shannon, sent me this picture today of Coach Dungy and the Indianapolis Colts praying in the locker room after their Super Bowl victory. Of the reasons one might appreciate the picture, my personal favorite is that the Lombardi Trophy is not central. Instead, it simply sits to the side. Where it belongs.

I did a presentation to a class of eighth graders at the Ocean Springs Middle School today on behalf of the Mississippi Scholars program. This program encourages high school students to undertake a more rigorous class schedule than the bare minimum, and these presentations are intended to get students off on the right foot by teaching them the consequences of the choices they will soon make. This is my third year to make a presentation, and I have to admit that today's class was the most attentive & thoughtful class yet.

I particularly enjoyed speaking with a young man after class who had made it clear at the beginning of class that he intended to go into the music industry, a desire confirmed by his choice of t-shirt. He stayed after and addressed me courteously to seek advice on his songwriting. He knew I had written books (not a songwriter), but he was looking for inspiration from any possible source. I told him a few things, specifically to write from his heart, but I'm sure that the person inspired today was me.

My day began hard. I received a horribly important telephone call before going to the Middle School. It was horrible because a very close friend is suffering through a terrible time in his life, and it was important because he is my very close friend, and I am glad he felt as if he could call at a time like this. He has been on my mind all day long, and he will be for a long time to come. Forever, I suspect. But as for his current trial, I wish I had more to offer than my hurting heart, a willing ear, and a troubled mind. But that is all I have to give, so I give them all without question.

I wrote on Thursday about the fire that destroyed the home of our old friends, Steve & Cheryl. Barb Craig sent me several pictures of the fire late last night, including the one above.

A couple of random thoughts came to mind:
* One, when Barb mentioned that we both know how it feels to lose everything and have to start over, it almost caught my by surprise. How strange that it still almost seems like Hurricane Katrina wasn't real.
* Two, I remember hearing some people after Katrina say that a fire would have been better than a flood because you don't have to sort through all the soggy irretrievable things. One look at the picture above and I have to say that I don't think "better" factors into that discussion at all.

Keep Steve & Cheryl Tibbit in your prayers.

I spent the afternoon at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge watching the LSU Tigers defeat my Arkansas Razorbacks, 71-67. I wore my Razorback shirt, and surprisingly, I was treated kindly by the LSU fans!

The P-MAC is an interesting place. After Hurricane Katrina, it served as the largest triage in American history, processing evacuees from New Orleans ranging from the homeless addicts to the legendary Fats Domino.

I spent my morning at the Saturn dealership in Baton Rouge, getting my wife's car worked on. While I was there, I received a frantic phone call from one of our members. Her granddaughters have been attending church with us since their grandmother received custody. This morning, they found out that her granddaughters' half-brother - only three years old - died with his father in a trailer fire in Ocean Springs. I was able to get in touch with Gene, one of our elders, and he was able to serve his pastoral role for the family.

Please keep Audrey & Katie and the whole family in your prayers.

It has been an odd "day off," with work & pleasure equally mixed in, but it has been a good day because even the work parts felt like a blue jeans & tennis shoes day, too.

My day began in Ocean Springs:
* After taking my daughter to school early this morning, I returned home and spent about an hour in War & Peace. I was extremely relieved to discover that Prince Andrei was still alive, but I wasn't prepared for the tragedy with his wife that came immediately thereafter. I wasn't surprised to discover that the Bezukhov marriage is destined for the Maury Povich Show like I had predicted (smile). And the Rostov family is an interesting set of folks: for some reason I can't like Nikolai, but I really like his little sister, Natasha.
* I then went to downtown Ocean Springs to take a picture of Carol & Angie for my "church" photography project. They are so neat. They have been best friends since they were 12 years old. They have worked side-by-side as adults for the past 18 years. Heck, they even went into labor together years ago (Carol with her only child, Angie with her second)!

I then moved on to Biloxi:
* There's a Monster Truck show this weekend at the Coliseum. I'm not into monster trucks, but I am into tracking down unique pictures. So I enjoyed watching the Predator get its facelift before tonight's show. I also saw the Escalade emerge from its travel trailer, along with a couple of lesser known trucks.
* I then went to visit my friend, Hezekiah, at the nursing home. Hezekiah is something else. I hadn't been over in a while, so I really wanted to go see him. I tell people I go visit him to cheer myself up, and that is really the effect he has on people. He is mentally & physically challenged, but he is never sick and always happy. Today was no exception.
* On the way out of Biloxi, I noticed the sun come out as I passed the Biloxi Lighthouse. With a brilliant blue sky, I stopped and took some pictures. I posted one on my Webshots page under "Places."

I then moved on to Pascagoula:
* After years on the Habitat for Humanity board, term limits forced me to step down, but I remain on the Family Support Committee. With the merge of the two county affiliates into one Mississippi Gulf Coast affiliate, there are a lot of things to start from scratch. We had an excellent meeting to try to get Family Support off on the right foot. It was good to see old Habitat buddies, Nicole & Cynthia, as well as a recent acquaintance in Jirman. It was also a pleasure to meet two new Habitat experts, Erica and Vera. This committee seems in good hands.

Back to Ocean Springs:
* And tonight, we have the annual elementary school's Spaghetti Dinner, complete with cake walk and reading fair and all other sorts of fun. Friday night is our "family night," and this school function provides a perfect way for my wife & daughter & I to spend some time together.

I hope all of you have/had a great day, too!!!!!!!!!

Steve Tibbit is one of the funniest human beings on the planet. When Steve & Cheryl started attending our church services, it was usually the highlight of my day for Steve to walk by after my sermon and say something hilarious.

Steve & Cheryl have the best hearts on the planet, too. When they returned after evacuating from Hurricane Katrina, they immediately went to work serving their neighbors. They lived out in the country where most of the people were completely stranded because their cars were flooded, so Steve & Cheryl would come to our church building, load up their truck with supplies (as you see in the attached picture), then go all around their community distributing them. Steve even gave one of his old cars to a neighbor.

All of this combines to make the Tibbits a lot of fun to be around. After attending here for a while, they began to bring their friends, Ryan & Barb Craig, to church services, too. I eventually had the pleasure of baptizing Barb (who isn’t a big fan of water!) one memorable night.

A little while after Hurricane Katrina, Steve & Cheryl sold out and moved back home to Arkansas. And some time after that, Ryan & Barb (who lost their house to thirteen feet of water with no flood insurance) were transferred to Shreveport, Louisiana.

We miss both families a lot.

Fifteen minutes ago I came to the office and had a message on the answering machine. It was Barb telling me that Steve & Cheryl’s house burned to the ground last night. Everyone is fine, but they lost everything.

I feel a bit sick to my stomach right now. Picturing Steve & Cheryl loading up food for people who lost everything, and now, picturing them today on the other side of the fence…

I tried to call Barb back, but I had to leave a message. She is headed to be with the Tibbits, and I told her to find out what we can do to help – money, supplies, whatever. We can start with praying.

I combined a little Valentine's card shopping today with my Ocean Springs photography project. Today's entry is below:

The staff at Lucia’s Hallmark Shop pauses from their Valentine’s Day rush to pose for a picture. Lucia Baublits (second from the right) has been a fixture in Ocean Springs since opening her store in July of 1984, saving countless husbands (in particular) by providing the best in cards and gifts for every occasion. Lucia’s vibrant personality creates a loyal customer base that returns time and time again.

One of the fortuitous by-products of living in the Katrina zone was meeting the neatest people in the world. They descended with open hearts and willing hands and touched our lives forever. And now, my personal web of friends is spread even wider!

Today, I received the following letter (and picture above) from my new friend, Rhonda, from Indianapolis. I found her Super Bowl victory letter worth sharing with everyone:


Dear Brother Al,

I just had to share this with you after reading about your fun time at your "Chicken Soup Bowl" Party (long story behind the name). You didn't share what team y'all we're rooting for--that's okay. Being just a wee bit prejudiced in favor of the Colts, my family was absolutely thrilled at the outcome. That's not what this e-mail is about, however.

Braving below 0 windchills, well over 50,000 fans made it into downtown Indy this afternoon, and over 35,000 of us were privileged to get seats in the RCA Dome to await the arrival of the World Champion Indianapolis Colts. It was an electric atmosphere, a sea of blue and white, with ages a few days to well over 80 years represented. My children and I weren't "quite" in the nosebleed section, we actually had decent seats (made sure it was close to an exit). Because of holdups at the airport in Miami, the Colts didn't even land in Indy until 30 or more minutes past the time the parade was to have started, and the parade was to end at the Dome, so we sat in there for almost 4 hours (no small feat for those of short attention span like your average 4 year old). Nevertheless, there didn't seem to be too many meltdowns, and people's anticipation remained high.

Then it came--the signal that the parade had started its turn out of Monument Circle, which would lead it straight down Georgia Street to the Dome. The excitement built until all that could happen was this incredible release of emotion when the car pulling the float with Jim Irsay, Tony Dungy and a few others came into the main area of the Dome. There they were, holding that trophy for all the world to see. What an incredible feeling it was for the die-hard fans of the Colts!

Jim Irsay and Tony Dungy are two of the classiest guys in professional football-everyone knows it, from the media to the players to the fans--they are just really good guys who love football a whole lot. More than that, and more to the point--they love the Lord even more than they love football, and they both used the occasions of winning the AFC championship and the "Chicken Soup Bowl" to give credit to Him.

Now I'm not suggesting that God "made" the Colts win this big game--but isn't just so much to His glory that both of the coaches in this game could give such an exceptional testimony to the mercy and grace of God, because they both are believers in His Son Jesus. It just happened that this time the Colts won--but even in that, Lovie Smith shared his testimony with reporters and it's clear that while he would have liked his team to have won, who he is is not defined by wins or losses, but by his relationship with Christ.

What struck me most in the buildup to the entrance of Mr. Irsay and Coach Dungy, and then the huge explosion of sound when the players made it into the Dome, was how much more excited we should be at the prospect of the arrival of the greatest One of all, and how we don't know the time of His arrival, and we surely think it should have happened by now--but the fact that it hasn't isn't a cause to lose heart and become bored or disenchanted by the prospect. If anything, the buildup to His return should be even greater so that when He does come back. we will cheer with a cheer louder than anything ever heard by the winning team of the "Super" game.

Wishing you a wonderful week--feel free to think of us in the great chill zone--the forecast later today (Tuesday) is for up to 6" of snow---my kids are already planning another subfreezing outing!

Blessings,
Rhonda Minnich, Indianapolis

ps the attached pic is of 6 of my kids who went downtown--the big ones were at their jobs and unable to come. 3 of them came with us last April when we came down to try and help out.

In my perpetual interaction with irony, I could barely get around to preparing my Wednesday class on "resting" because I was so stinking busy today. But it was a good day nonetheless.

Three of the many conversations I had today involved Hurricane Katrina. Still.

* I spent some time on the phone with Joe Roberts, the preacher for the Orange Avenue Church of Christ in Eustis, Florida, checking on their relation to the devastating tornadoes in their area. They have relief trucks coming in tomorrow, and I had the privilege of offering financial assistance from our church family if needed. It was an odd feeling to be on the other side of that fence. Mr. Roberts was interested in our stories from Katrina, and I was honored to share some of them.

* I spent some time on the phone with Jay Ballard from Illinois, one of the nicest hurricane relief volunteers you could ever meet. He was checking in on us & wondering in particular about our friends, Shannon & Jessica Lawler. Eighteen months after Katrina, he is still interested in making the long trip down and helping if needed.

* I also spent a lot of time in what I affectionately call "the box" from Hurricane Katrina. In those crazy months after 8/29/05, I kept throwing all sorts of paperwork in "the box." I haven't delved into it before today, and in some ways I still haven't. Instead of systematically examining the contents, I hurriedly went through all the stuff searching for a record of a donation that a church from Kentucky requested. While I did that, I kept noticing all sorts of interesting things - like a handwritten note from a little boy labeling his donation with the words, "You need this worse than I do." I need to block off some time before long and just spend the day looking through the contents of that box. I'm sure it will be cathartic.

Too bad I'm too busy. Maybe I'll get to it after I teach that class on "resting."

:-)

Man, there was more witnessing for Christ on the Super Bowl championship stand than in most churches today!!! The owner of the Colts began the service, and Coach Tony Dungy brought it to a stirring conclusion.

I've heard some very good things about Coach Dungy, and I thought his words tonight were said with grace. He responded to the question about the social significance of his being the first black coach to win a Super Bowl by appreciating that distinction, but he followed that up by expressing even more pride on behalf of being a coach who showed he could lead a team to a championship while being a Christian.

Now that he's won a Super Bowl, I'm sure there will be a book in the works. I'd be interested to read it.

Congratulations to the Colts and all Peyton Manning fans (especially my mom!)!!!!

My youngest daughter and I spent the day at a Tumbling & Trampolining competition in Harahan, Louisiana (basically New Orleans), she to watch her friends compete, and I to try to land some interesting pictures (I had little luck - the best of the lot is above).

I've come to enjoy putting myself (and a camera) in odd places simply trying to find a neat picture.

But the best part of it all was spending time with my daughter who, on the way home, asked me to tell her some stories from my life. (At age nine, she is genuinely interested in such things.) We laughed and shared stories with each other which, in my opinion, is not a bad way to spend any day.

I spent the morning at the Walter Anderson Museum of Art in downtown Ocean Springs. Not too many small towns have their own art museum. Then again, not too many small towns claim a world-class artist as it's own, so I guess it stands to reason.

Gayle Petty-Johnson, the Executive Director, not only took a moment to pose for a few pictures (as above), but also told me a bit about the museum and its unique collections.

I watched a short video about the life of Walter Anderson, and it was extremely interesting. His eccentricity is legendary in Ocean Springs, and the video did nothing to dispel the legend. He really did (as my favorite story relates) once chain himself to a tree on Horn Island to experience firsthand the power of a hurricane.

But his eccentricity really isn't a laughing matter. He lived his life it seems in the classic struggle between his artistic genius and the conventional world, and it wasn't easy. He became isolated from his family, and when he wasn't out on Horn Island (where he'd spend weeks at a time), he lived alone in "The Cottage." He was a mystery to those closest to him.

But he was an unbelievable artist.

I can't believe I have lived in Ocean Springs for eight years, and only now have I taken the time to tour the museum. It has been my loss. I'm convinced that it is a "must-see" for anyone who travels to Ocean Springs, and I suspect I'll be pushing the idea on family & friends when they come to visit.

I'm not an aficionado of art by any stretch, but to the extent I can be moved, I was moved by Anderson's art. The video explained that he was heavily influenced during his rebellious art school days as a young man by learning of cave paintings, and I can see that vividly in his work. In fact, one of his favorite things to do was to paint on walls, including the multi-million dollar mural that encompasses the Ocean Springs Community Center as well as his private inner sanctum, "The Little Room" in his personal cottage.

Walter Anderson was anything but conventional. And true artists should be anything but conventional.

Leaving the museum, I'm suddenly convinced that I don't want to be conventional either.

Isaac is a young Marine recently assigned to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He was engaged to Nicole, and they were planning a wedding. They suddenly learned that to obtain housing they would have to be married by February 1st. That's today.

Charles is a young Marine recently assigned to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He, and his wife, Evie, are very good friends to Isaac and Nicole. The engaged couple had assumed that they'd try to find a Justice of the Peace today to simply sign their marriage license, but Charles and Evie hoped for something a bit more special than that. But they weren't sure how.

Charles and Evie have started attending our church services, and after traveling the last several weeks, they attended our Peak of the Week class last evening. In the middle of class, I used a wedding as an illustration, and the proverbial light bulb came on in Evie's active brain. After class, she approached me cautiously, wondering if I had any plans on Thursday evening.

And to make a long story short, we had a wedding tonight.

There was one other good friend present, bringing our grand total to six in attendance. But Evie found Nicole a dress, and Isaac wore his uniform. Charles stood in as best man, and the other friend used my camera and became the wedding photographer. Afterwards, we had chips & dip, a wonderful ice cream cake, and sparkling grape juice.

And thanks to Charles & Evie, their friends now have a wedding ceremony to remember.