Happy birthday

May 7, 1912

Linda and I go a few minutes early and catch the end of children’s choir practice before our worship service starts at 5:30. Folks who don’t come to Wednesday Evening at our church have been missing the best of the week. Worship is informal, with the children serving the Bread and Wine, supper is served afterward, and fellowship is warm. It’s the agape’ meals that Saint Paul writes about, except that instead of everyone bringing food to share, James prepares the meal and has it ready for us when eucharist ends with the Peace, so that it’s actually a continuation of the evening's gathering. There’s a program in Lent and Advent, other times we simply enjoy having supper with our church family.

Entering church, I light a votive candle or two. One votive last evening was blessing and thanksgiving for my mother on her birthday, May 7. Louise Gentry Weller, she was born this day in 1912, in Bluff Springs, Florida, north of Pensacola up toward the Alabama line. Early, her parents moved to Pensacola, to the street where she lived all her growing up years. When in Pensacola, I like to drive through her neighborhood and pause in front of the house that I felt was a second home all my growing up years. Strong Street in East Hill, it’s just a block off Cervantes. Filled with love that overwhelmed me as a child, the house isn’t enormous like it was to a small boy, but still holds the memories. Just as my own house does and always will.

T here in +Time