Changes happening at 762 St. Nicholas Ave, read further to find out.....who!!!
A hot sunny day greeting to all! The cities with all their asphalt, steel, buildings, seldom much wind and then the blaring sun makes for some very hot walks!! But we buck up and try not to complain too much.... about hot subway platforms and hope, yes hope that you land up in a air conditioned subway train car! Cold restaurants and cold shopping stores are always on the want list also!!
I will share a quote, I like:
It might just be a sense of peace when things are chaotic. It might be hope when things feel impossible. It might be the strength to serve someone who annoys you. That might be what His nearness looks like today as His spirit empowers you to look like Christ. But ask for His nearness. Expect it.
I wrote last Monday and in the evening was Wade's eat out and it was a good memory making evening! He chose Trinity place, which is a restaurant inside a old bank vault! We all chose different things off of the menu, besides Alex and I each had steak. It was good eating! We walked over to Battery Park. Looked out over the 911 museum and it was so pretty! It was a almost perfect evening, but better beauty was still to come! We then walked down to the Hudson, looking out over into New Jersey..... looking to our left, was the statue of Liberty, off in the distance. And as we stood there, the most awesome sunset.....with vibrant orange colors. It completely colored the water orange....." How Great Thou Art""!! I could hardly stop looking!! There was some high dollar yachts resting in the Marina, that weren't bad to gaze upon either, but neither was that the hand of the Lord. From there we caught a train to Penn station and got GELATO!!!!! 😋
Tuesday the 24th, vacay day for me!!! Or mostly anyway! One needs a day like that to recharge their batteries!! Singing at Lincoln...."Angel" our friendly cop man came to the ward to escort a patient and he stopped to listen. He thought we really had nice harmony and wondered if we rehearsed before coming! At another room, a man thought the boys were angels!! Then we were to sing for a family, whose loved one was dying and seemingly no response from the patient. There were scores of family there...we sang What a friend we have in Jesus.... grief is the same, the world wide over....and I broke down and had to quit singing for a bit....the lady I assumed was his wife, left the room, crying so hard....it just hurt! They requested we sing another song, It is well with my soul. Quite the experience! Ron and I caught the subway and went shopping.... first had to stop at Shake shack for ice cream, shakes you know! Then we shopped DSW and Macy's... backstage.... Spencer was busy cooking when we got home! He made a delicious supper of boneless chicken wings....plain, spicy and BBQ/ honey. Green salad and baked potatoes! We had book signing and sign signing.
Wednesday.... normal day.... Bible study and sing-out. We had 5 attendees....DeDe, Eric Pobee, Tony and 2 men. One was Roberto, came for tracts and stayed for the evening! The other one was Daniel....he lives in the apartment complex right across from our backyard! Top story, so I suppose he has been observing us!! Let's just say the discussion was very interesting!!! Supper was Jamaican Jerk chicken , watermelon salad and Jim and Nick muffins. We sat up late, the guys tried calling David Isaac, the new boy and he was at a youth deal. So then they tried later....Seth Zimmerman, ( Wade's brother) Joel Mininger from Coon Valley and Stephen Mininger from Hillcrest. ( Seth is from Hillcrest as well! ) they flew a evening flight and got in LaGuardia and they brought a Uber out! So we sat around with them for awhile also!! So it was Thursday before we went to bed .
Thursday morning we were 9 for breakfast....fried eggs, toast and sausage. The 3 guys off to 109 pantry and Wade and his buddies off to the city and they had a long day....I think they said they walked 18 miles!!! Only home after midnight! Ron and I caught a bus and went to BTM to shop for groceries. After the 3 guys got home from work, they took showers and went to get haircuts! Supper was smash burgers built by Papa Ron! I added baked beans and sweet potato waffle fries. I also baked a batch of butter horns in the afternoon/ early evening.
Friday.... our 3 guys off to Bronx Pantry and Wade and his buddies got up and out of here, while Ron and I went to the Post office to mail something to Monica. We had house cleaning and laundry. Ron did work in the backyard also....it was Wade's job and he was on vacay!!! Mowed, trimmed, weed and feed...the lawn. Our attendee Tony wanted to take the guys out for ice cream....so they went to Vinchi....a chocolate store and gelato....they met at 6. This was by Union Square...they truly believed in the mantra, that life is short, eat dessert first. So they told me, the next day, that really I shouldn't ever go there!!! They know I love chocolate and I reckon they thought Mama practiced no self restraint!!! Then they invited Tony to join them for supper, which he accepted!! They went to Da Gennaro....Ron and I had a date night.... went to Grimaldi's for pizza.... table for 2!! After supper we walked the Brooklyn Bridge and once again revelled in the fact that the scenery is amazing! I love it!! Wade and his company walked by Grimaldi's, on their way to Julianna's for pizza. They also walked the Brooklyn Bridge!!
Saturday morning dawned.....we were all up, right early! Wade's 6 months are done! Down came his suitcases.... our guys all up and all 7 jumped in the van to carry Wade and his buddies back to LaGuardia. He had several suitcases and a box.... goodbye Wade. Breakfast was when the guys got home from the airport. Then we all got busy.... cleaning rooms, guest quarters and small mountains of laundry to do. The guys had their cleaning/ chores also. The guys did leave for awhile in the afternoon....Clay had messaged about a Jet ski invasion... but the guys wanted to get their cleaning done first before going and missed it. Ron and I made 77 BBQ meatballs in the afternoon... just for the record, 67 were eaten! We left the house after 7:30, headed again to LaGuardia! David Isaac was flying in to come live with us for 6 months. He is from Kleefield Manitoba. His parents are Brent and Victoria. He got in some late and Ron and I just found some chairs to sit in.... with our backs turned to the #8 carousel, baggage claim...our guys dressed weird again and were out roaming! Anyway we all of a sudden looked up and there was David! So we met and chatted as we walked to baggage claim, all the while our guys just staying hidden, well sort of... Spencer looked like a skater dude....and he came up to baggage claim, but acted completely uninterested in us! David was speechless when this skater dude checked to see whose luggage?? All of a sudden all 3 appear and introduce themselves! We soon headed on our way and stopped at Jackson's hole for supper!! ( Oh by the way, David breeezed right through customs!) So it was late getting home. We didn't see anymore of them 4. They went to the rooftop to view fireworks!
Sunday.... made the normal breakfast....the guys down to set tables and pick songs. Justin, Robin and their son Clay from Suncrest were in church and are going to spend the week at New Jersey, at Kendon's house, while they go home for furlough. Also visiting were Ben, Sundaymar and B. Plus some local attendees. Sonja, DeDe, Tony and Shelly, Eric Pobee and Alistair! Justin had the SS opening. After SS, I went to the social hall to check on my BBQ meatballs, re-arrange the pans on the racks. In picking up 1 10x15 pan, it completely slid away from me....and slid onto the oven floor!!!!!!!🙈 Only 2 meatballs escaped the pan...I untied my tie down covering and took that off and decided to stay in the social hall, remainder of church. Eric wanted to help, but I told him to go upstairs and get Ron. Dana was also down there and opened up the kitchen window for me...Ron came down, but couldn't stay long, he was due upstairs and was the one giving the sermon thoughts!! I wish sometimes that we could have a Sunday where food detail goes as planned....and we do..... instead of burned food and messy ovens! The meatballs were good though!!!! 😜 Hash brown casserole, green salad, bread and cream puffs. Enjoyable visiting....Ron and I actually had Sunday afternoon NAPS....we haven't in months!!! 😁 Later we went to Pier 57 and Chelsea Market. Our guys and Justin's, Kendon's and Clay's met up there too!! I didn't know the couples were there, until we got in line at Los Tacos and a voice said behind us, getting tacos also.... and it was Robin. Our guys wanted to eat at Lobster Roll and bought sushi for their supper! Mama isn't very brave and has yet to try sushi. We did take our tacos and go eat with them! I watch with interest as they devour their sushi with their chopsticks! The evening was partly disgusting and absolutely annoying and replusive! You know June is Pride month and they had a parade.....our boys run into it....not knowing it was happening!!! So the sin and debauchery was all around us and I got so tired of it..... finally I wanted nothing more than to get home and be in the safety and peace of our own living room!! You can only take so much of all of this! Makes you feel defiled.... almost. Anyway we invited Justin's, Kendon's and Clay's to join us for frozen pies from DeDe....and Ron and I went home....alone or so we thought! Getting off the A train at 145th, we walked up the stairs and were just starting for home, when from behind....a hand went on one of Ron's shoulders and another hand on the other....I gave a little scream and here it was our guys! They said Papa had bristled right away...they felt a little bad for scaring us....the couples were on the same train also. Had a fun evening at the house yet. Later when all left, we put together tracts yet. Roger and Elsie came up to help also, after they got home! To bed around midnight or later again!
This morning, Jordan, Alex and Roger went on a walking tract hand out day.... Spencer and David to Lincoln! Ron and I had laundry and this and that to fill our days....Ron and I spent a long time cleaning the basement oven......I was thankful that Ron came down to attack it!!
We continue to covet your prayers for us and the boys. Especially with yesterday's happenings....the struggle is real inside, to do as Jesus would do, to love as God does. We struggle with judgement, bias and thoughts that we need to just let go of. We knelt besides our bed this morning in 1 young man's behalf, and Ron prayed....he requested extra prayer....we love these boys so....we feel their pain, their struggles and these boys become like our own! They are a neat bunch and we had the most fun at supper this evening! Laughter alot of the time is the best medicine!! They left after supper, took spike ball with them.... maybe going to the little red lighthouse.
Ron and I made chicken fajitas for supper, along with fresh tortillas... refried beans and green salad. Ice cream, tortillas, honey, cinnamon toast crunch and milk all appeared on the table for dessert. Kind of a bold mash up!!! 🥺😄
Life is crazy but good! Wishing you all the best of nights!
Love, Mama Carol