Smiles -- In the Middle of Things

In medias res -- (Latin for "into the midst of affairs") -- IN THE MIDDLE OF THINGS, a good place to start a story or a blog, wouldn't you say?

Daughter, Mary, keeps telling me, "You like to write, and you like to take pictures -- you should do a blog".

And I keep saying, "I'm too busy".

And she says, "So... your friends and family like to know what you're up to". Well, maybe they do and maybe they don't. But she has a point... while I'm in the middle of learning to milk Flemings' goat or trying to turn Steve and Michelle's vacant lot into a community garden, I get tart little emails like, "What?! You've moved?! Why didn't I know this?!"

So, here begins this journal -- In Medias Res -- In the Middle of Things.

Today's EVENT: I've moved back to the Walla Walla, WA valley and am church shopping -- among the 8 or so SDA churches in this area. My former pastor in Eagle, Idaho suggested that I attend each church for a month before making the decision. So in July I went to the Eastgate Walla Walla church where I attended years ago. Friendly bunch of folks and good cooks at their fellowship meals. They're doing something very effective with their landscaping -- folks sign up for individual plots which they then keep weeded and planted to flowers. I've never seen such a bunch of flowers around a church. Very inviting! And I received several invitations right away to get involved in church projects -- flower committee, VBS, etc. So I helped fix snacks for VBS. The Martha part of me likes to be involved in church doin's, so that was very good. Another draw there is the sweet, friendly paint horse who hangs his head over the fence by the church parking lot. Why he even whickered at my black lab.
Meanwhile, someone invited me to the Milton church and I went there today, and plan to continue through August. They were having the final (and lively) program for their VBS. Involvement by the teens of the church is impressive... refreshing! Kudos to the Youth SS Department leadership! They have a general fellowship meal once a month, and the Sabbath School classes take turns hosting on the other Sabbaths. Sitting down to break bread together is important for making visitors welcome and getting acquainted. For me, visiting with old friends and meeting new folks helped dispel the "lonesomes" that creep in since leaving my lovely Idaho church -- enriching my today in the middle of things.