greg took today off - still sort of having a little vacation. so we didn't go to our own church, but instead went to the service at beverly hills baptist, which is the church greg grew up in. my family moved to that church when i was in high school. an added bonus was getting to sit in the pew with my mom and dad. both greg and i have so many memories there. there are so many precious people still in that congregation that we have loved for so many years. when we walked in it was like we'd never really left, even though i can't remember exactly when the last time was that we were able to worship with them. i sat there today and just looked around at all of these people that have been such a part of my life. there's just something amazing about being with people who know you already and have known you for so long. no need to explain yourself or tell your "story" because they know most of it since they lived it along with you. and i was flooded with memories! some really wonderful memories. some....not so much - but in hindsight even those events had a huge impact on my life and in God's shaping me into who i am this day. in january, the congregation will be voting on whether or not to join with another area church in forming a new church in another part of the city. if they move ahead on this, there will be no more beverly hills baptist - at least not at that building, and not in name. of course the people will be the same, with new faces from the other church. regardless, with all of the emotions tied up in that for us, we (especially greg) wanted to spend this morning there.
probably our last opportunity to be within those sanctuary walls with those people. greg's dad was pastor there for so many years. his mom was pianist there. greg was baptized there. we were married there. my brothers were both married there, as well as greg's sister. greg's mom's funeral was there. and on and on. and on. i imagine i could list them all if i tried, but then i would be a puddle of tears (of joy and otherwise) and unable to see the screen. the little lady in these pictures with greg is mildred yoho. she was his sunday school teacher when his family moved to huntington for his dad to pastor there. she's now 93 and is as feisty as ever. couldn't resist taking her picture with greg. she just wanted to make sure her cane was well out of camera-shot.
after church we went out to eat with mom and dad. ran into rachel and her boyfriend, daniel there. (i spared him the kodak moment.) then we saw elisabeth, madison and everetta - turns out today is everetta's birthday. of course i had my camera in my purse (i'm weird that way) and snapped a quick picture of the birthday girl and her sweet little granddaughter. madison looks happy enough for it to be HER birthday!
we had a great server today at the restaurant. my dad can dish out some pretty decent good-natured harassment but this girl was able to give it all right back to him. and of course my dad loves a worthy opponent! if you look closely you can see her behind the glass, making sure she lands in the picture of mom and dad. cracked me up.
greg took today off - still sort of having a little vacation. so we didn't go to our own church, but instead went to the service at beverly hills baptist, which is the church greg grew up in. my family moved to that church when i was in high school. an added bonus was getting to sit in the pew with my mom and dad. both greg and i have so many memories there. there are so many precious people still in that congregation that we have loved for so many years. when we walked in it was like we'd never really left, even though i can't remember exactly when the last time was that we were able to worship with them. i sat there today and just looked around at all of these people that have been such a part of my life. there's just something amazing about being with people who know you already and have known you for so long. no need to explain yourself or tell your "story" because they know most of it since they lived it along with you. and i was flooded with memories! some really wonderful memories. some....not so much - but in hindsight even those events had a huge impact on my life and in God's shaping me into who i am this day. in january, the congregation will be voting on whether or not to join with another area church in forming a new church in another part of the city. if they move ahead on this, there will be no more beverly hills baptist - at least not at that building, and not in name. of course the people will be the same, with new faces from the other church. regardless, with all of the emotions tied up in that for us, we (especially greg) wanted to spend this morning there. 
probably our last opportunity to be within those sanctuary walls with those people. greg's dad was pastor there for so many years. his mom was pianist there. greg was baptized there. we were married there. my brothers were both married there, as well as greg's sister. greg's mom's funeral was there. and on and on. and on. i imagine i could list them all if i tried, but then i would be a puddle of tears (of joy and otherwise) and unable to see the screen. the little lady in these pictures with greg is mildred yoho. she was his sunday school teacher when his family moved to huntington for his dad to pastor there. she's now 93 and is as feisty as ever. couldn't resist taking her picture with greg. she just wanted to make sure her cane was well out of camera-shot.
after church we went out to eat with mom and dad. ran into rachel and her boyfriend, daniel there. (i spared him the kodak moment.) then we saw elisabeth, madison and everetta - turns out today is everetta's birthday. of course i had my camera in my purse (i'm weird that way) and snapped a quick picture of the birthday girl and her sweet little granddaughter. madison looks happy enough for it to be HER birthday!
we had a great server today at the restaurant. my dad can dish out some pretty decent good-natured harassment but this girl was able to give it all right back to him. and of course my dad loves a worthy opponent! if you look closely you can see her behind the glass, making sure she lands in the picture of mom and dad. cracked me up.
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2 comments:
great blog entry! i give it 5 stars. Documenting this sort of stuff will be so meaningful in years to come & i didn't know all those events were at that church... definitely a special place. your dads face is funny.
okay, I will try again with a comment. Sounds like I should come home pretty soon if I want to sit in the pew again. I am reading you blog and bawling. I remember all those same things and even more...day camps, vbs, Cassie, Emmy, Bryce and I all being baptized there, some very special people singing with me not being able to keep dry eyes, special people and lots of special times. I told Terry and Lisa and Mark too that they need to read your blog and leave a comment because I can't even read it to them. Thank you for taking me down memory lane again one more time. I'm smiling and crying at the same time. Lots of memories, like you...some good and then some not so good. Thank you!
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