Mish Mosh

I want to let everyone know that J-1 is doing fine. He was our exchange student this past summer, and he lives in Japan. His family lives in the southwest section of Japan, so they were unharmed. I am sure they are still scared stiff. They are feeling the earthquakes, but are having no damage. ------ For about a week now I have been awakened in the morning by an adolescent rooster. I run outside to figure out who is being so rude, but I can never catch the bugger. Now I know. He is sitting on the fence outside my window right now, cock-a-doodling his voice changing serenade. He is a very colorful roooster, and pretty to look at, but annoying as all get out. ------ Saturday our church fasted together. The assignment was to fast and consider our sin and Christ's sacrifice. Our #1 was out of town, so he didn't participate, but #2 did. We were to fast for 24 hours, and then we would break the fast together when we took communion. #2 had decided that ice cream would be a good idea for breakfast Saturday, and by 2:00 pm he was feeling sick. I let him make a sandwich and have some fruit and then he fasted until lunch on Sunday. I think it was a good exercise for our church family. We love our little church, but it sure does have its idiosyncracies. Not too long ago I watched a woman pull her contribution out of her bra and place it in the plate. Yesterday a woman asked a question of the preacher during the sermon (this is not unusual), and another woman asked during the invitational how much chili sauce she should bring for the cookout that night. We had a lovely cookout- the weather was fabulous yesterday!- and then a night of singing. Today all I can sing is "Sing with me, How Great is our God!"