Also published on FaceBook Notes.
Personal spiritual growth is the summation of our first return to Texas after relocating to New York.
We always began our Inwood story with the original purposes as described by Chris Travis: that we 1) become Home Group Hosts, 2) mentors / grandparents, and 3) be available and become active in the community.
Sharing the story never got beyond the grand-parenting mentors...
Raymon then told of dancing with baby Isabella, playing games and sitting with the Bennett girls, caring for young Angelica and Alejandro, being big shoulders for all comers, praying and hosting... then we got to talk about how the Home Groups work, our roles in ECC, the multiplying of the groups and the roles of the leaders. We talked of C’s baptism, its intimacy and beauty.
Talking about Inwood and The Everyday Christian Church was only part of the journey.
It lasted only 16 days yet I picked up a nasty bug along the way. That bug cut short the number of folks we were able to visit as well as the schedule! That is a big clue to the rest of this report, our planning did not match God’s timing.
Personally, I had several purposes designed for the two and a half weeks of January 10 - 26. The three part adventure was to celebrate holidays with families, commune with church folks / friends and report to those curious about our lives in Manhattan.
Things changed.
Remember the bug? Celebrations with families didn’t happen. Family that could, gathered together both in Central and West Texas. But changed schedules, my health, both pre and post surgeries and lay-overs put the kibosh on any parties. The holidays and special recognition days were not important in the grand scheme of things. Seeing those we love was. (And isolating Mr. all-too-social Bug was too.)
Number two and three occurred simultaneously, to commune and report. Everyone wanted to know as much as possible regarding NYC and the Fullertons plus the ECC. Our carefully prepared comments and slide presentation generated little interest. In fact, the planned presentation was soon dropped. Everyone we saw began asking questions before we could start talking!
But as you read at the start of this writing, we had no problem talking of our beloved Inwood or ECC.
(I did show Mom the really cool slide show. We promised to forward albums to anyone that seemed to want to see more.)
Answers prompted more question. All wanted to know what it was like living in Inwood, what it was like in the neighborhood, where was the Subway entrance, how did we buy groceries, and every detail about ECC.
Our families; Mother, Father-in-law, sisters, bothers, aunts, uncles, nieces, in-laws, babies, and pets galore awaited us. First concern was our health of course, setting up quarters and physical needs. Next was catching up after they saw with their own eyes that we were still their kids and siblings.
After resting, eating and accessing from that quiet place in each one’s consciousness, both families either asked or wondered about NYC in their own way. We on the other hand learned amazing spiritual values.
We received generosity and tender love as if time had not past. One relative took time to even set up adult play time--shopping! Past and future holidays remembered were recognized privately. Spiritual freedom was celebrated.
The next family unit happened to be in a more concentrated area of the state yet in numerous stages of surgeries, health problems, newborns and life changing situations. Our all too brief time together was family focused.
Another spiritual lesson learned; trust God rather than anticipate.
After visiting our relations, we returned to other supporters and friends.
__________________________
Now for the blow by blow.
Day 1 (1/10)
Early in the AM, Alberto picked us up for the flight to DFW. Skip picked us up and drove us to his and Glenna’s home in Colleyville. (They hosted, provided meals, cleaned our clothes and nursed me when I became sickly. God bless them.)
Met with sister JC and brother-in-law N to pick-up family van Mom so graciously allowed us to use for entire trip! We must have put over 400 miles on it.
That night Skip, Glenna and we went to the Biggers small group to share our Inwood and ECC story. This was our first experience in doing so. However they wanted to know much more about every person, street, subway, culture activities, ECC activities, Spanish translators, our minimal Spanish ability and contacts. What started as a talk about us in Inwood turned into so much more.
Day 2 (1/11)
Met with life long friends, Donna and Johnny. Caught up on old times, then shared our NYC doings, both personal and ECC activities.
That evening, our small group hosted a dinner. What a joy to see everyone again. We learned what had been happening in their lives. They wanted to know how our lives melded with ECC and loved hearing about the Fullertons "grand parenting".
Day 3 (1/12)
Lunch with 3 friends who happen to be elders. They have been along side us in every planning step, praying and laughing, advising and loving.
Mr. Bug hit. I hit the bed.
Then we started canceling appointments.
Day 4 (1/13)
Bed
Day 5 (1/14)
Stayed over to attend church, shop and sleep.
Went to church but at last minute was too sick. Took off for Abilene, passenger all the way!
Day 6 (1/15)
Planned to attend church but couldn't. So disappointed to have missed 3 services of song praise from 3 bodies of fellowship.
Family lunch
Bed
Day 7 (1/16)
Bed
Day 8 (1/17)
Met with Jonathan Storment
Went to Doc. (long story)
Pharmacy
Shopping with sister--This is my personal highlight. She is more than my sister, a BFF, or fellow Christian. Knowing that we will giggle in Heaven together makes this world okay.
BED
Day 9 (1/18)
Traveled to Hamilton
Visited Uncle in nursing home
Stayed with Aunt (Among the best cooking aunts in the world line-up. And I have 2 of them!)
Day 10 (1/19)
Traveled to Georgetown
met with father-in-law later afternoon
meal
overnighted in Jarrell
Day 11 (1/20)
sat. breakfast prepared by R.
family luncheon
overnighted in Jarrell
Day 12 (1/21)
Sun Church Georgetown with family
brother and sister-in-law, father-in-law and his wife
family lunch
traveled to Austin
BED
Day 13 (1/22)
With Ann and Frank Smith
"Hi Ann! We have dirty clothes!"
Note; every meal out, its their lifestyle. Ministry with wait staff beautiful.
Wonderful bed and catching up on old times.
Day 14 (1/24)
Prior to leaving Tuesday morning, Ann gets out all kitchen gadgets and lets me go shopping!
Day 15 (1/25)
Aledo
Stopped off to visit baby Skye--not too close--and dropped off gift.
All too brief visit with Niece.
Colleyville
Back with Skip and Glenna for overnight and airport take off the next day.
Returned van to Neal that afternoon. Neal made amazing efforts to accommodate us both ways.
Day 16 (1/26)
Skip took us to DFW in the AM
Landed at La Guardia, Alberto returned us to 3G mid afternoon.
Praise God for trip safely, lessons, people and return home
Personal spiritual growth is the summation of our first return to Texas after relocating to New York.
We always began our Inwood story with the original purposes as described by Chris Travis: that we 1) become Home Group Hosts, 2) mentors / grandparents, and 3) be available and become active in the community.
Sharing the story never got beyond the grand-parenting mentors...
Raymon then told of dancing with baby Isabella, playing games and sitting with the Bennett girls, caring for young Angelica and Alejandro, being big shoulders for all comers, praying and hosting... then we got to talk about how the Home Groups work, our roles in ECC, the multiplying of the groups and the roles of the leaders. We talked of C’s baptism, its intimacy and beauty.
Talking about Inwood and The Everyday Christian Church was only part of the journey.
It lasted only 16 days yet I picked up a nasty bug along the way. That bug cut short the number of folks we were able to visit as well as the schedule! That is a big clue to the rest of this report, our planning did not match God’s timing.
Personally, I had several purposes designed for the two and a half weeks of January 10 - 26. The three part adventure was to celebrate holidays with families, commune with church folks / friends and report to those curious about our lives in Manhattan.
Things changed.
Remember the bug? Celebrations with families didn’t happen. Family that could, gathered together both in Central and West Texas. But changed schedules, my health, both pre and post surgeries and lay-overs put the kibosh on any parties. The holidays and special recognition days were not important in the grand scheme of things. Seeing those we love was. (And isolating Mr. all-too-social Bug was too.)
Number two and three occurred simultaneously, to commune and report. Everyone wanted to know as much as possible regarding NYC and the Fullertons plus the ECC. Our carefully prepared comments and slide presentation generated little interest. In fact, the planned presentation was soon dropped. Everyone we saw began asking questions before we could start talking!
But as you read at the start of this writing, we had no problem talking of our beloved Inwood or ECC.
(I did show Mom the really cool slide show. We promised to forward albums to anyone that seemed to want to see more.)
Answers prompted more question. All wanted to know what it was like living in Inwood, what it was like in the neighborhood, where was the Subway entrance, how did we buy groceries, and every detail about ECC.
Our families; Mother, Father-in-law, sisters, bothers, aunts, uncles, nieces, in-laws, babies, and pets galore awaited us. First concern was our health of course, setting up quarters and physical needs. Next was catching up after they saw with their own eyes that we were still their kids and siblings.
After resting, eating and accessing from that quiet place in each one’s consciousness, both families either asked or wondered about NYC in their own way. We on the other hand learned amazing spiritual values.
We received generosity and tender love as if time had not past. One relative took time to even set up adult play time--shopping! Past and future holidays remembered were recognized privately. Spiritual freedom was celebrated.
The next family unit happened to be in a more concentrated area of the state yet in numerous stages of surgeries, health problems, newborns and life changing situations. Our all too brief time together was family focused.
Another spiritual lesson learned; trust God rather than anticipate.
After visiting our relations, we returned to other supporters and friends.
__________________________
Now for the blow by blow.
Day 1 (1/10)
Early in the AM, Alberto picked us up for the flight to DFW. Skip picked us up and drove us to his and Glenna’s home in Colleyville. (They hosted, provided meals, cleaned our clothes and nursed me when I became sickly. God bless them.)
Met with sister JC and brother-in-law N to pick-up family van Mom so graciously allowed us to use for entire trip! We must have put over 400 miles on it.
That night Skip, Glenna and we went to the Biggers small group to share our Inwood and ECC story. This was our first experience in doing so. However they wanted to know much more about every person, street, subway, culture activities, ECC activities, Spanish translators, our minimal Spanish ability and contacts. What started as a talk about us in Inwood turned into so much more.
Day 2 (1/11)
Met with life long friends, Donna and Johnny. Caught up on old times, then shared our NYC doings, both personal and ECC activities.
That evening, our small group hosted a dinner. What a joy to see everyone again. We learned what had been happening in their lives. They wanted to know how our lives melded with ECC and loved hearing about the Fullertons "grand parenting".
Day 3 (1/12)
Lunch with 3 friends who happen to be elders. They have been along side us in every planning step, praying and laughing, advising and loving.
Mr. Bug hit. I hit the bed.
Then we started canceling appointments.
Day 4 (1/13)
Bed
Day 5 (1/14)
Stayed over to attend church, shop and sleep.
Went to church but at last minute was too sick. Took off for Abilene, passenger all the way!
Day 6 (1/15)
Planned to attend church but couldn't. So disappointed to have missed 3 services of song praise from 3 bodies of fellowship.
Family lunch
Bed
Day 7 (1/16)
Bed
Day 8 (1/17)
Met with Jonathan Storment
Went to Doc. (long story)
Pharmacy
Shopping with sister--This is my personal highlight. She is more than my sister, a BFF, or fellow Christian. Knowing that we will giggle in Heaven together makes this world okay.
BED
Day 9 (1/18)
Traveled to Hamilton
Visited Uncle in nursing home
Stayed with Aunt (Among the best cooking aunts in the world line-up. And I have 2 of them!)
Day 10 (1/19)
Traveled to Georgetown
met with father-in-law later afternoon
meal
overnighted in Jarrell
Day 11 (1/20)
sat. breakfast prepared by R.
family luncheon
overnighted in Jarrell
Day 12 (1/21)
Sun Church Georgetown with family
brother and sister-in-law, father-in-law and his wife
family lunch
traveled to Austin
BED
Day 13 (1/22)
With Ann and Frank Smith
"Hi Ann! We have dirty clothes!"
Note; every meal out, its their lifestyle. Ministry with wait staff beautiful.
Wonderful bed and catching up on old times.
Day 14 (1/24)
Prior to leaving Tuesday morning, Ann gets out all kitchen gadgets and lets me go shopping!
Day 15 (1/25)
Aledo
Stopped off to visit baby Skye--not too close--and dropped off gift.
All too brief visit with Niece.
Colleyville
Back with Skip and Glenna for overnight and airport take off the next day.
Returned van to Neal that afternoon. Neal made amazing efforts to accommodate us both ways.
Day 16 (1/26)
Skip took us to DFW in the AM
Landed at La Guardia, Alberto returned us to 3G mid afternoon.
Praise God for trip safely, lessons, people and return home
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