I'm such a doofus

Today I was in Publix grabbing a few items. There was an older man that kept looking at me across the produce aisle. I thought he looked familiar, but couldn't place him.

So, as we get closer, I say, "You look so familiar to me. Do you workout at the NHB gym?"

He replies in a friendly manner, "No."

I say, "Do you live out in Red Bluff?" By now I'm thinking he is my neighbor.

Again, very friendly and patient, "No. I live on Fripp."

My mind is trying to quickly place him. I know that I know him from somewhere and am assuming that he's the husband of one of my friends from PEO, or I've seen him at some military function.

I tell him, "Hmmm... I can't figure out where I know you from."

His answer, "Well, it is close to Oscar."

I'm thinking he must live next to someone named Oscar. (And honestly, I'm thinking that this sweet older man is now just teasing me...) I'm thinking that he's just some man with a familiar face.

So I ponder and ponder and ponder all through Publix.

And I start thinking that maybe the 'Oscar' he's referring to isn't a person, but a little gold statue that is awarded to those in the entertainment industry. So I'm putting Fripp Island and Oscar together. Still pondering...

And then it comes to me: Pat Conroy? Could it be Pat Conroy?

So, I come home and look online. Yep. Pat Conroy.

I'm such a doofus!

Oh, I would have loved to have talked to him for a while. To just chat, to tell him we've enjoyed his movies (The Great Santini, Prince of Tides, etc.) to just hear what he has to say. (For those of you who've never lived here, Pat Conroy is sort of a local legend/hero.)
In my mind's eye, I can just see B rolling his eyes at me and chomping at the bit to have the opportunity to talk with this guy.

But, alas, without even knowing I who he was, I walked away thinking it's just an older man teasing me about his neighbor Oscar...

In a hot spot?

Malachi 3:3 says: 'He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.'

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: 'He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.' She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?'

He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it.'

Cherished...

When these arrived today, not only was I very surprised, but felt very loved and cherished. Thank you, sweetie. You are a blessing to me!

"Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God."
Philippians 1:3

January's over?!?!?!

We've had a busy January -- getting into a real routine with Cadey's homeschooling, playing hard, and having fun... No big highlights for the month... Guess I'll have to work harder on that this month!

Enjoy the photos...