Home Alone

Debbie is a domestic goddess, and she is teaching me how to be one as well. With 30 years of hospitality experience under her belt, Debbie is simply the best when it comes to maintaining a home and cooking delicious meals in mass quantities that are economical. It's really an art. Debbie and I spend most of the day together. We have been meal-planning, grocery shopping, preparing meals, cleaning up after meals, doing dishes, cleaning toilets, and more. There's a lot to be done around here, but we work and rest, work and rest, work and then rest some more. And I'm finding it all to be pretty doable and pretty restful. There's still time for me to do the things I want to do, like reading and running and communicating with all of you people. 

The two regular events of the home are Wednesday's Dinner & Discussion and Friday's Dinner & Bible Study. There are frequently other events, like weekend excursions (both in and out of town). For example, this past Wednesday Debbie and I met a group of ladies and their kids for lunch, which was a really nice thing. And this coming Saturday night we will be having folks over for waffles and games and a movie. Wednesday we had 11 people over, and our philosophical conversation was about why it's difficult for us to  admit when we're wrong about things, why we so badly need to be right about things and have our "stuff" together. We kind of talked about a lot of interesting ideas, but that was the big one. Tonight Brad will finish up a study on Ecclesiastes.

Brad and Debbie leave on Sunday for England and will be gone for one week. They will spend time with their son, Richard, and his family, as well as attend to some Cadence ministry business (meetings, etc.). This means that I will be left to my own devices to keep this house running. I'm no Debbie, and I'm no Brad, but I am me. And I can sure bring my own gifts and talents and spice to the table. The house will remain open while the Ellgens are away next week. Lord help us. ;)

The army base is constantly in transition, it seems. Depending upon deployment (and other factors I'm not aware of the specifics), people are always arriving and departing in droves. It waxes and it wanes. At this time, the Baumholder base is all but shutting down, which means that just about every single person has been reassigned and is leaving. Many have already left and everyone else has their dismissal date and is preparing to leave shortly. This all means that there are goodbyes to be said on a weekly if not daily basis. I can tell this is really hard for Brad and Debbie, as they have invested themselves in relationships with folks who have been a part of their ministry for a long time, some as long as three years. And in a short while, there won't be anyone left until sometime this fall. I think saying goodbye so many times so often must be very tiring.

Thanks again for our prayers and support, you guys. I would appreciate it if you would continue to remember me in your thoughts and prayers. Specifically, you can pray that everything goes well next week, that I don't burn dinner, and that I don't burn down the house. Haha! Pray that I remember to feed and walk Sam the dog, and that I don't feel stuck or lonely on the days that there are no quote ministry events end quote.

And now I'm off to make the chicken salad casserole with Debbie for tonight's dinner. We already made a broccoli salad this morning, so that is ready to go. Yum yum!