Clarkstown

9:47 p.m. Today's project was to visit my son Kriss and his wife Marisela, but mainly my grandbaby Clark. I'd brought a team member back from our Wednesday Morning Makeover meeting in Redlands, taken a teensy nap, enjoyed a quick lunch of homemade Spicy Sausage/Mozzarella/Marinara soup, swigged some flavored iced coffee, and I was on my way to Long Beach.

 The three of us rocked, walked and held our precious little boy in the apartment, got him all dressed up, and took him for a walk. The homes on Ocean Boulevard are stunning beachfront properties, and the street where Kriss lives has mansions divided into cozy apartments. The area to me is a cross between Downtown Riverside and Westwood Village, for a pleasing combination of historical houses and gorgeous newer mansions. The invigorating walk was followed by naps, nursing and changing for Clark, and a lovely dinner made by the new mom.

 Satisfied that the traffic had died down, I left at 7:00 for home, and made it in a little over an hour while listening to K Wave 107.9 FM Bible studies on the radio. Pastor Ray Bentley was teaching on Jesus' acceptance of hospitality and lodging from His friends Martha, Mary and Lazarus during the feast at Jerusalem. Jesus and His disciples could have slept out on the Mount of Olives but He graciously allowed others to bless and provide for Him, God Himself. John 12:1-2 recounts, "Then six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him."

Pastor Ray's point was that there are times when we must drop our self-sufficiency and let others bless and uplift us. Kriss and I did run out to Vons to pick up a few supplies for the meal, but it was Marisela, like Jesus' friend Martha, who singlehandedly prepared a delicious three course meal for us all while Clark dozed in my arms. The contribution of others may not always be that of physical sustenance, but might be "a word fitly spoken" at the right time, which Proverbs 25:11 says, "is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." Like the comfort I received yesterday from my friend, sometimes few words are required. But we all have soemthing to give to others--and we all have something to receive from others, too!