Praise the Lord ANYTIME and ANYWHERE

 

Today, from the pulpit, Dave told every one present at our last outdoor church service to take some time reflecting, and even recording, what this unprecedented time in our church history has meant to them these past several months.  He then took a picture of his view from the make shift stage that was built special for our outside services.  

There has been a lot of pivoting at church since March as we strive to keep authentically worshiping God and learning from His Word together, but yet keep one another safe and stay in compliance with the law.  We move back inside next week because the cold and rainy season is upon us and worshiping outside with all the tech in a changing season is just not feasible anymore, nor is going back to online only after 4 months of being together and, honestly, learning more about COVID and its real threat.  

For me, outdoor worship has been gift, and I'm a little sad it's over for now.  I have loved watching our church family come together in new ways of serving-- people showing up an hour early to get canopies popped up, sound plugged in, and livestream running.  I have loved seeing people so hungry for in person church that they do whatever it takes to come, braving extreme weather and accepting unconventional "church" things like slathering their kids in sunscreen, hauling camping chairs, or bundling up in blankets!  I have enjoyed seeing some traditions stay the same, like our love for singing, or our commitment to baptism, or a familiar liturgy, or the trust that we will ALWAYS hear a solid sermon preached, while other traditions have adapted-- like bringing your own coffee or wearing jeans!  Mostly, I have loved the weekly reminder that church is not about a building, or your particular pew.  Dave pointed out today that people all over the world and throughout time have worshiped God and been taught from scriptures in all sorts of places-- on the shores of a lake with their fishing boats nearby, outdoors on the African plains, hidden behind locked doors, in grand cathedrals, and, for the past few months, in a church parking lot.  COVID has altered, but certainly not diminished, our desire or ability to meet God each Sunday.  For some, it's maybe even strengthened it!

Tahoe with Kyle

An unexpected change of plans had Kyle come out for Ella's play weekend a bit later than originally anticipated.  We decided to find the silver lining in this and instead embrace a visit with him during a week that was NOT Dress and Tech and a week that had a day off school built into it.  So, we planned a trip to a favorite part of our state that Kyle has never seen-- Lake Tahoe.  We've never been here in the fall and it was magnificent with trees changing colors, the most turquoise we've ever seen the water, no seasonal crowds, and the perfect make your cheeks rosy and your favorite fuzzy hat wearable, but not make you miserably cold, fall chill in the air.  

We even found the cutest  hotel and spent our first night walking around the Heavenly Ski Village, visiting art galleries, eating pizza, enjoying some live music and yard games, and warming up by the fire pit with some complementary hot chocolate.

The plan the next day was just to take the couple hour drive around the entire lake, hopping out at our favorite spots to drink in those glorious views.  First stop was our favorite beach, Sand Harbor, on the Nevada side.  I'll let the pictures do the talking...

At lunch time we pulled off at Squaw Valley to eat our picnic lunch in the deserted Village. 

We took a little walk on our favorite scenic Squaw Valley path, where we saw them starting to get the slopes ready for the winter season with a little early snow-making!

Our afternoon consisted of a little 2 mile hike down to Vikingsholm, a grand old estate on the shores of Emerald Bay.

We admired stained glass windows and old Scandinavian architecture and made friends with ducks!

Our drive around the entire lake ended with a stop at Inspiration Point on top of Emerald Bay, the place to get the best views.

Along the way, we saw plenty of lovely fall color, something we've been craving in our still-blazing-hot fall Central Valley climate!

After a beautiful all-day drive, we enjoyed some amazing Mexican food and a sunset over the Lake Tahoe mountains.

The next morning donuts and bikes were on the agenda!  Since we spent the day before exploring Tahoe with Kyle on foot and in car, we thought it would be fun to see it on bicycle wheels!  We rented bikes for the morning and traveled several miles along the East side of the lake in the forested Camp Richardson.  BUT, before we could expect more physical activity out of Delia, we had to bribe her with the craziest donuts ever from Glazed and Confused! ;)

It's a season of Thanksgiving, so I want to recognize the gift that so much of the past few weeks has been!  We're so thankful for the gift of normalcy, in practicing and performing school plays, hosting family members, surviving busy calendars, and being able to travel to open places.  The gift of family members who are best friends-- ones we LOVE hanging out, laughing, exploring, and catching up with!  The gift of spirit-reviving, soul-feeding, creator-worshiping scenery, just a few hours away.  And the gift of quality time-- where we can reconnect, escape the stress of life, and be our best selves together!

Anne of Green Gables

As is usually the case during play season, our lives have been consumed with this fall's drama, Anne of Green Gables.  Though it was SO much hard work and not without its stresses and tears, we all recognize what a gift it was to be able to perform during this weird time!  This weekend's two outdoor shows were magnificent and we've spent the past few days basking in the ALL the feelings and good things: family visitors, praise from so many, the pride of a job well done, and even that freeing sense of relief!  For the sake of memory preservation, here are a few pictures capturing a few favorite moments where our endearing, earnest, irresistible, hilarious Anne captured our hearts on stage...

"Oh please call me Cordelia.  It's so much more romantic.  If you must call me Anne, at least call me Anne spelled with an 'e'."

"I HATE YOU! How dare you call me skinny and ugly!  How dare you call attention to my freckles!  You are a rude, impolite, unfeeling woman!"

"That dreadful woman did terrible things to me.  I'd just convinced myself, after months of imagining, that my freckles were beauty marks, and she spoiled it all.  I'll never be happy again." (Funny backstory, Ella's best friend Ruth played Rachel, and hating and screaming at Ruth was Ella's hardest scene.)

"Not come over?  Oh Diana, does your mother realize what it would mean to me to have my bosom friend torn asunder? My love for you is inextinguishable."

"Anne, you can't go on being bad friends with me forever.  I promise never to mention your freckles again if you forgive me."  

"What you ask is impossible!  If I do decide to go on living, there are two paths in front of me.  And I choose the one leading furthest away from YOU!"

"Appears that list of kindred spirits is growing mighty rapid, Anne..." 

"Oh yes, Matthew, but of course you head the list, that goes without saying."

"That wasn't vanilla in the bottle!  You've gone and flavored the layer cake with Chloroform Liniment!"

"You see yesterday, while Marilla was out, a peddler came to the back door, and he offered to sell me a box of freckle-remover for only ten cents.  It was the last box of it he had and he said it was guaranteed to removed freckles from anybody.  Guaranteed!  I bought the freckle-remover and I thought I'd try it out on Dimples the pig because I love her so much and I know she must suffer with all those freckles on her, same as I do from mine.  Yes, and now poor Dimples is all broken out and my heart is broken. I just felt it go dead inside me.  Matthew, you'll have to punish me something dreadful for this!"

"Josie Pye said terrible things to Anne, just because she asked her not to mention that Gilbert Blythe's name to her.  Oh Anne, I'm so sorry, I used his name.  It just slipped out!"

"I forgive you freely, dear Diana.  I know that you didn't intend to wound me and that your motive was pure."

"A white dress with puff sleeves!  I will spend most of my time gazing at it with sheer joy.  I have the most comfortable feeling that the very first time I'm seen in that dress somebody is going to call me Lady Cordelia!"

"Oh Anne, you blessed girl!  You've saved us from ruin.  Whatever should we have done without you? There, you see Matthew!  And you were the one who wanted to adopt a boy!  I've always known that I loved you, Anne dear, but I never could let myself go until today.  I've just  been an old fool."

"You know how I feel about you, Anne.  You've always known."

(This version had a surprise twist ending!)  A rich Uncle Ira Mills finds his long lost niece Anne Shirley in Green Gables...and what do you know?!  She's living with his former fiancé, Marilla Cuthbert, with whom he rekindles a relationship!  Tidy, happy endings all around! ;)

"I don't want to imagine anything more than I have right now because I'm so happy.  For I am Anne of Green Gables, and that is all I ever hope or want to be."

Happy, proud, starstruck family!  

Friday night's performance was great.  Saturday's was so high energy, and perfect, the cast absolutely killed it!  In fact, our director even posted this! 

We're so thankful Uncle Kyle could fly out and represent our larger VM family in the audience!

After each performance, Ella was delighted to connect with the many people who love her and came out to support her.  Above, two girls she babysits each week.  Below, her boyfriend Evan.

Ella's special friend, and senior mentor from last year, Tina, even came home from college in Southern California to surprise and cheer for her former drama family!

Ella said the best part of this play was growing her friendship with Emma and Briley (Marilla and Diana).  These gals bonded over their many shared scenes and hundreds of lines. 

Had to get a picture of Anne with Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert.

All the girls on cast.

All the sophomores on cast.

And just a few fun stories to close.  Above are two of my former students, the most adorable little redheads.  When their mom found out about the play, she started introducing them to the story this fall.  She'd message me about how excited they were to see it on stage.  When it was over, these two cuties came running up to take a picture with Anne, their redheaded kindred spirit. ;)  And they weren't the only ones!  Ella said she took lots of pictures with little girls, some she didn't even know, who just wanted to give her a hug afterwards!

We realized that in this play Ella and Emma reprised a mother/daughter stage relationship they started in 5th grade!  

My dear friend Donna's son Ben played Matthew.  He is a senior and this was his first play!  He was amazing, and watching Donna become a Drama Mama was a delight!  An hour before Friday's performance, she called me to exclaim, "AM I SUPPOED TO FEEL LIKE I'M ABOUT TO PUKE?!?!" We sat together and grabbed each other at all the touching parts that our kids were nailing.

  

 

All weekend my phone blew up with people telling me to tell Ella what a phenomenal job she did.  We were blessed to have so much church family there!  This was one of my favorite emails from our Chaplain Jack and his wife!

It's bittersweet.  This one was harder than plays of the past.  Ella carried a heavy burden of learning so many lines, covering for people who were struggling with the lines up to the day before the performance, and doing justice to such a beloved character.   She's been dying for a lead and now that she's on this side of having had one, tells me, "I never want the lead again!"  So she is happy it's done.  But, she's more happy it ended on such a perfect, high note!  Giving what she says was "her personal best performance ever."  I need Anne Shirley to invent and tell me a word more dramatic, romantic and conducive than "proud" because that is just not cutting it for what we feel about Ella taking on this role and honoring it, her audience, and her Lord with the use of her gifts!