The Events of Sunday, January 2, 2011

            There are 20 churches within driving distance of the beach house, but only one has a website. Sabbath Home Baptist Church (sabbathhome.com) was the one, and from its website I expected a church very similar to our home church in Elk Grove. I could not have been more incorrect.

            The attire was “Sunday best” (not jeans and whatever). The music was hymns (from a hymnal) not praise songs (from a PowerPoint). The average age was about 55 (not 35). Even though the church did not meet our expectations, we still had a positive experience. The upbeat Baptist hymns were so simple that we newcomers could pick them up after just a verse. The choir (eight men and nine women) sang with gusto. And the sermon, from Proverbs 3:1-4, was straightforward. His main points:

1.      Study God’s Word, both individually and in a group; doing so brings good results.

2.      Practice loyalty to Christ, to family, and to the church, and you will enjoy favor with God and with people.

We also learned (from the benediction) that, according to Southern tradition, you eat black-eyed peas and collard greens on New Year’s Day to have good luck and prosperity in the year to come. On the way home, we had fun imitating the Southern drawl.

            After lunch, we had a family Bible study from the gospel of Mark. Then we used a U.S. map and some highlighter pens to mark our route and destinations for the last month. Then we gathered around the laptop and read Christmas letters and greetings. As dinnertime drew near, the kids began to encourage us to leave on our date, so they could enjoy their time alone. They did a great job preparing dinner for themselves. After that, they enjoyed watching Robin Williams in “Flubber”.

            Pam and I arrived at Betty’s Waterfront Restaurant about 6:45. As far as I could tell, we were the first customers of the evening. Our waitress brought out a basket of “hush puppies.” I don’t know what they are, but they sure taste good! Pam ordered a platter of clams, scallops, shrimp, and deviled crab. I ordered blackened shrimp, which was pleasantly spicy, so I was glad for the $1 special on Corona. By the time we left, two other couples had come and gone; but it was only 8 pm. So we drove back to the house and took a long romantic walk, looking up into avenues of stars between banks of low clouds. When we returned, the kids were all in bed, having cleaned up after themselves quite well. Then we watched a video from the entertainment center called “The Quiet Man” (John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara). This Oscar-winning romantic comedy follows the tempestuous relationship between a retired American prizefighter and a strong-willed Irish spinster. It is fun discovering classics.