Another relaxing month in the life of the Arensmeiers,

starting with the last week of April 2004:

1.            Last week of April, we helped host Mujahid el Masih, a Pakistani pastor, born into a Muslim home and converted to faith in Christ.  He spoke in our church, to people from several different churches here in Sonoma, and then the next night at the Sonoma Community Center on East Napa Street. 

2.            That same weekend, Friday ‘n Saturday, April 30 & May 1, we attended an OMF (Overseas Missionary Fellowship, the old China Inland Mission, founded by J. Hudson Taylor) conference in Redwood City, on the South Peninsula of San Francisco.

3.            At the conference in Redwood City, we met for the second time in two years, a delightful sister-In-Christ, Paulina Filby, whom we’d first met in Otford by Seven Oaks, Kent, England, in 1967, when we first went to Europe as missionaries with The Navigators.  Paulina’s husband Jack, had died of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) some years ago.  Paulina retruned to Sonoma with us, and attended church at Sonoma Valley Community Church, where she sang two pieces for our congregation.  We then drove her to Concord, California, where we all celebrated Zachary’s Galvin’s 4th birthday, then on to San Jose, where she caught a bus to her home which is now in the LA area.

4.            The next weekend, with normal stuff during the week, I (Tim) flew to Portland, Oregon, on Wednesday, to participate in board meetings of Warner Pacific College, which I serve as a trustee, as well as seeing my mom in Newberg (age 92).  I returned on Saturday the 8th, to Oakland, where I picked up our car.  Jan had left on Friday with 15 ladies from Sonoma, who were attending the “Women of Faith” conference in San Jose.  I picked Jan up just before the end of the conference so that we could both return to Oakland, and the Oakland Covenant Church, where we were privileged to participate in a wonderful ceremony of the rededication of marriage vows of a couple who had initially come to me over a year ago seeking assistance in obtaining a divorce.  By God’s grace, and by not individually hiring their own attorneys, they were able as former missionaries to Africa, to actually listen to and hear God speaking to them about “reconciliation,” as I did attempt to at least point them in that direction.  There were over 125 people in the Oakland Covenant Church who witnessed that event.  I had told them not to just quietly move back in together, but to do it Right!

5.            On May 15, we attended the funeral service for one of our Classis Pastors, the Reverend Earle Hall, pastor of our primarily Black church in Oakland.  That pretty much took the day, with a three hour service and travel.

6.            On the 22nd & 23rd, Tim performed with Garen Patterson & The Disposables as a pre-event to the Sonoma Valley Chorale Spring Concert – three times.  I play the gut-bucket base . . .

7.            During the next week or so, Jan was “nesting” as we were anticipating our 2nd daughter’s delivery.  Liesl ‘n Scott Garner, were married (‘n Tim had the privilege to complete the process of marrying off all of our daughters) on August 6, 2003, and they were expecting their 1st and probably only child on June 7, 2004.  Scott’s previous sons (of which Liesl is now “step-mom” weighed in at 10 and 11 pounds, and Liesl’s doc decided that she didn’t need to have a child that big at age 37.  So, they were planning inducing early.

8.            On 25 May, during a lunch meeting, Tim received a semi-teary call from Liesl informing us that “They’re going to induce labor tomorrow.”  Tim asked her if everything was all right.  She responded, “I’m going to get to see my baby tomorrow. . .”  Tears of Joy!

9.            We drove to Fresno that evening, were with Liesl ‘n Scott the next day when Benjamin Cooper Garner was born!  We stayed through Thursday night, and left for Sonoma on the morning of the 28th.

10.        On Friday 28th Jan contracted food poisoning, probably from eating a sandwich that had been in a cooler at the hospital too long.

11.        On the 29th, we picked up both of our cars from different shops (new brakes on one and new transmission on the other), and delivered the borrowed one to friends Dan ‘n Genni Nichols (and spend an enjoyable afternoon ‘n evening with them!)

12.        On the 30th, we did church and celebrated our 41st wedding anniversary, concluding that day with a dinner with our oldest daughter, Shireen and Tom.  Earlier in the day, Tim had some Christian Conciliation Service, Inc. (CCS) work to do with a couple and that took 2 hours.  We also had the delight of lunch with Jeannie Bader from Mill Valley, and while Tim did a couple of hours work with CCS, Jan and Jeannie went on a wonderful “hike.”

13.        Monday morning, we walked to the Plaza in Sonoma, and on to the Veteran’s cemetery where, as it was Memorial Day, we attended a memorial service in Sonoma where a new fountain was being dedicated (sort of, as it’s not finished yet . . .), then we went to coffee Shireen whom we’d met at the Memorial Day service, and walked back home.

14.        We then went to San Francisco, where we visited in the UCSF Hospital, John ‘n Margaret Leinster.  John has cancer and the two of them are just a blessing as they continue to evidence the Presence of our Lord in their lives.

15.        Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista, near Ghirardelli Square, were at our favorite table, we “encountered” a doctor, his sister ‘n mom from Rick Warren’s church, Saddleback, and learned that the doc had operated on both of Rick’s shoulders . . .   Wonderful fellowship!

16.        Much CCS business, replete with Jan picking me up in Rohnert Park, as one of my mediation sessions, took too long for me to return to Sonoma and get back to Rohnert Park.

17.        Friday evening there was a wedding rehearsal and dinner at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn.  Very good food ‘n fun.  Saturday, the wedding at BH Cohn winery.  Tim contracted food poising just before, but managed to make it through the ceremony.

18.        Saturday (the 29th) started with Tyler Galvin’s last T-Ball game of the season, after which we attended the ceremony and headed back home . . . stopping for a hamburger and chicken burger.  Apparently, the hamburger didn’t set well with Tim.  Food poisoning. . .

19.        Sunday, was communion at our church.  Jan took resources with her in case she had to preach . . .

20.        Sunday evening, is a “First Sunday” event in Sonoma among several churches:  An all church city wide “Sing.”  Yup.  We hosted it for the first time since Jan and I have been in Sonoma.  Still a wee tad woozy from the previous days burger, but it was a blessed event.

 

All in all, it was a pretty relaxed and laid back month . . .   Our kids don’t understand how we manage to live such a placid life, replete with Jan working full-time at Kaiser Permanente in San Rafael (a 30 minute commute in good traffic . . . ), and me attempting to both pastor a church and attempt to do the ministry of the Christian Conciliation Service.  But, somehow we manage, and still have time to snuggle ‘n enjoy being married to each other.

 

Web posted:  June 9, 2004

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