Hampstead, NC

Bonnie and I visited our son Raymond in North Carolina where he is on special duty with the Coast Guard. He invited us to share his four-day pass with him on one of the barrier islands where he leases a condo. We flew two airplanes to the east coast and two airplanes back to Memphis; in every case at each leg of the trip out and back, the Delta flights were “delayed,” sometimes for hours — twice because of maintenance — despite the planes coming to the gates from maintenance hangars! Flights were overbooked with some passengers not getting on the flights. Of course, we missed one flight because of a “delayed” flight. All in all, though, we fared well and had ample opportunity to practice patience.

Raymond lives in a home prefaced by a million steps up to the front door, on stilts high above the surface of the sandy ground; inside, sleeping quarters are on the first level, and half a million steps lead to the living room, dining room and kitchen above. Steps are neither my friend with these knees nor friends to Raymond with an injured knee.

Rain punctuated the weekend as we walked the ocean beach strewn with sea shells as well as polished pieces of glass and white quartz. Black volcanic pebbles peppered the wet, beige sand. The tide sketched its reach ashore with ash from a nearby forest fire that resisted containment for a week. Besides meaningful time with Raymond, he and we enjoyed a couple tasty meals together at Outback Steakhouse and IHOP.

It was the distinct pleasure of Bonnie and me to meet brethren with whom we were formerly unacquainted. Friday evening, we were treated to refreshments at the home of Thaddeus and Laura Ferguson. They began a congregation of the Lord’s church in Hamptstead, NC three years ago. The congregation meets in a community hall, providing a place for military personnel and vacationers to worship; though small and fledgling, it tries to make inroads in the community with the Gospel of Christ.

On the Lord’s Day, it was my privilege to teach Bible class and preach two sermons. Of course, the fellowship meal was a crowd pleaser with Bonnie and me! I look for a long and sustained relationship with brother and sister Ferguson. Bonnie also received a tentative invitation to speak at a ladies’ retreat in which sister Ferguson is participating.

Good food, family and new friends, how could a weekend be better than that?

Explore posts in the same categories: Good Eats, Good Friends, Preaching Appointments

Tags: Bible class, fellowship meal

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