Grandma H. & Grandma M.

Well, yes. We did that and now we are doing this. Nothing boring in our lives. Last Monday we left the 100* weather of Grants Pass for the 95* weather of Detroit Lake. Not much difference. We were up there at a really nice cabin with a super great hot tub overlooking Detroit Lake. The lake is behind a dam on the Santiam River east of Salem. Did I mention they have a hot tub? This was the site of Camp Grandma!

I suppose it all started in 1975 when we moved to Newberg. We became friends with a family who had two children just a little younger than our ours -- a boy and girl. They lived near us, so these 4 kids sort of grew up together -- well, grew up until we left Newberg when ours were in late grade school. But we have remained friends over the years. In the course of time and romance the kids grew older, got married, and had kids of their own (each have a boy and a girl -- except Ginger, of course). The other grandma in this scenario wanted to do a Camp Grandma to allow her four g-kids to get better acquainted because 2 of them are missionary kids in Japan. Right now they and their parents are home between assignments. And it so happened that our two g-kids would be here on vacation at the same time. So grandma H. cajoled grandma M. into helping her and making it a 6 kid, 3 night sleep over (without parents). Me? I'm the token grandpa who only had to do a wood craft with the kids. Yeah, right! And organize the treasure hunt which ended at the ice cream shop. And help transport kids down to the lake to play in the water. And lift this. And lift that. And carry this. Oh yes, and sit with them in the hot tub in the evening when it cooled down. Oh my, what misery. It was an outdoor tub overlooking the lake with lots of little jets for the person sitting in the King's Corner. Someone had to do it. Just as well it was me. I'd hate to have the grandmas subject themselves to that kind treatment.

But the kids did have fun. They made some crafts Joyce had, the bird feeder I'd planned, they got to eat mostly finger food, they did NOT have to make their beds, they had lots of free time to play together, had morning devotions and an evening story, and the daily trips to the lake. This turned out to be daily because it was so hot and down there they could play in the water.

Friday morning all this fol-de-rol came to an end. We loaded up our two grandkids and met Jana and Ginger at Enchanted Forest. Did I mention that we had our RV up there? Anyway, we traded the kids and all their stuff for more room in the RV. We headed out for Lebanon; Ginger Jana, and the kids went off to have their time together. We are presently camped just outside of town at Mallard Creek Golf and RV Resort. Pretty upscale. Everyone golfs. Except me. That's why they go there. You should see some of these classy motor homes!

Now let me introduce you to our first Sunday at the Lebanon Free Methodist Church. First of all, this is a great church with lots of good history and lots of good people. Except the "lots" have been dwindling over the past couple years. In the past, music was led by the pastor, his wife, and one other person. So we knew that would be a big hole to fill. Trevor and Shanette tried to get every friend they ever had, or wished they had, to come and be the music for even one Sunday. Nothing. So I arranged for Joann (the grandma H.) from above to come and lead us in some hymns and a maybe a couple of older choruses -- because that is what she knows. Then Friday, Trevor calls and tells me they have made contact with a guy who is willing to come, play the guitar, and lead in some choruses and hymns. Great! I cancel Joann. Saturday we all meet at the church, decide on the songs, and practice a little. He agrees to come early Sunday to go over the songs again. Sunday morning, no song guy. Time for worship. No song guy. So we do the right thing. We panic. Trevor talks to some people and what we end up with really wasn't too bad. Two ladies led us in one hymn and three choruses, all a'capella. Hey, that's the way the church used to do it. The congregation did well. We had special prayer for a man with cancer, the church prayed for us, I preached, then there was a finger food reception for us. Ginger, Jana, Josiah and Lilly were here. That was great. And that's the way it was, as Mr. Cronkite used to say.

Next Sunday, Trevor preaches. This week we get better acquainted with the church. Stay tuned.

(P.S. I still don't know what happened to the song guy)