SUNDAY, 9/16

SUNDAY, 9/16:

 

     Decided that we’d drive back to Alhambra this morning and attend church there, and then see Mother.  The drive up PCH was beautiful – the sun was out, and shone on the water like diamonds.

     Went to the church across from Atherton – First Baptist of Alhambra.  We went there because we wanted to see how God was working in a multi-cultural, Southern Californian congregation.  I remember when I was here for Easter in 2006, and a young Latino woman who was being baptized that morning gave her testimony as to how God had saved her out of a life in a gang, thanks in part to the outreach of this church. 

     Was a pretty standard contemporary-style service, with a small praise band and lots of upbeat music at the beginning of the service.  Very casual dress, except for the pastor & another assistant pastor, who wore suits.  The congregation was pretty equally divided amongst Asians, Hispanics, and Anglos, and all different age ranges – young families, all the way thru several folks from Atherton. They have interpreters for both Mandarin Chinese & Spanish.  Several people welcomed  us, and I introduced myself to the pastor and his wife as we were leaving, and they knew who Mother was and said they visit with her every week or so.

     This church is celebrating its 125^th anniversary this year . . . amazing to think of what changes it has been through, and how when it was founded, those people could never have envisioned how God would use it two centuries later in the lives of people from all corners of the world.

     Then we walked across the street to Atherton.  Found Mother in a little TV room with some others watching a televised church service.  She was very glad to see us, and we walked back to her room.  She was much more lucid today than a week ago, and pretty coherent.  Not nearly as much meaningless repetition of questions, sentences, etc.  She actually seemed pretty upbeat and seemed to genuinely enjoy bantering with Bill.  Maybe his jovial good nature brings that out of her!

     Then we drove out to Sunland, to see my childhood home.  We did that 3 years ago with Lynn, but as long as we were so close, I asked Bill if he’d mind driving out there.  The house looked pretty much the same as it did last time, but the neighborhood in general looked like it was starting to decline.  The grass in several yards hadn’t been taken care of – was dead – and other signs of general lack of care.  The house that we knew as the Landreaus’ was a disaster – looks as if it might have been abandoned.  Foreclosure??  The street was filled with parked cars – I guess with those 1-car garages, no place for 2 or 3 cars.  At our old house, 3 cars were in the driveway.   I’m betting that the garage is filled with other things – I know they moved the washed & dryer out there when they remodeled the kitchen. 

     Again, as was truer 3 years ago, I was astounded at how small the houses appeared, but even more so, how small the lots themselves were.  Surreal to think that all the neighborhood kids played all the time in those front lawns, and today looks like each lawn could barely contain a couple of kids!

 

 

      But even if the houses themselves are deteriorating some, the location itself will always have those beautiful foothill San Gabriel Mountains just a few blocks away.  Seeing those hills out our kitchen window every day for years must be where my love affair with mountains originated!   

     Came home to a cool Malibu!  Even though the temp got up to I think 89 today, that cool ocean breeze really cooled things off in the evening.  Just had a frozen pizza for dinner – but it was a good one! 

     Spent some time trying to load pictures on the blog, but couldn’t.  We both read some, and went to bed fairly early.