Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Day #5 Pasadena Mission Trip

Day #5 – Monday – January 1, 2018

The first day of this new year began early as we climbed aboard the shuttle at 5 a.m. heading to the famous Rose Parade.  It was a long drive to our seats on Colorado Boulevard and the traffic jam we were part of didn’t help the situation.  We made it as dawn was painting the eastern sky in shades of pink and orange.  I think God did that just for us to set the stage for what would be coming down the street later.  For those of you who have been here, Kathy and her sons and families greeted us and showed us our saved seats.  It is beginning to feel like old home week when we come each year.

The parade began as usual with the stealth bomber and a fighter on each side flying low above Colorado Boulevard.  This brings cheers and anticipation for we know the parade has begun to move on Orange Grove onto Colorado and we will see the beginning units in about half an hour.  Our Lutheran Hour Float was near the end of the parade.  It came by in all its glory amidst loud cheers from our blue, sweat shirted group, all on their feet at this time pointing and clapping.  Many in our group had put on the final touches with hundreds and hundreds of red and pink roses along both sides.  Underneath the roses we had pinned a bed of asparagus fern to fill in any spots not covered with roses. Some in our group were still dealing with stickers in their fingers today.  I guess they could call them battle scars.

It was foggy and chilly this morning and heavy coats were welcome until the sun worked its way over the buildings south and east of us.  Then coats came off and eventually many sweatshirts as well.  Weather couldn’t be more perfect so maybe it helps balance out the weather back in the Midwest.  I want you to know we are not letting this great California weather go to waste.  I promise you that on our free day on January 3rd, I will sit by the pool in my shirtsleeves just because I can.

The floats are masterpieces of color, movement, creativity and workmanship, uncounted hours and hours of it!  As they go by it is impossible to take in and appreciate what is before you.  It helps when a float you have worked on moves past and you can excitedly point out your part in it.  It is hard to explain, this feeling that overwhelms as the sprays of flowers and colors attack your senses and leave you speechless.  The floats are in their glory as they move past, burned into our memories and preserved in our photos.  We try not to think about what happens days from now as their glory fades and we no longer say, “Happy New Year” to everyone we meet.

Speaking of being speechless, we witnessed an event during a lull in the parade today that had thousands of people in the stands and along the street excitedly cheering and clapping.  For those who know about the God story of Kathy and her family and how we always now have these special seats right along Colorado Boulevard, you might be able to picture this.  Jason, Kathy’s son and his girlfriend love to dance and during a lull in the parade last year, they went out into the street and danced.  They had a ball and everyone cheered because they were so good together.  When I saw Jason this morning I asked him is they were going to dance for us again.  I was puzzled that he didn’t really respond. 

Today, during a lull in the parade, he did grab his girlfriend and pulled her out onto the middle of Colorado Boulevard and they began dancing once again.  Cheering broke out as everyone in the stands turned their attention to them.  His girlfriend had done a twirl and ended up a few feet away.  When she spun back, there was Jason dropped down onto one knee holding an opened ring box towards her.  She froze in place, not believing what was happening in front of God and everyone.  Thousands of people’s attention was focused on her.  When she was finally able to speak, she moved towards Jason and said, “yes!”  He slid the ring onto her finger and they kissed and the crowd went wild.  You just don’t see something like this every day.  Love is alive and well in Pasadena!

For those of you who know the story, Jason’s father, Chris, loved this day.  He would be there with his top hat and cane, dressed in tux and tails, frilly-sleeved shirt and all.  I am sure this is why Jason chose this day to get engaged.    You just never know what is in store as God unfolds the moments of your life.

As the parade ended we carried our chairs to a truck and climbed back onto the shuttle.  Four of our group had tickets to the Rose Bowl game so Lonnie drove us right to the stadium so they could go to the game and we could at least see the stadium.  We found out later that the tickets Dick Gast had gotten for them were on the fifty yard line in row one!  They later returned to our hotel after seeing a double overtime game with Georgia finally winning.

While they were watching football, the rest of our group stopped at a Walmart to purchase even more items for our Skid Row adventure tomorrow.  By now we were all starving so Ellie took us to Sizzler Steak House for a nice dinner. 

Our final day’s get together was this evening at 7 when we gathered for devotions.  We sang, prayed and discussed servant questions as Ellie led us in a devotion time.  Secret servant gifts were handed out.  One servant connection had to be revealed because Nancy Johnson is leaving early in the morning to return home for work.  In a perfect world, if I was in charge at least, work should revolve around your life, not life around your work.  Will someone go to work on that?

Time to sleep and catch up for tomorrow.  We leave at 8 for Skid Row.

Your sleepy Petal Pusher – Lynn Menz – signing off……….zzzzzzzzz

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