John's Feast...

This is our fifth son, John.  He's 19. Doesn't he look friendly?  'Cause he is.  He's very handy to have around.  When I need a new quilt hung, he's my man.  One of the quilts requires balancing on the top of a tall ladder, but it doesn't seem to faze him.  I usually compile a list of projects for him to do around the house and when he has some time off work, he flies right through them. He is an ardent student of the Bible.  If he thinks that his day will be too busy to get away to study, he'll get up before dawn to make sure it's done.  (I could learn something from that.  But I'm afraid my brain doesn't function that early in the morning.  I'd never remember what I read. But this is about John...) Let's see... he likes woodworking and forging.  He recently forged his own ax head. He can rewire about anything and his job is assembling furniture.  See?  Handy.  He loves his younger siblings- all children for that matter- and he's a bit of a pied piper. He organizes regular movie nights where the kids all cuddle on one couch- despite the fact that I have four. Oh, and John's favorite music is Gregorian chants.  He has a naturally sunny disposition, and is a joy to be around.

He had a coffee feast.  John loves all things coffee.  He set the table with five different coffee makers- yes, we have that many and no, I don't drink coffee. But several of the kids do.  (I know lots of trivial facts about the health benefits of coffee and John is constantly trying to make a believer out of me.  I'd like to join in, I really would.  People look so... adultish... when clutching a hot cup of coffee. But I will remain a child and sip on my tea.  But this is about John...) Scattered about the various coffee pots were Keurig cups, creamer cups and lots of shiny coffee beans- see, the shiny ones are better because they have more oils in them.  He had twinkle lights dripping from the chandelier over the dining room table with coffee cups hanging from them. His meal had three different types of coffee and hot cocoa for the non-imbibers. He had chocolate chip scones for his appetizer which I hear are very good with coffee- he threw in chocolate crescent rolls because one of his sisters particularly likes them.  He had chuckwagon casserole(which is like mac and cheese with hamburger and tomato sauce with cheddar cheese on top) and cheesy garlic biscuits.  For Dessert, he had three different types of ice cream- including coffee flavor, but everyone opted to wait until after the movie to try some.  We were all just so full! Some people still haven't eaten any. He had Capri Sun pouches to go with dinner and those are always a big hit. 

His gifts... well, he paid for them, himself, so they were a bit on the extravagant side. When I mentioned that the whole point was to keep it simple, he just replied, "Who says?"  I let him win that one.  He got Milano cookies for Joe because they are his new favorite since Abe's feast.  Laurie, the writer, got a very nice pen.  Abe got a new calendar to record his woes of dish washing. Bekah got a set of permanent markers to do her Zintangling with- I'll post a picture of that when it's her feast day. Eva got a very nice water bottle with lots of flavor packets- John is actually trying to wean Eva off the coffee.  He worries the caffeine might not be the best on her old ticker.  William got a set of pens- medium points because he likes how smooth they are. And I got my own canister of Redi-whip because... well, how embarrassing, but I love to squirt it directly into my mouth.  I shared some with Esther(14m.), this morning, and she thought it was pretty cool, too. 

It was a wonderful time.

William spoke on the end of James 2. Show your faith by your works.  People should be able to know what you believe in by how you act.