Trash and Facebook Live

This has been a weekend of watching. We've watched a lot of TV, we've watched a lot of news and we've watched a lot of movies. There was also a fight on last night that was watched. I've watched a few workout videos (and did work out). We've watched cooking shows. We've gone outside to watch the skies. We've watched and watched and watched.

This morning, we're watching church on Facebook Live. Our friend, Ken Hicks, organized a church service from his home. Technology, right? He reminded us the church is people not a place. He encouraged us to remain in our PJs and watch while we are gathered around the breakfast table. He's not in his PJs. But, yeah, we are.

Because, again, today, we are watching.

Our skies are a little clearer, but now we are watching Houston weather. My sister, two cousins, one of G's closest friends and a load of other friends are there. They are in different parts of town which means different situations. My sister lives in the Heights. Thankfully, that means, it rarely floods since it is a bit higher than the rest of Houston. One of my cousins already has water in her home.

So, while we are watching church and listening/singing 'How Great is our God,' we also have an eye on the weather channel. And, we're using a laptop to scroll through Twitter and Facebook watching for stories on the weather.

Tomorrow, the 2017-18 school year begins. Typically, the weekend before is a flurry of activity. G is usually up at school watching scrimmage film and preparing for game number one. I'm usually scurrying around making the best plans I'll make all school year -- lining out fancy bento-like lunches, selecting five days worth of school outfits (with socks!) and talking hair-dos.

We did pick out the first week of outfits -- remember it's been raining with high winds and we are inside -- and we have a hair appointment today to have the first-day (hopefully, second and third day, too) braids done.

The lunch list is done. Before the rain started yesterday morning, I took care of a Magnum PI, Frida Kahlo look I was rocking and was able to dash into Trader Joe's for some lunch supplies. Remember, we are going fancy and bento and big this week.

(Week two of school will be a bag of Cheetos, a highly processed granola bar and a Nutella sandwich for each of the girls.)

(But for this week, it's hummus and hard boiled eggs and homemade pizza rolls and turkey wraps.)

(Chips, absolutely not. Organic pretzels, of course.)

Keep your eyes on the Adams' lunch boxes. Watch for that quick slide into pre-packagedness.

Again, watch.

While we watched the weather yesterday and walked outside a few times, it was only until G took out the trash. (The Petri girls . . we can fill a trash can like none other, we just struggle with taking it out.) As he rounded the corner of our house with a full bag of trash, he saw something that none of us expected.

A downed tree. A fallen oak.

On to the swing set. Not the new fence, not the house. I guess there was just enough wind to take it out. With offers from friends, we should have a fire wood sale sometime soon (when the wood dries.)

Watch for that. It will have to be a random Saturday or Sunday where there is no Lee game, no Baylor game or no film watching. November?

With us settling in for another day of watching -- with a brief trip to get hair done and maybe a quick run into HEB -- we might get a bit tired. We might get sore from just sitting. We might be over television (can you imagine the Adams' being over television!?). We might want to do something.

Ken is telling us through Facebook Live in Romans 15 and 16 that Paul encouraged us to walk among others and to be unified. He says to welcome one another and demonstrate the unity of the body of Christ. Right now, there's need to be addressed. We've watched the weather and the storm and the evacuees come from coastal areas. We've talked about texting the Red Cross so that $10 is donated. We've wondered out loud how we can help.

Our simple acts of serving can be a demonstration of unity. Yes, people will notice. People will watch. But we aren't doing it for recognition, we're serving because we are called to do so. Maybe we can do it from our living room. Praying, posting encouraging comments and collecting goods around the house to donate are all ways to serve.

It was hard to watch the reporting from one of our favorite places, Port Aransas. We were able to visit twice this summer and had tried to get back a third time. We are so familiar with the roads, the shops, the buildings and can recognize them even from an aerial or blurry, water-logged television camera. G is familiar with those waters because he has fished almost every inch of them around Port Aransas (and all the other places he tells me but I just lump into Port A).

When we watch the coverage, we are so sad. We see places destroyed. We remember we were just there. We wonder of other spots we haven't yet seen. We want to go down now for our third visit and help. We are having a hard time watching and not being able to do.

Ken said, 'This unity we are seeking, there are going to be people who claim faith in Christ and will try and get in and cause division.' Even at times such as these, we'll watch people who may be divisive. But, we can't judge. We just have to pray. We have to welcome others. We have to watch.

Romans 16:17 reads 'I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.'

Trash collection is tomorrow. We've accumulated a lot of the past couple of days. We can clean out a refrigerator because of bad food and because we are just snacking and eating as we watch weather coverage. Sure, I could write, get rid of those other things like 'smooth talk and flattery' that belong to those who don't serve the Lord (Romans 16:18), but that's too easy.

What's tough is watching for how we can serve and then serving. What's harder is watching for things to do that continue the work of Jesus. What's difficult is watching friends, family and fellow Texans struggle and suffer, and finding something that is meaningful.

Here's what you can do. Pray. Recognize those who are serving as Paul did in the first 16 verses of Romans 16. And, watch for those opportunities to serve and demonstrate unity.