If we are the body…

Have I told you I love my church lately?
It’s been a long weekend. I’m sure it will seem even longer tomorrow morning if I don’t head to bed VERY soon.
But no matter how long a weekend, no matter how tired I am tomorrow, no matter how sore or stiff I might be tomorrow, it was all worth it to see the body of Christ truly working as the body of Christ.
A month or so ago our community group had the idea of helping our pastor Brian Treadaway with some weekly duties and such. We didn’t know what that entails but we knew we wanted to help however we could.
That conversation led into how can we help Brian and his wife and his family and thus an entire weekend was planned.
Brian and Heather made a list of “honey-do” projects around their house that they either had not completed or simply needed to get started on.
Some of the items on the list included painting outside trim, cleaning brush in the backyard and laying tile in the living room.
The youth group meets at their house every week and with them and their five kids its no wonder they have a few spills from time to time.
Our group discussed it and before long the project snowballed and people from all over the church were getting involved.
So this weekend was go time.
A number of us showed up around 5:30 on Friday night and worked till near mid-night ripping out the old carpet and then busting tile out of their kitchen and breakfast nook. We decided to carry the tile work into their kitchen so the two areas wouldn’t clash.
Saturday morning we began work by 8:30 and we began to lay tile in the living room and the kitchen.
I’ve never been more impressed with a group of people – especially novice tile layers.
I’ve never actually tiled before and somehow I trained Laurie, Amber and Shari to do it after I watched Josh some on Friday night.
I must tell you — my wife to be is a tile laying fool.
Between her and the other two women, they tiled the entire living room in four or five hours. Laurie and I started in the kitchen before Josh trained a couple youth and another volunteer and they took over.
I’m telling you. It was a sight to see.
Miguel showed up and painted the entire house.
Jose and his dad Rodrigo helped bust tile up on Friday night and came back to work on the backyard fence that they had fixed/repaired/replaced much of earlier this month.
Rodrigo and his wife along with Jose’s wife and mother-in-law cooked up an awesome dinner of fajitas, rice and beans.
Jay took to scraping up the old thin set in the kitchen right away and by the end of the night he was laying, measuring and cutting tile.
Chris showed up and did a lot of scraping and helped Miguel paint.
PJ and Jonathan from the youth group were some mad workers as they scraped old linoleum, thin set and more as well as laying, measuring and cutting tile before it was all said and done.
Dennis cut down trees and brush that needed cleaning.
Beth, Marni, Shalyn and Sarah cleaned bedrooms and bathrooms.
Lon and Tristi came on Sunday to help clean up and lay grout.
Richard sang and danced to New Kids on the Block while he cleaned up brush.
Smiley scraped thin set and helped with the brush and tree trimming.
Brandi climbed trees with a chainsaw between her teeth and I think she probably hung upside down by her feet while she cut tree limbs.
Shane did an AWESOME job rebuilding drawers in the kitchen with the fronts that were on the old drawers.
And I’m sure I’m still missing some folks. We had over 30 people come and go throughout the weekend.
It was truly a great thing to see. I’m glad I was able to be a part of it in a little way.
There are several other things in the works to continue the project but I’ll wait on those for now.
For those who donated food, time, money, elbow grease and more — thanks for being a light for Christ. Thanks for giving of yourself for someone else.
Laurie said she got a lot of great photos which we’ll post soon after Brian and family have a chance to see their house. They’ve been staying with Heather’s parents over the weekend and aren’t expected back to their house until Monday afternoon.

Read more on Laurie’s blog

New blog tease

I’ve just finished setting up and importing Laurie’s new WordPress blog. I’m not even sure she knows it yet.
She picked a fun template that utilizes Widgets. Made setting up a little different. I’m still a fan of coding things out when I can but my first go around with widgets in WordPress was a good experience.
She also picked a fun template that was written all in German. I thought maybe it was just one or two words but nope – all the links like, “Post a Comment” and so forth were all written in German.
So I had to go into each page and change all the links to English. Hopefully I got them all, but if not, let me know.
So in case you can’t guess or remember what her new blog address is, visit: www.casadeblundell.com/laurie. I wouldn’t count her old blog out just yet but you never know.
Feel free to drop her a line in either location.

Thomas Lehmann – Feb 11, 1947 – March 23, 2006

Please keep my best man and his family in your prayers today…

Tom Lehmann

LEHMANN,, THOMAS VICTOR 59, went to be with his Lord and Savior Thursday, March 23, 2006. Tom was born Feb. 11, 1947, in San Diego, Calif. to Robert and Lorraine Lehmann. He met his wife Susan Hinton in front of the Dixie Dog Stand in Sulphur, Okla., where both were attending a church camp revival meeting. The two married soon afterwards in Dallas at the Boulder Drive Church of Christ on Jan. 19, 1968. Tom was a traveling evangelist and he and his wife started their new family as they served at at various churches in Georgia, Ohio, Missouri, California and Texas. The two finally settled in the Dallas area in 1971. For the next 31 years Tom worked in route sales including a 16 1/2 year career with Little Debbie. Tom was an active member at Metropolitan Bible Church in Dallas for over three decades. He served as a youth worker, deacon, and Sunday school teacher. Tom was known among his friends and co-workers as a man of integrity with a great sense of humor. He was a humble, sweet spirit who loved his entire family, especially his grandchildren, but most of all the Lord Jesus Christ. He often expressed himself through his music and humor and showed demonstrative love to everyone he came in contact with. His parents, brother Robert, and son’s fiancee Amy Blundell preceded Tom in death. He is survived by his wife, Susan, four sons and their families; Paul and Naomi of Mesquite. Tim and Amber of Rowlett, Aaron and Keri of Cedar Hill and Matt of Waxahachie; five granddaughters; one grandson; two step-granddaughters and two step-great-grandsons, and sister Darlene Lehmann of Lakeside, CA. Visitation will be held 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday. March 27, at Grove Hill Funeral Home in Dallas. Funeral services will be held at 10a.m., Tuesday. March 28, at Metropolitan Bible Church in Dallas, with Rev. Keith Treadway and Rev. Charles R. Diffee officiating, Interment will follow at Grove Hill Memorial Park. Memorials may be made to the Amy Elizabeth Blundell Memorial Camp Scholarship at Metropolitan Bible Church. 8501 Bruton Rd., Dallas, Texas. 73217 Dignity Memorial Grove Hill 3920 Samuell Blvd. Dallas (214) 388-8887.

A Life Worth Living

A Life Worth Living – written March 22, 2005 (published the following week)

Amy E. Blundell (Dec. 2004)

Last week as many of you may know, my family buried my sister Amy. I never dreamed that day would come. I don’t think anyone did.

Amy was full of life, energy and love for her friends, family and most importantly her Lord and Savior.

I was honored to write Amy’s obituary, but I felt inadequate as I finished the biography of 24 years.

How could 24 marvelous years be summed up in 329 words?

We sat on Tuesday afternoon going through boxes and boxes of photos Amy had collected during her short life.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how could 329 words suffice?

I began to wonder how long my obituary might be.

I’m certain its length would be longer. I am two years older than Amy and she always considered me the “social butterfly” of our family. While I was always ready to jump into the next big thing, she was quietly memorizing scripture or spending time with her closest friends.

I remember after I transferred to The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Amy would be frustrated when people knew her as “Jonathan’s little sister.”

After all, she did arrive at UMHB an entire year before I did.

She was never the outgoing, outspoken member of our family.

As a middle child I think she gave up trying to steal any talk-time or spotlight away from our youngest sister or me.

But a long obituary means nothing. A life worth living is measured by quality and not quantity.

I may live to be 99, but I will always question if my life was any where near worthy of hers.

Only 329 words for an obit, but those boxes and boxes of pictures really do say so much more.

As you look through them they’re not a “who’s who” of Mesquite, Belton, Dallas or anywhere else. But they’re a “who’s who” of who really mattered to Amy.

No matter how many boxes you went through, you didn’t find too many new faces.

Amy’s group of friends were small – but they were so very close.

She wasn’t out to be involved in every club in college. She wasn’t interested in making a name for herself.

She never set out to be Ms. Popular or Ms. I Know Everybody — but her funeral was a testimony that Amy impacted everyone she knew.

She was just here to help those nearest and dearest and live a life worthy of Christ — and in the end she made an impact on everyone she came in contact with.

Because while the faces in Amy’s boxes were few, the lives she touched were anything but.

Everyone who knew her loved her. And to be a part of her close circle meant you were something special.

I never understood why while growing up I went through girlfriends like dirty socks and Amy never dated at all.

It’s because she knew what she was looking for and she wasn’t going to settle for anything less.

She had her list and checked it twice.

If you didn’t meet her expectations, see you later, you won’t get her attention.

That’s why I know God placed her fiancé Matt in her life. She wouldn’t take anything less than God’s best.

When Amy was hitting her early teens I was reminded how she was so worried about how she looked and how no guy would ever want to date her.

My best friend Matt consoled her saying, “Amy you’re beautiful. Someday your prince will come and take you away.”

That meant the world to her and she waited expectantly for her prince.

Her prince finally arrived nearly 10 years later.

Matt came into her life on a white horse and stole her heart away (much to the frustration of a way-too protective older brother.)

But despite any fears or doubts, Matt was Amy’s Proven Prince.

They were so in love. Not only with each other but with their God and Savior.

And as Amy laid in hospital beds and rested at home over the last month, Matt proved himself over and over again to everyone.

There is no one else I would have rather have had standing in my place protecting her from the world and its hurts and pains.

But while Matt was Amy’s Proven Prince here on earth, her Heavenly Prince Jesus Christ comforted her so much more.

She loved nothing more than reading His love letters to her and talking with Him.

She talked about Him constantly. She did everything she could to make Him happy.

And I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that when she walked through the pearly gates of heaven her Heavenly Prince said, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Welcome home.”

My parent’s pastor told the Easter Sunday congregation that he had received an e-mail shortly after Amy’s funeral.

The e-mail said that the writer had never really known Amy but they regretted that tremendously after attending her funeral.

The writer said that Amy was a true example of a life given to Christ and a lifestyle of evangelism.

Amy’s life was a testimony to Christ and a testimony to lifestyle evangelism.

She often wondered how she could reach her co-workers for Christ and how she could reach those around her. But she did it the best way she knew how — living a life focused on Christ.

For many of us, it takes 20, 30, or maybe even 70 or 80 years to figure out this thing called life.

But I’m quite certain Amy had it all figured out when she was three years old, sitting in a bathtub.

She made a decision that would affect the rest of her life, by accepting Christ as her Lord and Savior.

There was no evangelist breathing fire and brimstone down her neck, no flashy media presentation, no pressure to walk the aisle with her friends, just a burning desire in her heart to be like the Christians she knew and more importantly — to be like Christ.

Yet even as I wrap up this column I feel like 1060 words are not near enough.

I could write many more volumes on my sister, Amy Elizabeth Blundell. And even still, she would be embarrassed with the little I’ve written here.

I love you Amy and we all miss you greatly.

Amy Blundell (Dec. 22, 1980 – March 21, 2005)

BLUNDELL, AMY ELIZABETH, 24, went to be with her Lord and Savior, Monday, March 21st at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas after a month of complications. Amy was born in Dallas, December 22, 1980, to Fred and Margery Blundell. She graduated from Poteet High School, Mesquite, in 1999, and also graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The University of Mary-Hardin Baylor in 2003, and was awarded the Golden Cross Award, awarded to the nursing student displaying a “Christian Attitude” in all he or she does. Amy returned to Dallas after graduation and worked as a Labor and Delivery Nurse at Presbyterian Hospital until her death. Amy was an active member of Metropolitan Bible Church in Dallas, where she worked with AWANAS and taught Sunday School. She also participated in the Bible Study Fellowship International and served as a camp counselor at Hidden Acres Retreat Center in Kaufman for several years. She served for a month with The Evangelical Alliance Missions in Germany teaching English as a Second Language to German students. She also volunteered at the Downtown Pregnancy Center in Dallas. On December 28, 2004, Amy was engaged to Matthew Lehmann of Dallas, the two were to be married in May. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, John E. and Rosemarie Blundell. Amy is survived by her parents, Fred and Margery Blundell of Mesquite; her older brother, Jonathan Blundell of Belton; her younger sister, Kara Blundell of Mesquite; her fiance’, Matt Lehmann of Dallas; her grandparents, Deryl and Oleta Knotts of Dallas and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. Visitation will be 6:00 to 8:00pm Friday, March 25, 2005, at Grove Hill Funeral Home. Funeral services will be 10:00am Saturday, March 26th at Lake Ridge Bible Church in Mesquite, with Rev. Charles R. Diffee officiating. Interment will follow at Grove Hill Memorial Park. Memorials may be made to The Downtown Pregnancy Center, 1707 San Jacinto St, Dallas, TX 75201. Dignity Memorial Grove Hill 3920 Samuell Blvd. Dallas (214) 388-8887
Published in the Dallas Morning News on 3/25/2005.
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