DAY 31 AUGUST 6 AMERICAN GIRL BIRTHDAY AND JOEL AND VICTORIA AT SOX PARK

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR AUDREY!

We interrupt Boca's shopping on the magnificent mile to bring you Audrey's birthday lunch.  She and her BFF, Hanna, did their gig at the American Girl Store ( 1 of  11-started in 1986 and what an empire it has become).  The inventor of AG is from the Chicago area-70 yrs old now.  Formerly a school teacher and a children's textbook writer.  After selling to Mattel, Ms. Roland along with her hubby are  major philanthropists in Madison Wisconsin-over $205 million gifted.   Ah, I remember those  American Girl days with my Alex. For Christmas, I bought her the new AG doll that rolled out and along with a matching outfit.   "But Mom I don't want t dress like a Pilgrim!"  Some more of that Mommy Dearest stuff I suppose.  A book went along with the ensemble so it was fun to learn about girls from different era's and places.  Molly,  Samantha, Addy, Kirsten, Josephine and more.  My personal favorite was Addy the little black slave girl...you can imagine how that one went.  What?  You know I like everything very authentic Alex...anyway it was a fun lunch and I so look forward to buying for my granddaughter (dreaming) a Rebbecca (a Russian Jew growing up in NYC)- ha- and why didn't they call her Bocababe??  I understand she shops and shops and shops.   Thank you for including me in the fun Audrey!

www.americangirl.com
www.rolandreading.org  -a very cool move Ms. Roland.  Way to go!  I'll let you slide on all that Madison Wisconsin stuff.

Post birthday lunch they headed over to Navy Pier for a boat ride on Shoreline.  Alex has worked on this boat for many summers and enjoys when family and friends visit her.  Invitation to all  to go see Alex and have some fun at the Pier-friends with benefits.


 Alex only texted me 12 times during the luncheon to remind me to drop off a wounded purse for repair at the Channel store (next door).  I gave an old bag of mine to Alex a few years back.   It was in perfectly good shape when I gave it to her.  For gosh sakes it is ONLY  27 years old- and now in need a face lift?   Was she in a bar fight with it??  And speaking of waiting till your parents come to town, nothing screams WELCOME like an empty refrigerator, empty shampoos bottles, a half a roll of toilet paper, and 6 months worth of dry cleaning piled up.

PRAYER-A-PALOZZA NIGHT OF HOPE

Bubs was very happy when I said we were going to the ball park.  Yippee, no more watching a play sitting in one of those theater seats made for a male ballerina.  Great, take me out to the ballgame Boca!  Ah, ahem...Bubs it's not quite what you were thinking.  Actually, no game tonight.  What do you mean no game ?  For the staunchest White Sox fans, this field is already a proverbial place of worship so Boca thought she would mix it up.  Televangelist Osteen to give a sermon at  "Comiskey Park"- now called U.S. Cellular Park.  And as noted for the Palooza...many nuts come out...check out some we saw....  It was fun watching some of the woman have their way with this young man.

My personal favorite was the young man asking if Jesus would eat meat or be a Vegan.  So here we go for the NIGHT OF HOPE.








Osteen, a televangelist and senior pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston reaches over 7 million viewers weekly in over 100 countries and we had the opportunity to see him and his wife Victoria at  Comiskey Park (White Sox Stadium).  Have you been to his church?  Read his books?  Seen him on TV?  This native Texan has quite the following- with 40,000 plus attending one of his 5 weekly church services.  Some say it is the fastest growing church in America.  Back in 2005 after purchasing and  putting $95million in renovations in the Compaq Center, he took the Mega church to a new level.  His wife Victoria co-pastors with him and they also do a blog together.   Some say they could take a few pointers from the Bubba and Boca blog.

This power of positive thinking preacher rocked the house with his perpetual optimism as a rising star in the charismatic movement.  Osteen started touring the country in 2004 and has held more than 100 Nights of Hope.  His events draw as many as 50,000 people (as compared to the Dali Lama who was just here, speaking to an audience of 8,000).  The stadium was just about sold out Saturday night.  When I was a young girl my Dad took us to McCormick Place to see the Reverend Billy Graham- and we loved it!  Bless him- 92 years old and still kicking.


So why would 2 Greek Orthodox (that would be Bubba and Boca) attend when some of Joel's beliefs vary from Orthodoxy beliefs?  Ah, that's ok as we have always appreciated the parts that we have in common- belief in Jesus Christ.  Although some say Osteen is deficient in gospel (hey Joel what about the sinfulness of man and the redemption offered in Christ?).  OkComiskey Park now called U.S. Cellular and my beloved White Sox stadium.  And you know I had a Vienna Hot Dog.

 Loved the hat of the man sitting in front of me.  Can I get an Amen!