Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

When you take the grandchildren on vacation to where their mother grew up (Andrew and Naomi were 14 and 12 when we left Pensacola in October 1996), a couple of the days absolutely have to be about reconnecting with the history.

We started, of course, in church. Trinity Presbyterian is where Rebekah served 14 years as associate pastor and ministry colleague with Frank Beall. You can read about our Sunday morning at Trinity in this post – “Is Anything Too Wonderful for the Lord?”

Then, Monday morning, we parked alongside our old Piedmont Road house, wondered at the strange things that have happened to the property, then walked up to Cordova Park Elementary School, including passing by their best friends’ house, the Harrisons (it still looks “right” – see photo in gallery at end).

Our former home was built around 1958 as a ranch with a roomy carport. We did things such as landscape, restore the original wood floors, add a large deck, and update the kitchen. Since we left in 1996 the house has been virtually gutted inside and redesigned as a new floor plan, the window placements changed, front garden hardscaped, and the carport turned into a garage.

Cordova Park Elementary:

Up at Andrew and Naomi’s old school, current Principal Aggie Bauer noticed Rebekah and the kids outside and invited them in for a tour. What a delightful and gracious person! She has tremendous respect for the integrity of the school’s exceptional heritage, loves the community, and was so generous with her time and attention to David and Beks.

She topped off the visit by digging out Cordova Park Elementary T-shirts for them! What a serendipitous hour.

Lunch on Perdido Bay:

Then, more generosity, we were invited to lunch by an old friend, Walter Urquhart. He is retired and living in a beautiful location on Perdido Bay. We ate on the back porch at his lady friend (and neighbor) Deborah’s home.

It was great to sit in the open air, take in the view, talk and talk, and watch the children splash around in the pool. Again, a couple of hours of generosity, grace, and serendipity.

Frank and Sylvia:

We rounded out the day by meeting Frank and Sylvia Beall for dinner at Azalea Trace, the retirement community where they have a lovely apartment.

Frank was such a key mentor and friend in Rebekah’s early ministry. He took a huge stand in favor of women serving as pastors. And, as senior pastor at one of the most vibrant Presbyterian congregations in Florida, his leadership and his generous spirit paved the way for Rebekah to step in and do cutting-edge ministry in new and creative ways.

As a team, Frank and Rebekah were a powerful and effective force for the Kingdom of God in and around Pensacola. What a privilege it was to serve together, and what profound joy to spend the evening catching up and sharing memories.

David and Beks handled the day like troopers. They were open hearted, patient, polite, gracious, and a joy to be around. What great grandkids we have.

I will be wrapping up the Pensacola Adventure in the next couple of days. Stay tuned for just a little more to come.

In thanks and gratitude – DEREK

Photos – in order (labeled if you look closely): Cordova Park, then lunch on the bay, then at dinner with the Bealls: