Hello!!
This is another new adventure for me in the "wide world of blogging". I'm sitting here in a little coffee shop (Jumpin' Java); dressed in my beach attire (big t-shirt, baggy shorts, and ball cap); trying desperately to not be distracted by all that's going on around me.
But because "people watching" is one of my favorite past times, staying focused is extremely difficult for me. This place is swarming with different! Smile.
The two young ladies manning the shop are adorable in their "young-ness"; using terms like "good vibes" and "karma"; sounding a little like "valley girls"; sporting prominently placed tattoos; and reminding me that I'm not in my 20's any longer. I'm also remembering Frank's words to me as I left the beach house to find some internet service. He gave me a bye kiss, adjusted my ball cap and said, "You're wearing beach attire, Honey. You don't look too bad." Interestingly, I hadn't asked him how I look. Hmmmmmm!
I apologize for not writing more often while we've been away; but lack of service has made it hard. Not that I haven't thought of writing because I definitely have. Even vacation has a rhythm of its own and many of our moments while away have been the sort that just beg to be shared.
I sat last night and thought of all the sounds I'm enjoying this week. (Oh my word! This smoothie I bought in order to not feel like a mooch while using their internet is VERY sweet! Ugh. Sorry, I told you I'm fighting to stay focused. Smile.)
Back to the sounds. For a couple of days, my sister and her family joined us. Two of their children are still young so there were the sounds of little voices, little feet, a little bickering, little kisses every morning and BIG squeeze-hugs. Ah, big family is wonderful! They left on Monday headed back to work.
And although the house itself is quiet now, I've loved sitting and drinking in the symphony happening all around us. There's the gentle cooing of doves morning and evening. The other birds sing, chirp and scold while the morning begins with cool breezes and beautiful colors. We're several blocks from the ocean's edge but we can hear the relentless splash of the surf and smell the salty spray. The porch swing squeaks, a small boat putters by out on the intra-coastal waterway, a door swings open and our next door neighbors speak in hushed tones on their own deck. Later in the day the wind will begin to blow; sometimes with great gusto. Yes, it is a symphony to be experienced!
Of course, I am made to wonder at the truth that this goes on all around me when I'm at home too. Only because the sounds have all become so familiar I tend to tune them out. What a shame!
When we lived here, we became acutely aware that there were really two worlds going on at all times. There was the "vacation world" that involved families and friends who were here for one week a year and tried to pack all the excitement, joy, relaxation, fun and adventure they possibly could into seven short days! (Whew, makes me tired to think of it.) Then there was the "working world" which was comprised of people like ourselves who lived here year-round and had to continue with our routine lives while being sensitive to the fact that seemingly everyone around us was in party mode. Quite the juggling act.
(Well, I'm sure I had perfectly lovely thought that would tie all this rambling together for you friends today. Unfortunately, the radio station which is the selection of the workers here at Jumpin' Java has caused me to completely forget it; all I can hear is something that sounds like their singing about "Single Ladies" - a real toe tapper actually. Smile.)
I'll close out now before my battery dies. Hopefully, we'll be back on track next week.
Oh yeah, I remember now. Take a minute to listen with new ears to the sounds around you today; you just may be surprised at what you learn. I know I'm in a state of surprise right now! Smile.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
The Friendship Cake
This is our last morning to be "in the clouds". As soon as the towels dry and the car is packed, we will head out for the second half of our vacation time. And that will be spent in Ocean Isle Beach where we pastored for six years.
Frank and I sat on the porch this morning to enjoy a cup of coffee and watched as the clouds literally swirled in to play around the mountains. For a long time they were simply wisps dancing in between the monstrous land; later the clouds came together to entirely blanket the northern side. Probably in the valley below those clouds it appeared rather dark and stormy. But above all this "cumulus cavorting" (where we were sitting,) the sun was still shining and the breezes were exquisite. Yes, another sermon illustration to be sure. It's truly all about perspective.
We also had a delightful moment of a different sort yesterday. As I mentioned yesterday, the cabin we've been blessed to enjoy is relatively close to the little community where we first pastored some twenty-eight years ago. We lived in a parsonage right by the church and had the privilege of becoming friends with a few of the neighbors.
One dear lady in particular made a real effort to reach out to us soon after we had moved in. Nell Cagle was a hard-working, mountain woman with calloused hands and an extremely tender heart. She was still working full-time at the local factory and doing alterations in the evenings but she made time to "see" us as we tried to set up house across from her.
She has told us many times that she kept watching me and could just tell that I was very lonely. (I was a Floridian through and through. We moved in the winter just as it started snowing; I didn't even own a pair of closed-toe shoes. The mountain culture is very distinct and I just kept making mistakes; it was a tough transition.) She said that one day the Lord spoke to her to take a cake over and introduce herself to that young couple.
For us, she was an angel wrapped up in a sixty year old body! (We were in our early twenties at that time; now I know she wasn't as old as I thought! Smile.) Mrs. Cagle became our home away from home. We ate at her table often: chicken and dumplings, canned green beans from her garden, fluffy biscuits slathered with golden honey. She made a beautiful blue maternity dress for me when we found out I was expecting Kristin. She came over in the snow to pray with us before we left for the hospital. And she cried when we moved away after two years.
Because of her generous love toward us, we've always wanted to stop by and visit if we get close to this area. Hugs are offered, we catch up on life, we laugh, we remember, we pray and slip away. It has been several years since we last saw Mrs. Cagle and we weren't even certain she still lived across the street from the church (which has grown and now has a lovely new sanctuary.)
But we took a chance yesterday and when we pulled up in her yard she cautiously peeked out her screen door. When she recognized Frank, her face lit up like a child's on Christmas. We only spent half an hour with her and at ninety, she does most of the talking now. We prayed for her before leaving, she now has a pretty serious heart condition that the doctors say is inoperable.
Sitting in her humble home, I was reminded of what true wealth means. Friendship extended always manages to come back around and usually in larger quantities. She followed us out to the car and her farewell hugs were a little longer this time. She patted our faces with those precious calloused hands and said, "I'm looking forward to going home just as soon as the Good Lord is ready. When you hear about it, just lift your hands and say, 'Thank you Lord for bringing Nell home.' You'll never know what your visit has meant to me today!"
Hmmmmmm! And to think, it all started because a lonely-looking girl needed a slice of homemade cake.
Frank and I sat on the porch this morning to enjoy a cup of coffee and watched as the clouds literally swirled in to play around the mountains. For a long time they were simply wisps dancing in between the monstrous land; later the clouds came together to entirely blanket the northern side. Probably in the valley below those clouds it appeared rather dark and stormy. But above all this "cumulus cavorting" (where we were sitting,) the sun was still shining and the breezes were exquisite. Yes, another sermon illustration to be sure. It's truly all about perspective.
We also had a delightful moment of a different sort yesterday. As I mentioned yesterday, the cabin we've been blessed to enjoy is relatively close to the little community where we first pastored some twenty-eight years ago. We lived in a parsonage right by the church and had the privilege of becoming friends with a few of the neighbors.
One dear lady in particular made a real effort to reach out to us soon after we had moved in. Nell Cagle was a hard-working, mountain woman with calloused hands and an extremely tender heart. She was still working full-time at the local factory and doing alterations in the evenings but she made time to "see" us as we tried to set up house across from her.
She has told us many times that she kept watching me and could just tell that I was very lonely. (I was a Floridian through and through. We moved in the winter just as it started snowing; I didn't even own a pair of closed-toe shoes. The mountain culture is very distinct and I just kept making mistakes; it was a tough transition.) She said that one day the Lord spoke to her to take a cake over and introduce herself to that young couple.
For us, she was an angel wrapped up in a sixty year old body! (We were in our early twenties at that time; now I know she wasn't as old as I thought! Smile.) Mrs. Cagle became our home away from home. We ate at her table often: chicken and dumplings, canned green beans from her garden, fluffy biscuits slathered with golden honey. She made a beautiful blue maternity dress for me when we found out I was expecting Kristin. She came over in the snow to pray with us before we left for the hospital. And she cried when we moved away after two years.
Because of her generous love toward us, we've always wanted to stop by and visit if we get close to this area. Hugs are offered, we catch up on life, we laugh, we remember, we pray and slip away. It has been several years since we last saw Mrs. Cagle and we weren't even certain she still lived across the street from the church (which has grown and now has a lovely new sanctuary.)
But we took a chance yesterday and when we pulled up in her yard she cautiously peeked out her screen door. When she recognized Frank, her face lit up like a child's on Christmas. We only spent half an hour with her and at ninety, she does most of the talking now. We prayed for her before leaving, she now has a pretty serious heart condition that the doctors say is inoperable.
Sitting in her humble home, I was reminded of what true wealth means. Friendship extended always manages to come back around and usually in larger quantities. She followed us out to the car and her farewell hugs were a little longer this time. She patted our faces with those precious calloused hands and said, "I'm looking forward to going home just as soon as the Good Lord is ready. When you hear about it, just lift your hands and say, 'Thank you Lord for bringing Nell home.' You'll never know what your visit has meant to me today!"
Hmmmmmm! And to think, it all started because a lonely-looking girl needed a slice of homemade cake.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Wish You Were Here!
(Well, this is the third time I've tried to write this post. Hopefully, it will be "third time's the charm"; but we shall see. The internet here is not wireless so I've lost the last two writings. Here goes nothin'. Smile.)
Maybe it would be more accurate to say, wish you were near here. I must admit that Frank and I are enjoying the solitude with only the birds, wind and rain as company.
For a couple of years now, friends of ours have been encouraging us to come up to the Great Smokey Mountains and enjoy the use of their cabin. We finally were able to leave on Tuesday and let me tell you, we are praying blessing on our dear friends for this incredible gift!
Of course, my backside is also acutely aware of the fact that it is an e-x-t-r-e-m-e-l-y long way from Florida to these mountains. The drive was almost eleven hours of steady driving. We aren't like some travelers who dawdle along the way. We view travel as something to be conquered: drive hard; stop only to refuel, grab food, empty bladders; GO! (Makes you want to sign up for our next road trip,right?! Smile.)
But the long journey was well worth the end result. Our friends call their cabin "Master's View" and it is indeed aptly named. The deck offers an incredible view of the valley below; we've eaten every meal out here since arriving. The drive up the mountain takes about eight minutes and requires the navigation of some twenty "switchbacks".
I was driving when we first arrived and Frank laughed out loud at me asking was it at all possible for me to hug the mountain any closer. I ignored him and kept driving close to the left edge; the right edge felt too treacherous for me!
The morning breezes are cool, calling for a lap quilt. A rain storm blew in yesterday with clouds so thick they completely obscured anything beyond twenty feet past the railing. I continue to watch birds flying below us. Baby, we are UP here! And I couldn't be more happy. (Except for the cold I'm fighting off. That's what Puffs tissues and Benadryl are for, right?)
This location lends itself to numerous sermon illustrations which I'll save for when we return home. But there is one thought I'd like to share with you, dear readers.
Our drive here took us through a location where Frank and I served as pastors almost twenty-nine years ago. (We were mere babies; in many senses of the word. Smile.) As we passed familiar landmarks, memories began to tumble around in my head. Some joyful; some not.
But being blessed with the ability to look back on those scenes from this vantage point was really powerful. I pondered how masterfully God took the dark threads of difficulty and wove them together with the brighter threads of great joy to create a much richer tapestry. Difficulty actually served to highlight the joys!
Kind of reminds you of the verse, "He will work all things together for our good." And trust the older lady, He really does!!
Yes, I do wish you were sitting on the deck of a cabin near here delighting with me in this spectacular vista. But no matter where you find yourself sitting today, the position of perspective can bring great peace.
Maybe it would be more accurate to say, wish you were near here. I must admit that Frank and I are enjoying the solitude with only the birds, wind and rain as company.
For a couple of years now, friends of ours have been encouraging us to come up to the Great Smokey Mountains and enjoy the use of their cabin. We finally were able to leave on Tuesday and let me tell you, we are praying blessing on our dear friends for this incredible gift!
Of course, my backside is also acutely aware of the fact that it is an e-x-t-r-e-m-e-l-y long way from Florida to these mountains. The drive was almost eleven hours of steady driving. We aren't like some travelers who dawdle along the way. We view travel as something to be conquered: drive hard; stop only to refuel, grab food, empty bladders; GO! (Makes you want to sign up for our next road trip,right?! Smile.)
But the long journey was well worth the end result. Our friends call their cabin "Master's View" and it is indeed aptly named. The deck offers an incredible view of the valley below; we've eaten every meal out here since arriving. The drive up the mountain takes about eight minutes and requires the navigation of some twenty "switchbacks".
I was driving when we first arrived and Frank laughed out loud at me asking was it at all possible for me to hug the mountain any closer. I ignored him and kept driving close to the left edge; the right edge felt too treacherous for me!
The morning breezes are cool, calling for a lap quilt. A rain storm blew in yesterday with clouds so thick they completely obscured anything beyond twenty feet past the railing. I continue to watch birds flying below us. Baby, we are UP here! And I couldn't be more happy. (Except for the cold I'm fighting off. That's what Puffs tissues and Benadryl are for, right?)
This location lends itself to numerous sermon illustrations which I'll save for when we return home. But there is one thought I'd like to share with you, dear readers.
Our drive here took us through a location where Frank and I served as pastors almost twenty-nine years ago. (We were mere babies; in many senses of the word. Smile.) As we passed familiar landmarks, memories began to tumble around in my head. Some joyful; some not.
But being blessed with the ability to look back on those scenes from this vantage point was really powerful. I pondered how masterfully God took the dark threads of difficulty and wove them together with the brighter threads of great joy to create a much richer tapestry. Difficulty actually served to highlight the joys!
Kind of reminds you of the verse, "He will work all things together for our good." And trust the older lady, He really does!!
Yes, I do wish you were sitting on the deck of a cabin near here delighting with me in this spectacular vista. But no matter where you find yourself sitting today, the position of perspective can bring great peace.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Change of Plan
When preparing to write this afternoon the phrase came to me, "The best laid plans of mice and men....." but I couldn't for the life of me remember who had written the phrase I've so often quoted.
This sent me on a quest to locate the origin and completion of said quote. (Of course, this type of activity would be impossible if we hadn't already started our vacation today.) Thanks to Google.com I'm able to report to you that most of us are aware of this quote because of the book by John Steinbeck Of Mice and Men. However, Mr. Steinbeck is not the originator of this statement. (Que suspicious sounding organ music.)
It actually comes from a poem written by Robert Burns in the 1700's; based loosely on an experience he had when inadvertently plowing up the winter nest of a field mouse. (I hear the collective "hmmmmm" all the way over here in Winter Haven. Smile.) No significance to all this literary rambling - just interesting to me in an odd way.
At any rate, the report of today is that for some reason the Lord has allowed us to be temporarily delayed in heading out for vacation. Our main vehicle is experiencing some technical difficulties. The first problem came up on Friday afternoon; just as Frank was coming back to the church to be slimed. (Yes, the girls won and Pastor Frank was the "slim - ie"! Whew, dodged that bullet.) He was able to take the car to our mechanic but he doesn't work on Saturdays. So we planned to leave around 10:00 this morning.
Fortunately, once the mechanic had the electrical problem resolved he discovered that our air conditioner was not functioning properly. FORTUNATELY?! Yes, I chose that word because we try really hard to choose to see "interruptions" in our scheduling as having purpose.
For example - the electrical problem happened while Frank was driving and he was only ten miles from our mechanic at the time. While this was naturally frustrating, we had to remind ourselves that just 24 hours earlier I was navigating a rain storm on I-4 in bumper to bumper traffic coming home from Orlando; post-op appointment with Meagan's surgeon.
And it's true that we had our instant gourmet coffee already packed and ready for use on the beautiful front porch overlooking our mountain destination (which we would have reached right about, ummmm, NOW.) But we're also thankful that something as major as our air conditioner malfunctioned near the guy who installed it! There is always a flip side of the coin.
Don't get me wrong, I am disappointed. And sometimes disappointment causes me to stomp and flail and say hateful things to anyone who happens to get in my way! But that really does little or no good and I usually feel worse after such a temper tantrum. So........ getting older and realizing these things has some benefits I suppose.
"The best laid plans of mice and men often go askew!" But here's to counting the blessings instead of the aggravations.
This sent me on a quest to locate the origin and completion of said quote. (Of course, this type of activity would be impossible if we hadn't already started our vacation today.) Thanks to Google.com I'm able to report to you that most of us are aware of this quote because of the book by John Steinbeck Of Mice and Men. However, Mr. Steinbeck is not the originator of this statement. (Que suspicious sounding organ music.)
It actually comes from a poem written by Robert Burns in the 1700's; based loosely on an experience he had when inadvertently plowing up the winter nest of a field mouse. (I hear the collective "hmmmmm" all the way over here in Winter Haven. Smile.) No significance to all this literary rambling - just interesting to me in an odd way.
At any rate, the report of today is that for some reason the Lord has allowed us to be temporarily delayed in heading out for vacation. Our main vehicle is experiencing some technical difficulties. The first problem came up on Friday afternoon; just as Frank was coming back to the church to be slimed. (Yes, the girls won and Pastor Frank was the "slim - ie"! Whew, dodged that bullet.) He was able to take the car to our mechanic but he doesn't work on Saturdays. So we planned to leave around 10:00 this morning.
Fortunately, once the mechanic had the electrical problem resolved he discovered that our air conditioner was not functioning properly. FORTUNATELY?! Yes, I chose that word because we try really hard to choose to see "interruptions" in our scheduling as having purpose.
For example - the electrical problem happened while Frank was driving and he was only ten miles from our mechanic at the time. While this was naturally frustrating, we had to remind ourselves that just 24 hours earlier I was navigating a rain storm on I-4 in bumper to bumper traffic coming home from Orlando; post-op appointment with Meagan's surgeon.
And it's true that we had our instant gourmet coffee already packed and ready for use on the beautiful front porch overlooking our mountain destination (which we would have reached right about, ummmm, NOW.) But we're also thankful that something as major as our air conditioner malfunctioned near the guy who installed it! There is always a flip side of the coin.
Don't get me wrong, I am disappointed. And sometimes disappointment causes me to stomp and flail and say hateful things to anyone who happens to get in my way! But that really does little or no good and I usually feel worse after such a temper tantrum. So........ getting older and realizing these things has some benefits I suppose.
"The best laid plans of mice and men often go askew!" But here's to counting the blessings instead of the aggravations.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Honoring Men
To all the men brave enough to read Embrace the Grace (also to those who endure it by listening to their wives read to them - smile) I want to say HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!
This has turned into somewhat of a men's weekend for us. The men shouldered the tear down of all the staging necessary for VBS. They gathered Saturday morning to help a family in our church with an emergency move. Many of our men and younger guys trekked out to the middle of a farm last night for mentoring time. This morning at 7:30 we were putting the finishing touches on our annual Father's Day Breakfast honoring dads. Frank preached a wonderful sermon challenging and encouraging men. And now we'll all gather for dinner at Joy and John's house (I l-o-v-e having married children that like to cook!)
That exceedingly long paragraph was much needed as our society today finds so little to celebrate in regards to the men of our world. Frank concluded our service this morning in a very unusual way. He asked for all the young people to come to the center of the auditorium. He then asked that the men form a circle around them. Finally, the ladies were to encircle the men.
(Cute side note: the men in the room actually outnumbered the women as many of our ladies were serving in nursery, children's church, etc. After surveying the outer circle Frank loudly announced, "Are we out of women?" With a wife and three daughters, Frank has never been out of women! Everyone enjoyed a good chuckle.)
Frank asked that the men begin to pray for the young people and that the women pray for the men. It was an extremely touching and powerful moment for our congregation. Far too often men are the topic of ridicule and jokes; it was wonderful to acknowledge their position of honor for a change. There were plenty of tears (both masculine and feminine) I assure you.
I'll close today with a final story from VBS which I heard this morning. Muhammad is an adorable little guy who is eight years old with bright eyes and a quick mind. He sat on the front row almost every night.
While everyone was cleaning up Friday evening, one of our teenagers stepped outside for just a moment. Suddenly he spotted Muhammad coming back across our parking area on his bicycle. When he got closer, Will realized that he was crying. Apparently soon after he got home, his family became embroiled in a huge fight. Muhammad ran out of the house, got on his bicycle and came back to a place where he knew he would be safe.
Because Will had been one of our helpers all week, Muhammad knew him. Will was able to kneel down and put his arm around the little guy until he could finish crying. Words of counsel and wisdom weren't necessary at that moment. Muhammad only needed a safe spot. Thank heavens he found it at the church.
May church be the "safe place" for us all! Special blessings to all the men in our lives.
This has turned into somewhat of a men's weekend for us. The men shouldered the tear down of all the staging necessary for VBS. They gathered Saturday morning to help a family in our church with an emergency move. Many of our men and younger guys trekked out to the middle of a farm last night for mentoring time. This morning at 7:30 we were putting the finishing touches on our annual Father's Day Breakfast honoring dads. Frank preached a wonderful sermon challenging and encouraging men. And now we'll all gather for dinner at Joy and John's house (I l-o-v-e having married children that like to cook!)
That exceedingly long paragraph was much needed as our society today finds so little to celebrate in regards to the men of our world. Frank concluded our service this morning in a very unusual way. He asked for all the young people to come to the center of the auditorium. He then asked that the men form a circle around them. Finally, the ladies were to encircle the men.
(Cute side note: the men in the room actually outnumbered the women as many of our ladies were serving in nursery, children's church, etc. After surveying the outer circle Frank loudly announced, "Are we out of women?" With a wife and three daughters, Frank has never been out of women! Everyone enjoyed a good chuckle.)
Frank asked that the men begin to pray for the young people and that the women pray for the men. It was an extremely touching and powerful moment for our congregation. Far too often men are the topic of ridicule and jokes; it was wonderful to acknowledge their position of honor for a change. There were plenty of tears (both masculine and feminine) I assure you.
I'll close today with a final story from VBS which I heard this morning. Muhammad is an adorable little guy who is eight years old with bright eyes and a quick mind. He sat on the front row almost every night.
While everyone was cleaning up Friday evening, one of our teenagers stepped outside for just a moment. Suddenly he spotted Muhammad coming back across our parking area on his bicycle. When he got closer, Will realized that he was crying. Apparently soon after he got home, his family became embroiled in a huge fight. Muhammad ran out of the house, got on his bicycle and came back to a place where he knew he would be safe.
Because Will had been one of our helpers all week, Muhammad knew him. Will was able to kneel down and put his arm around the little guy until he could finish crying. Words of counsel and wisdom weren't necessary at that moment. Muhammad only needed a safe spot. Thank heavens he found it at the church.
May church be the "safe place" for us all! Special blessings to all the men in our lives.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Encouraging Words
Tonight is the final night of VBS 2010 at Garden Grove Church and what a week this has been.
Many of the children have given their hearts to Jesus, some have been reaffirmed in their commitment and some are talking to us about how to tell others about His love. (Our theme: Walk with Him; Hear His voice; Answer His call; Tell the world.) We should gain a few "neighborhood missionaries" from this one. Ms. Kristin made very clear in the message last night that we each tell someone in our world - that is obeying the call. Definitely do-able!
It has also been fun to watch our "regular attenders." Sisters like Brenna and Brook; Alana and Kylee - cousins like Ethan and William. GGC is part of everyday life for them. These are children who will probably have the same kind of drug problems I had as a teen-ager. I was drug to church on Sunday morning; drug to church on Sunday night; drug to church on Wednesday; drug to church for revival services.......... Smile.
I've often said that I was a church goer before I was even born! (Mom and Dad met in church; Eastside Assembly of God Church was the epicenter of our social existence.) And now, all these many years later, I'm so glad that was my story. It has become the story of my own children. And it appears, will be the story of my grandchildren.
For someone to be saved out of a life of sin is a marvelous thing. But for anyone to be saved from a life of sin is just as miraculous, I believe. So we do our best to provide eternal truth in kid-friendly packaging.
Thus, I or my husband will stand tonight under the slime bucket willingly. (Well, if it ends up being me, I will sort of willingly stand under the bucket. Smile.) Because I saw the sheer delight in Lexie's eyes last night as she excitedly reported that they had brought five visitors to put the girls ahead in points. (Way ahead, I hope!) And because I know that Caleb is making calls, inviting friends in order to help the points on the boys' side.
Perhaps this would be a good time to try and learn how to post pictures with my blog. (Please remember that you are reading the words of a severely techie-handicapped individual.)
There really is great joy for us in knowing that somewhere in that crowd of rowdy children there is one who is being "drug to church" consistently that will very likely grow up to be "just like Ms. Kristin" or "just like Pastor Frank." And that gives me great hope!
Many of the children have given their hearts to Jesus, some have been reaffirmed in their commitment and some are talking to us about how to tell others about His love. (Our theme: Walk with Him; Hear His voice; Answer His call; Tell the world.) We should gain a few "neighborhood missionaries" from this one. Ms. Kristin made very clear in the message last night that we each tell someone in our world - that is obeying the call. Definitely do-able!
It has also been fun to watch our "regular attenders." Sisters like Brenna and Brook; Alana and Kylee - cousins like Ethan and William. GGC is part of everyday life for them. These are children who will probably have the same kind of drug problems I had as a teen-ager. I was drug to church on Sunday morning; drug to church on Sunday night; drug to church on Wednesday; drug to church for revival services.......... Smile.
I've often said that I was a church goer before I was even born! (Mom and Dad met in church; Eastside Assembly of God Church was the epicenter of our social existence.) And now, all these many years later, I'm so glad that was my story. It has become the story of my own children. And it appears, will be the story of my grandchildren.
For someone to be saved out of a life of sin is a marvelous thing. But for anyone to be saved from a life of sin is just as miraculous, I believe. So we do our best to provide eternal truth in kid-friendly packaging.
Thus, I or my husband will stand tonight under the slime bucket willingly. (Well, if it ends up being me, I will sort of willingly stand under the bucket. Smile.) Because I saw the sheer delight in Lexie's eyes last night as she excitedly reported that they had brought five visitors to put the girls ahead in points. (Way ahead, I hope!) And because I know that Caleb is making calls, inviting friends in order to help the points on the boys' side.
Perhaps this would be a good time to try and learn how to post pictures with my blog. (Please remember that you are reading the words of a severely techie-handicapped individual.)
There really is great joy for us in knowing that somewhere in that crowd of rowdy children there is one who is being "drug to church" consistently that will very likely grow up to be "just like Ms. Kristin" or "just like Pastor Frank." And that gives me great hope!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Let's Celebrate
Nina has accepted Christ as her Savior!
That is the most fantastic news that can be shared with anyone today. In fact, I really regret that CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX were unable to carry the story because in reality, Nina's decision trumps any other news that could be reported. Don't you think?
Nina is a beautiful little girl that sporadically comes to our church; she lives somewhere in the neighborhood behind us. I say "somewhere" because we don't know exactly which house each of these precious children lives in as the parents prefer we not get too close.
It seems that Neuhart (a gorgeous little girl who is only eleven) is the self-appointed guardian for many of our neighborhood children. She herds them like a mama cat and let me tell you, when she snaps her skinny little fingers and gives one of them "the look" they jump in line! Smile.
Thankfully, for the past couple of years, Neuhart has been herding different ones to our church. That doesn't mean she comes regularly to services. No, that would be too much for her family which we believe to be of Muslim influence. But she comes as often as she can; especially for things like VBS and Break Your Fall. (The time-consuming, expensive type of outreaches that most often cause us to wonder if they are worth all the effort.)
It's also not unusual in the summer months or late afternoons for Frank to be working on a sermon and hear a tapping on the back door of his office. When he looks out, there is Neuhart with a few of the children gathered around. They've just stopped by in the midst of their wanderings to say "Hi."
She ushers them all into his office and beams as Pastor Frank gets each of their names, teases them a little and offers a hug to each one who asks. He complements Neuhart for being the "leader extraordinaire" that she is and then they're on their way. While his sermon preparation is important, he always stops gladly for this moment because it is ministry in its purest form. And some weeks, this is our only contact with Neuhart.
During VBS, Neuhart has been faithful to gather a group each evening and make the trek over to the church on the corner. (That's us.) Nina has been in that group all week. Each night Nina has raised her hand for prayer during the altar time and someone on our team has prayed with her. Last night, I happened to be the one sitting closest to her and was privileged to ask if she was ready to ask Jesus into her heart.
Tears began to slowly drip from her beautiful brown eyes as she simply nodded her head. We prayed a simple prayer together and after Ms. Kristin dismissed everyone, I sat with Nina for a few minutes talking about what her decision meant. True to form, Neuhart appeared from nowhere to sit with us; she gave Nina a big hug and patted her arm. After I prayed blessing on them both, they jumped up and got in line to redeem their prize tickets just like all the other kids. No fanfare, no big tadoo, just a natural response to life's most important question.
The wonderful thing is that Nina's story is being quietly repeated all over our auditorium this week; all over our city at other VBS's this month; all over our country this summer. I choose to believe that there is hope for our world because people are still coming to know Christ as Savior, Lord and dearest Friend. Yep, Matt Lauer should have been there to report it; but since he couldn't I'll share it with you. Let the celebration begin!
That is the most fantastic news that can be shared with anyone today. In fact, I really regret that CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX were unable to carry the story because in reality, Nina's decision trumps any other news that could be reported. Don't you think?
Nina is a beautiful little girl that sporadically comes to our church; she lives somewhere in the neighborhood behind us. I say "somewhere" because we don't know exactly which house each of these precious children lives in as the parents prefer we not get too close.
It seems that Neuhart (a gorgeous little girl who is only eleven) is the self-appointed guardian for many of our neighborhood children. She herds them like a mama cat and let me tell you, when she snaps her skinny little fingers and gives one of them "the look" they jump in line! Smile.
Thankfully, for the past couple of years, Neuhart has been herding different ones to our church. That doesn't mean she comes regularly to services. No, that would be too much for her family which we believe to be of Muslim influence. But she comes as often as she can; especially for things like VBS and Break Your Fall. (The time-consuming, expensive type of outreaches that most often cause us to wonder if they are worth all the effort.)
It's also not unusual in the summer months or late afternoons for Frank to be working on a sermon and hear a tapping on the back door of his office. When he looks out, there is Neuhart with a few of the children gathered around. They've just stopped by in the midst of their wanderings to say "Hi."
She ushers them all into his office and beams as Pastor Frank gets each of their names, teases them a little and offers a hug to each one who asks. He complements Neuhart for being the "leader extraordinaire" that she is and then they're on their way. While his sermon preparation is important, he always stops gladly for this moment because it is ministry in its purest form. And some weeks, this is our only contact with Neuhart.
During VBS, Neuhart has been faithful to gather a group each evening and make the trek over to the church on the corner. (That's us.) Nina has been in that group all week. Each night Nina has raised her hand for prayer during the altar time and someone on our team has prayed with her. Last night, I happened to be the one sitting closest to her and was privileged to ask if she was ready to ask Jesus into her heart.
Tears began to slowly drip from her beautiful brown eyes as she simply nodded her head. We prayed a simple prayer together and after Ms. Kristin dismissed everyone, I sat with Nina for a few minutes talking about what her decision meant. True to form, Neuhart appeared from nowhere to sit with us; she gave Nina a big hug and patted her arm. After I prayed blessing on them both, they jumped up and got in line to redeem their prize tickets just like all the other kids. No fanfare, no big tadoo, just a natural response to life's most important question.
The wonderful thing is that Nina's story is being quietly repeated all over our auditorium this week; all over our city at other VBS's this month; all over our country this summer. I choose to believe that there is hope for our world because people are still coming to know Christ as Savior, Lord and dearest Friend. Yep, Matt Lauer should have been there to report it; but since he couldn't I'll share it with you. Let the celebration begin!
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