Days of Thanks #23

Day 23- Thankful for the fellowship we share with other believers. Enjoyed gathering in our home with the Homebuilders from church last night. Such good food, fun, laughter. Thankful for the ties that bind our hearts.

Post Sunday Thoughts

Some Sunday's are better than others. Yesterday was one of those. Although it was one of the longest, busiest Sundays, God was busy.

1. I finished up teaching in the ladies Sunday school class at church. I've just been filling in while the teacher was out taking care of a family member who has been ill. These ladies have been such a blessing to me. Almost everyone of them is older than I am, so it was a little intimidating sharing my small amount of life experience with them. I discovered how thankful I am that when God's Word speaks it really doesn't matter who is doing the talking...He's louder. We have had some wonderful discussion over some of my favorite Psalms. I've been reminded just how much God cares for us. 

2. We had a musician's meeting after church. As always, when you get a group of creative minds together there are plenty of opinions and dreaming and ideas. I am thankful for the people God has placed together to mesh worship ideas together. I loved hearing a 15 year old young man share his ideas, as well as hearing the ideas of the oldest member of the group. It's beautiful when the body of Christ is working towards the same goal of worshipping the creator. 

3. Savannah sang a solo in church for the first time. She has sung small parts in programs with the kid's choir backing her up, but this was her first time all alone on the big stage. She did so good (well, of course, I am her mom, so I would say that...but some other people said it too). She sang Jamie Grace's Lead Me On. 

4. During the evening service we held our new/perspective members class. We had 11 people at the meeting. We enjoyed fellowship with them and with our officers and staff afterwards. I love those people and their sweet and fun personalities. 

When we finally got home it was close to nine or maybe after...not really sure. We all got in our jammies and vegged on the couch for a little bit. We rehashed the goodness of God on our day and reflected a little on what God is busy doing in our own lives. Bruce talked about the sermon, a meeting with our Caraway Worker's and Savannah rehashed her piano lessons from the day. Tucker told on himself and got a little extra sermon on kindness and compassion. And slowly but surely we all realized how tired we were...

But, as tired as we are post Sunday...we are so very thankful that we get to do this amazing job. 

The Increase

She was in my preschool class the first year I taught. From the first moment I saw her, I knew she was different. I had seen her paperwork and I knew that she came from a troubled home. Mom had abandoned her, dad was in prison and her grandparents were raising her. School started and she was the one who came in with cigarette smoke on her clothes and backpack...she was the one with the hesitant look in her eyes, but always a smile, always.

In October our church hosted a "Friend Day" and I invited all my students to come. But guess which one came? She did. She looked so pretty all dressed up in her cousin's dress that day. She went to Sunday School and Children's Church and then enjoyed a big meal in our Family Life Center. She heard more about Jesus and I wondered if any of it would stick with her.

Christmas came. For the Christmas program a few of the teachers got together to be sure she had a pretty dress for the Christmas program at school. This girl had stolen our hearts. She looked so pretty the night of the program and you could tell she felt special in her new dress.

Christmas went. And she didn't show back up for school. One week and I called her grandparents. No answer. Two weeks...no answer. Then one day the grandma showed up at the school. Mom was back in the picture and wanted her back. I was devastated. Grandma knew this was a bad idea, but the girl wanted her momma and after all momma's are important. The girl moved back in with mom a few towns away.

Living in a small town you run into people at the grocery store, gas station, hair salon. I saw Grandma a few weeks after and not to my surprise the girl was back with her. I was so glad. I knew this was the safest place for her. She didn't come back to school but started kindergarten in public school and finished the year in May.

She was walking down the hall at church yesterday when I spotted her. I had to look twice. Was that really her? I saw one of the bus workers walking with her and then, she spotted me. It was like a scene from a movie...we were running towards each other with arms opened wide. This little bit of a girl had been recruited to ride our bus for church. She had even brought her cousin. We took a few minutes to catch up about how kindergarten had gone and how excited she was about first grade and then she went to class. Smiling.

I walked down the hall with a stray tear or two streaming down my face. One more opportunity to minister to a little girl who has had a rough start. One more chance for this body of Christ to embrace a wounded family. One more time to share love with the fatherless. One more story about Jesus for her to hear. One more answered prayer...

I'm thankful for the bus workers who brought her in, for the Sunday School teachers who always have something for the children to eat in class so they aren't hungry, for the Caraway workers who have their lessons prepared and for Jesus, most of all, for Jesus who welcomes little children to come to Him. In a world where there is so much rejection and family heartache, it's good to see God's family reaching out in Jesus' name. Some plant, some water, but God gets the increase.

The Gift

Ridiculed

Beaten

Bruised

Torn

Thorned

Pierced

Forgotten

Abandoned

Ignored

Rejected

Despised

Burdened

Slaughtered

Sacrificed

Spat on

Yelled at

Bloodied

Broken

Hated

and 

Heckeled

and yet....He was Jesus....God's own Son

Willing 

Devoted

Loving

Prayerful

Committed

Undefiled

Spotless

Controlled

Resolved

Available

Powerful

....Holy

and I am...

Entirely forgiven

Unbelievably grateful

Immeasurably undeserving

Completely humbled

Totally awed

Quietly amazed

Unconditionally loved

and 

Eternally Thankful

....and even then....it seems such a small whisper in the ear of God.