Monday, June 2, 2008

Out of the Ordinary

It's so refreshing sometimes when something out of the ordinary happens. Last night was one of those times. I woke up from my Sunday afternoon nap (yay! I got one!) to hear the loud rumblings of thunder. I got up but it was very bright and sunny outside but the thunder continued to rumble. Then about 10 minutes later the wind came. Boy, it was blowing hard but it still had some sunshine. We loaded up in the car and headed to church. After being in the car for about 5 minutes it started to drip drop. To the south over the trees the sky was black with lightening bolts flashing. Creation is such a wonderful conversation piece to talk about God with the children, I am very thankful for it. As we neared the bridge you can see this enormous expanse of sky, the north side of the sky was this glorious light with bright white clouds and rays of sunshine beaming down. On the south of the sky it was pitch black with gray clouds and lightening. The horizon was literally cut in half and you could see both of these skies at the same time. Oh for a wide angle lens it was really awesome!



So as we crossed the bridge we crossed into the delouse. As we arrived at church the rain is just pouring down and even if you had had an umbrella (which we didn't) it wouldn't have helped one bit because the wind was blowing the rain where you got wet vertically and horizontally (does that make sense?)! We dashed about 15 ft up onto the front porch where you would think you would be dry but the rain was coming in sideways and the door was still locked! Brother Robert had just arrived before us and was hurrying around unlocking all the doors. So once everyone was inside we were just having a great laugh at each other because everyone was drenched and everyone had lovely wet hairdo's. We were all supposed to sing an extra hymn as we waited for Brother Chris to get back from preaching at the Williston graduation service, well, that didn't happen. Brother Chris arrived after 6:30 but we were all still drying off and drying up the rain that had come inside the stained glass windows. That wind was blowing hard! As we were there I just looked around and laughed to myself because we were just having a wonderful time of fellowship looking like drenched cats cleaning up rain water and thought that there was no place on earth we would all rather be than right there together at church. We were all able to thank God for giving us all safety in the rain and for being able to come together.

Lately we have been reflecting on the fact of just how grateful we should be for our church fellowship. Every time we see Brother Peter at church we are reminded that in many places people cannot meet together for church freely. We take it for granted so often that we have a fellowship and we are allowed to go to that fellowship without persecution three times a week. What a wonderful blessing God has bestowed upon us! Then as we look around and miss Sister Edna now that she has gone home to be with the Lord we are reminded that we don't know how long we have here and that there are those who are too ill to be able to come up to the house of the Lord and it makes it that more precious. I do not exaggerate when I say that every day, at least once, both C & C ask me or tell me when the next time it is to go to church, whether it's Sunday or Wednesday. Charles and I jokingly talked that we can tell what the children's priorities are by what they ask for: where is Daddy/when is he coming home, can we go to Nama's house and when can we go to church! I pray that God will help us keep their hearts tender to those desires always.

So I guess it really wasn't that out of the ordinary but just a refreshing time together with God just giving us a different atmosphere for our ordinary trip to church! :)

4 comments:

  1. *awww - how sweet & fun - and I appreciate the serious thoughts you put in there. It is true - none of us is promise tomorrow, but sometimes we live like we are.

    You told the story of last night at church in such a way - you made me miss being there! Not that I didn't miss being there...but we were driving home from Williston in that rain. Rain always amazes me - and strikes the awe in me and just the wonder of God's creation. It got really heavy and was a lot to drive in (well, I was riding :) but we made it home safely. We arrived home around 7:30 - 1 hour after church had begun, so y'all were probably finishing up. But we are so exhausted after a wonderful, encouraging day full of fellowship. I told mommy that it was probably a first for being at church for 7 1/2 hours straight!! It was totally worth it and fun though - God is so good!! And then to get to hear our own pastor preach - it was such a blessing!! He is so faithful like you said - and goes the extra mile to bless others but makes sure he is at his own fellowship at the right time!!!

    Well, this was a long comment but I really enjoyed this post. It's been a long day over here, with testing, grocery shopping and all...(late dinner too...) and I'm tired, but it was nice to hop on here and see this. Most times you post there are pictures, but you described it so well that I just enjoyed reading.

    Talk to you later - Good night!! See you Wednesday, Lord willing.

    Oh! To add one more thing - Yes it is so true, our church is a blessing. The fellowship, the fun, the laughter, the smiles & the tears - every bit is worth it and is a blessing to be around people who are likeminded and love the Lord. And I probably take it for granted way too often - to have some of my best friends, encourages & brainstormers right in our church! We missed all of you lots yesterday - but it is also a very nice thing to be able to go to another church and feel that same love and fellowship.

    Love you Jenifer!! Thanks for all you've been to me, you're a great friend. :)

    Love,
    Ruth Ann

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  2. oh my other "one more thing" was this - I thought it was especially cute how you said that the things that C & C value are the things they ask for - like going to church. That is a huge blessing. I know that for some of my younger siblings, at former churches we went to - occasionally it'd be "do we have to go to church?" I don't know why that was...but nowadays I think all of us count the days - the minutes to go back to church! None of us want to miss a time, and are terribly sad if we're sick and can't be there. And again - it's not a place to play around, but it is a place of fellowship - to sing the beloved old hymns - and to be challenged by a pastor who walks so closely with the Lord - to pray and learn to love each other - crying over each other's sorrows and rejoicing in each other's blessings. It is truly a wonderful place to be - and I can say like you "there is no place on earth I'd rather be."

    I'll leave you alone now. :) love you!

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  3. So true Jenifer! I was amazed even in Williston it looked like that. I had to leave the graduation ceremony at one point (ah the joys of motherhood:-) and walked out into the sunshine...and was amazed to hear a crack of lighting and when I looked up I realized that over the road there were HUGE black thunderheads flying swiftly over to the church. I made it back inside just at the rain started pouring down! :-) Morganne;-)

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  4. I came on here to check (computer problems...this is a nice stress reliever!) - anyhow your header picture is really cute! :) And I love the kiddos in orange - so adorable!! Mercy is growing up way too fast. :)

    And ho-ho - what do you mean by old? Just because you've been married 5 years means you're old? Oh btw, you never did an anniversary post, maybe you thought it'd sound funny saying Happy Anniversary to yourself. :) And I didn't think of it till now (the idea of doing a post). Anyhow, y'all are cute too - it's way hard to believe it's been 5 years. Well then, it's 3 years since I graduated high school, which is pretty mind boggling. And my little sis 4 years younger than me is graduating in 1 year! Yikes!!! Well, I'll quit the rambling, just got on a thought process trail right then. I was trying to print up the wheat order receipts, but somehow it just isn't cooperating. I'm trying to hook it up to a printer for the first time. Lord willing I'll get it figured out! (prob. tomorrow as it is way too late now)

    Well...write me if you ever have time. *giggles* ('cause I know it's highly likely that you don't...but still, you can stick that at the back of your mind for just in case you're bored!)

    Life is very busy and I'm staying up way too late these days. And then I come here and instead of emailing you leave you this long comment on your blog. I guess that's kinda weird, but I've already done it now.

    Love you bunches!!
    Ruth Ann

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