A Cup of refreshing
I got to Nashville a little before noon on Saturday, and was greeted by a couple we have been friends with for several years. They drove from Murray to pick me up. On our way back to Murray, we stopped in Clarksville for lunch. Since Gene doesn't like Cracker Barrel (my favorite restaurant) we ate at Red Lobster. The trip and lunch gave time for visiting and catching up. They dropped me off at my parents' house. As we pulled in the drive-way, we noticed a few tree branches on the ground and a rope hanging from near the top of a tree that reached probably about 50 feet into the air. I was a little nervous at first, but I knew my dad could not possibly have climbed that tree. He hadn't. And he wasn't even doing any of the work associated with getting the branches trimmed. That was a relief. (Not that long ago my dad had purchased a new chain saw. He wasn't able to start the pull one, so he bought an electric one!)
My dad was going to a reunion for people who had lived in their small town more than 40 years ago. He allowed as how he didn't really care anything about going. I asked why go then? He said he was going this year, because he didn't know if he would be around to go next year. He asked if I wanted to go with him. I told him I would pass on that. Mom wasn't feeling well, so she was mostly lying down to rest. She told me that I could use the car if I wanted to go anywhere. I told her I really didn't have anywhere I wanted to go. Then I remembered that my best friend, Pat, had told me her family was having a family reunion. I decided to head over. It had been a long time since I had seen her brothers. Her cousins were coming in from Texas. In the years between college and marriage, she and her siblings, my younger brother and I, and a few other neighborhood "kids" had formed a youth group, before there really were youth groups. We did things together - bowled, went to movies, went on hayrides, sung at the nursing homes, and had a great time. As I drove along the rode towards her parent's farm, I remembered those times. I passed Nancy's house, and thought about our group. The corn crops took me back to my childhood. I passed the country church where my dad grew up, where my oldest brother, who died in infancy, is buried. I pulled in the driveway right behind Pat. Her older brother was there. I hadn't seen him in maybe 30 years. He said I hadn't changed a bit. A wonderful lie. He still looked the same (except for the gray hair). I know most of her family. It was like a family reunion for me. We visited and reminisced. And there was so much food. And home-made ice cream (including strawberry!).
My husband and I feed college students many times on Sundays. It's something we have done for years. One of Pat's cousins was one of the first, if not the first. He was there. He's now a doctor - an internist in Houston. We had a great time visiting. Now his nephew is at ACU, and has sat at our table. My daughter refers to him as "cousin Cliff."
I stayed much longer than I had thought I would. It was a feast for my soul. A time of refreshing after a spring of sorrows.
Sunday morning, I drove my parents to the small church where my dad preaches. My mom wasn't up to sitting through the two hours necessary to attend the Bible class, so we only went for "preaching." The church members welcomed me warmly and inquired about her, as this was her first time out since being in the hospital. This Sunday happened to be "Homecoming" at Coldwater, the little town they live in, and the church my dad's mom attended much of her life. Mom wasn't up to going to lunch there, so she had asked me to take her home and then take Dad over to the potluck lunch. Dad didn't think he would go. I asked him if he didn't want to go. He said he did, but he didn't think he would. (Remember Saturday night - he didn't want to go, but he would!!) After discussion, he decided to go. More homemade food than you could imagine. He saw old friends, and I saw a few people I knew. We took a plate home for Mom.
Last night I went to church in Murray. Technically, it's not our home church because they have a new location. But it still feels like home. The church had just experienced the loss of a young mother. A sudden death that made no sense. A prayer, led by a young man we had watched grow up, moved me to tears, as he sobbed his way through the prayer. This was their monthly singing night. Singing renews my soul. About halfway through the service, it hit me. I had been trying to get to Kentucky for several months. The timing never seemed to work out. Something was always coming up. And it hit me. This was God's timing. God said, "You needed to be here now." For the Sloan reunion. For this prayer. For this singing.
Isn't it amazing how God works. First, he put me in the paths of those who were hurting, so that I might minister to them. Then he sent me home at just the right time that I might be renewed.
Dear God, I thank you for the blessings of friends, of fellowship, of family and renewal. Thank you for your loving mercies and for lifting me up and blessing me. Keep me safe and bless my family as we are apart. In your loving name. Amen
My dad was going to a reunion for people who had lived in their small town more than 40 years ago. He allowed as how he didn't really care anything about going. I asked why go then? He said he was going this year, because he didn't know if he would be around to go next year. He asked if I wanted to go with him. I told him I would pass on that. Mom wasn't feeling well, so she was mostly lying down to rest. She told me that I could use the car if I wanted to go anywhere. I told her I really didn't have anywhere I wanted to go. Then I remembered that my best friend, Pat, had told me her family was having a family reunion. I decided to head over. It had been a long time since I had seen her brothers. Her cousins were coming in from Texas. In the years between college and marriage, she and her siblings, my younger brother and I, and a few other neighborhood "kids" had formed a youth group, before there really were youth groups. We did things together - bowled, went to movies, went on hayrides, sung at the nursing homes, and had a great time. As I drove along the rode towards her parent's farm, I remembered those times. I passed Nancy's house, and thought about our group. The corn crops took me back to my childhood. I passed the country church where my dad grew up, where my oldest brother, who died in infancy, is buried. I pulled in the driveway right behind Pat. Her older brother was there. I hadn't seen him in maybe 30 years. He said I hadn't changed a bit. A wonderful lie. He still looked the same (except for the gray hair). I know most of her family. It was like a family reunion for me. We visited and reminisced. And there was so much food. And home-made ice cream (including strawberry!).
My husband and I feed college students many times on Sundays. It's something we have done for years. One of Pat's cousins was one of the first, if not the first. He was there. He's now a doctor - an internist in Houston. We had a great time visiting. Now his nephew is at ACU, and has sat at our table. My daughter refers to him as "cousin Cliff."
I stayed much longer than I had thought I would. It was a feast for my soul. A time of refreshing after a spring of sorrows.
Sunday morning, I drove my parents to the small church where my dad preaches. My mom wasn't up to sitting through the two hours necessary to attend the Bible class, so we only went for "preaching." The church members welcomed me warmly and inquired about her, as this was her first time out since being in the hospital. This Sunday happened to be "Homecoming" at Coldwater, the little town they live in, and the church my dad's mom attended much of her life. Mom wasn't up to going to lunch there, so she had asked me to take her home and then take Dad over to the potluck lunch. Dad didn't think he would go. I asked him if he didn't want to go. He said he did, but he didn't think he would. (Remember Saturday night - he didn't want to go, but he would!!) After discussion, he decided to go. More homemade food than you could imagine. He saw old friends, and I saw a few people I knew. We took a plate home for Mom.
Last night I went to church in Murray. Technically, it's not our home church because they have a new location. But it still feels like home. The church had just experienced the loss of a young mother. A sudden death that made no sense. A prayer, led by a young man we had watched grow up, moved me to tears, as he sobbed his way through the prayer. This was their monthly singing night. Singing renews my soul. About halfway through the service, it hit me. I had been trying to get to Kentucky for several months. The timing never seemed to work out. Something was always coming up. And it hit me. This was God's timing. God said, "You needed to be here now." For the Sloan reunion. For this prayer. For this singing.
Isn't it amazing how God works. First, he put me in the paths of those who were hurting, so that I might minister to them. Then he sent me home at just the right time that I might be renewed.
Dear God, I thank you for the blessings of friends, of fellowship, of family and renewal. Thank you for your loving mercies and for lifting me up and blessing me. Keep me safe and bless my family as we are apart. In your loving name. Amen
posted by pawatson at
6/12/2006 11:03:00 AM
