May 21 – “Online predators”

 

 

We had a great dinner the other night with some new friends.  I got a call from the half-brother of my niece who lives in Lubbock.  We get to see her every year when we pass through going to Glorieta, New Mexico.  I vaguely remember meeting her brother at her wedding seven years ago, but I certainly haven't seen him since then.  Now he is getting married and wanted me to perform the ceremony.  He and his fiancé were coming to Houston to visit an uncle, so he wanted to get together and talk. 

 

I loved the story of how they met.  They were both playing the Facebook game Farmville.  I have never played it, so I'm not sure of the details, but apparently he needed someone to help him pick pumpkins.  He posted the position and she responded that she was available.  They continued their online "business" relationship until they finally decided to meet.  Sounds romantic, huh?  Not so much to her seventh grade son.  He laughed and told us that he warned his Mom about online predators.  "What if he is a 300 pound motorcycle gang member?"  Well, he was half right.  Scott is pretty thin.  We ate at Shrimp & Stuff, and they even came back for worship at Seaside yesterday morning.  Scott wasn't raised in church at all, so I've been praying for him a lot the last few days.  He seemed pretty interested when we talked about the gospel, and he didn't fall asleep at church, so that's always a good sign. 

 

The wedding will be in Jacksonville, Texas, wherever that is.  He said it was near Tyler.  Don't think I have ever been there, either, but at least I have heard of it.  And it's scheduled for the weekend before we leave for camp.  That will be a hectic one.  We'll go to Jacksonville on Friday for the wedding, spend the night there, then get up Saturday and drive to Victoria to pick up our niece who is going to camp with us.  We'll get home Saturday evening in time to pack so we can leave first thing Sunday morning for New Mexico.  And yes, we will be helping with that drive as well.  Glad Chris loves to drive. 

 

1 John 3:19-20 says, "This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything."

 

Father, keep drawing Scott closer to you.  Amen.