December 24 – “Love it”

Hey, wait a minute.  December 24^th.  Isn’t something supposed to happen today?  Do I have physical therapy?  No (although I do have to call the surgeon’s office this morning about some redness around the suture site).  Nothing specific with the fire department.  Oh, wait. We have a church service tonight that I have to prepare for.  That’s it. But why church on a Monday?  Guess I’ll have to ask one of the grandkids.  Maybe they will know …

What an amazing expression of love yesterday at church.  It was “Love Sunday” on the Advent calendar, so the teaching was centered out of the Book of John (Lots of love there).  There was a lot of hugging and verbal encouraging and all-around loving on each other the whole morning.  Then, when we got to the announcements phase, Lauren asked to make one.  She called Chris up to the front to join us (Chris made it up there, but she was a little hobbled.  She wrenched her back a bit the other day, and it hasn’t calmed down yet).  Then Lauren, fighting back some tears, told us how much we were appreciated by the church.  She handed us an envelope with a card with a very generous love offering inside “to help us out on our Alaska trip.”  As if that wasn’t enough, there was also a present to unwrap.  It was a book from one of those photo companies.  Inside was picture after picture of Chris and me and hordes of Seasiders at different Seaside events through the years.  And between the pics were statements of love and encouragement from individual church folks.  It is honestly one of the most amazing and unexpected gifts we have ever received.  I told Lauren it felt like we ought to be retiring.  She was none too happy about that thought, though.  Not exactly what they had in mind.  I’m glad.  I haven’t heard anything from the Lord along those lines yet.  I guess they just like a little bit over there.  I know we really love those Seasiders. 

Psalms 119:125 says, “I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes.”

Father, thank you for the folks at Seaside.  Bless them mightily for their generosity and expressions of love.  Amen.