March 4 – “Some Spirit Stories”

Here are a few anecdotes from another rousing, roaring day at Seaside. 

After church Cathy approached me with a concerned look on her face.  She said, “Pastor Kelley, you and Jim (The worship pastor) have me all confused and I don’t know what to do.”  Well, a start like that certainly gets one’s attention.  I gave her all my focus and asked what in the world was wrong.  She explained, “Well, the Visual Verse today was all about ‘Don’t get drunk with wine’ (Ephesians 5:18).  And then Jim announces a song and we sing, ‘Water he turned into wine.’  What am I supposed to do with that?”  Very funny, Cathy.  I told her to just don’t get drunk … period.

The second one was a story that Doug shared.  He’s the just-turned-70-year-old guy whose wife just died, so he is still a little frayed in the nerves.  But here is his story.  “I was in WalMart and they were about to close, so I was hurrying to check out.  I was looking for one of those self-check lines, and I asked a guy I saw if these were the self-check lines.  He immediately took offense at that and became belligerent.  He bristled up like a rooster and said, ‘Did you say something to me?  You want a piece of me?  Bring it on.  The back of the line is way back there.’  I tried to remain calm, but my Vietnam training kicked in.  I immediately began looking for avenues of escape and ways to attack that would leave him at a disadvantage. 

“As I considered my options, I heard a voice next to me.  It was a little 14-year-old boy and his girlfriend.  The boy rather shyly asked me, ‘Do you want to pray?’  Stunned into attention by this young angel, I immediately forgot the confrontation and replied, ‘Of course I do.  Let’s pray.’  The young man stuttered and stammered, but he made his way through a prayer.  Then I said, ‘Well, let me pray now.’  So instead of looking for ways to fight him, I prayed for that other guy who seemed to really need the Lord.  Those two kids were in town for a church retreat.  Or maybe they were angels, I don’t know.” 

Well, whoever they were, Doug, they called you “back from the brink,” so to speak, to a Christ-like lifestyle.  Nice job, youngsters.  And nice job responding to their urging, Doug.

Romans 15:4 says, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”

Father, thank you for those two youngsters who showed Doug another way – your way.  Bless their time here and give them a safe and spiritually full retreat.  Amen.