July 13 – “We’re pterodactyls”

Almost sixty people gathered under the building yesterday for our Seaside Outside worship service.  There was really a sense of excitement in the air.   Maybe it was just the chance to be outside.  Maybe it was the opportunity to be with people who care.  Or maybe, just maybe, it was the presence of the Holy Spirit.  Yeah, I went and got all churchy on you, I know.  But to quote a certain TV commercial: “Sorry.  Not sorry.”

Before the service started I received a text from one of our folks who is in the hospital.  She was letting me know the doc was planning to release her to go home, but she still had some serious issues facing her in the future.  I typed back, “We’ll keep praying.”  And just before I pushed “send” I noticed that the all-knowing Spell Check had struck again.  It changed my simple reply into, “We’re pterodactyls.”  What?  Where did that come from?  I changed it before pushing send.  What a great way to start the day.  Quite the laugh.

It was baptism day.  The candidates were a young Mom and her son who live in Plano.  As it turned out, I baptized the grandma of the family as well, back right after the events of 9-11.  She was there as well, cheering them on.  Now, we do baptisms in the Gulf, and there was a fair crowd out at the beach when we all walked down from the church.  There were probably 30 or 40 of the church attenders who joined us at the beach as well.  It always causes quite the stir with the sun bathers.  One of the Seasiders stopped me after the baptism.  She said one of those beach-goers had stopped her.  She identified herself as a believer and shared something that she had overheard.  Several families near her had young children.  The kids saw what was happening with the baptism and were fascinated.  They approached their parents to ask what was going on, and the parents were explaining both baptism and Jesus to them.  Great teaching moment.  And great witness for that youngster and his mom.

Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Father, thank you for the excitement in that young mom and her son.  And please use the stir that our presence at the beach caused to awaken a sense of need for you in the hearts of the other beach-goers.  Amen.