April 19 – “Oh, you mean …”

Saturday evening we had a great meal with our friends from Arlington, Wayne and Sheri.  They treated us to the delicacies of Katy’s Seafood Restaurant on Harborside Drive near the docks.  Great ambiance.  Great food.  And lots of it.  Food, not ambiance.  Really big portions, but we ate inside rather than on the patio.  It was still cold outside.  Somebody get the memo to the weather that it is time to stick to warm from now on.  Wayne and Sheri joined us for church on Sunday as well, before they headed back home.  It was really good to see them.  We spent a lot of time talking about what to see in Hawaii.  It’s a favorite destination of theirs.  We are pining to check it off as a bucket list item.  Maybe next Spring …

 

Speaking of Sunday morning, we had some other special guests as well.  The Humphries family came in from Alaska just to be with Seaside.  Well, I guess they have other stops in mind as well.  They did live in the Austin area for a long time.  But it was great to have them.  They shared a brief testimony during the service, then gave us the expanded version during dinner on the grounds.  And there was a pretty good crowd present to welcome them.  50 plus brave souls out in the chilly, low-60’s weather.  Oh, and one quick little anecdote.  William and Elliott (ages nine and eight) both fell sound asleep during church.  Way too much excitement for them, what with a plane ride and then a rented RV to live in while in Texas.  I sat next to William at lunch and he asked me, “Did I sleep through everything today?”  I told him, “Yes, pretty much.  But I bet you were tired.”  He shook his head, pondered for a moment, then said, “Well, what did I miss?”  And he wasn’t kidding.  He wanted a synopsis of the sermon.  I told him we talked about Jesus’ cousin John the Baptist.  He considered that for a minute, then his eyes lit up.  “Oh.  You mean John the BAPTIZER.”  Right, William.  I stand corrected. 

 

Since we were talking about how John was testifying about who Jesus was, we also heard a testimony from another Seasider Marc.  He has had a fascinating life as the child of parents in the service overseas.  He had a clear encounter with God while a teenager in Germany.  Then his life changed again as a result of his connection with his new bride when they got married and started attending church together.  Awesome story, Marc.  And as was said yesterday, it is MARC’s story, not anyone else’s.  God loved him right where he was in Germany.  God loved me right where I was in Galveston.  We each have different stories bound together by the love of the same God. 

 

Hosea 6:6 says, “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.”

 

Father, thank you for the chance to see some great friends yesterday.  Bless Wayne and Sheri and the Humphries Family and Marc and Susan as they all serve you where they are as who they are.  Amen.