A New Beginning

It never ceases to amaze me that for one that has never really liked to read a lot but would get buried in "Modern Romance", "True Detective," and  "Harlequin Romance", could ever put them all behind and in the Winter years of life become so totally mesmerized with Bible Studies.  God has really shown me where I was and who I was and where He has brought me to be today.  Those books did not satisfy.  They did not fill a void in my life,  They had nothing for me to build on that would last.  And now I have come to a place in my life when I just want to learn and have faith and watch the power of God work in my life and those lives of my loved ones, knowing it is His will to perform and only mine to watch and wait to see unfold.

Yesterday we had our regular church service and luncheon for 5th Sunday, however from 4pm to 6pm we had our Harvest Festival for all the little ones over in our Family Life Center.  I was somewhat disappointed to have our regular service dismissed.  Things had been hectic all day and I had been in pretty much continual prayer because I definitely was not handling things in the manner I sought to handle them from inside my mind where I wanted desperately to serve the Lord.  It is very difficult to teach Sunday School with a heart filled with frustration and anger.  I even let the kids go get a drink so I could pray and ask God to remove these things from my heart that I could somehow convey to these children the power of God when he sent fire from heaven to devour the sacrifice where the wood was covered with 12 barrels of water.  Lord I needed you to remove the 12 barrels of water on the sacrifice of my heart that was willing to worship you, but was frustrated beyond my ability to help myself.

Life did not seem to get too much better as the day progressed but the Lord prevailed and we made it to the Harvest Festival and I enjoyed visiting with two ladies I had never met and with others that came and left our table as they finished their hot dogs or whatever they had to eat.  We went for a hay ride and Alex was a happy camper as I enjoyed visiting with another lady I had never met and life was good.  It is always wonderful to watch the little ones dressed in various costumes.  I especially loved the lady bug, and bumble bees along with bat man, and spider man.  They are all so cute and the little ones that are just learning to walk trying to run are really something to watch and marvel.

Brother Dean had a table sitting on some plastic in the sanctuary where everyone gathered in a small service to end our Festivities.  The church was filled with little ones as well as the older children.  I believe mostly 6th grade down and then all our teenagers which hosted the event and worked the booths.  There were prizes to be awarded and one must be there in order to receive them.  We were to all move closer to the front in order to see which I did willingly up to the 5th row but Alex wanted to sit on the front.  This was the first of Firsts for Alex.  She even went up without me.  This was the second of Firsts.  Brother dean presented the pumpkin and gave his analogy of a parable from the Bible.  He slit some left over parts holding the top of the pumpkin and removed the lid.  Inside he pulled out all the seed and gooey stuff and explained about the sin inside of us.  Ending his sermon after putting the candle inside representing the person had repented of sin, believed on Christ and accepted Christ as Savior, he gave an unusual type of invitation.  He had everyone close their eyes during the song and told the children that if anyone felt they wanted to know more about Christ and salvation to hold up their hand.  Someone would be there to talk with them.

Then afterwards they drew names for the prizes.  I was so surprised when the first prize went to one of my children in my Sunday School class, Collin.  He received a 20" TV.  Wow!  The the next prize was an i pod.  Alex Weed's name was called.  The children on the front murmured, she was right here.  She is here, so they said meet Brother Ryan at the back and claim her prize for her.   My thought was she went to the bath room and I did not see her.  John came running up and said Alex had held her hand up and had gone with some lady to talk with her.  This was the 3rd of Firsts for Alex.  Finally I found out that she had gone with Joy Armstrong, our song leaders wife.  Finally they came out of the nursery and Susan Wilson was also with her.  I knew it was serious for Alex to raise her hand.  Both women felt she was on the edge but just not quite ready to make the commitment or else scared to do so (in my opinion).  Another first for Alex and one for John also was he kept bubbling over about how Alex was so well behaved and had listened to every word not talking like some other of the kids.  John rarely compliments Alex and although Alex is usually pretty well behaved it would have been unusual for her to be with a bunch of kids without an adult and behave so well.

Alex would not talk with me nor Eddie about her thoughts and we felt best to leave her alone until she was ready.  This morning she was acting out refusing to go in and get breakfast not just one place but twice and ended up going to school without any.  I feel she is deeply disturbed by all this and it just thrills my heart that once again God is amazing me with his ways.  We are all in prayer for Alex.  I am excited because I want to watch God work in this and I just want to be privileged to see it happen.  I know He will save Alex.  I know she has that free choice and she is a hard nut to crack but she has been so blessed with having the teachings taught to her and her little heart is ripe and ready.  My prayer is God let me keep my hands off and let those who are as anxious to see her move to likewise.  I know Alex and her personality and it has to come from her in her time and any pushing will turn her away immediately.  Thank you Lord for all you have done for me and my family and for what your about to do.