This morning was again a bright sunny Sunday morning! Oh, but how my body was telling me going to church was a very bad idea. My body was screaming, "My tummy hurts and I have bad cramps. I am so nauseas I feel as though I am going to vomit!" I told my body I could feel just as miserable at church as I could staying in bed. I was not going to hear any arguments; I was going to church!
Upon arriving at church, I was overjoyed there was a close parking spot. Upon arriving at the front door, I was singing praises because the Pastor saw me and opened the front door. He then caught a bag of egg cartons, which I had brought to give to the food pantry, as they were sliding off my lap. He then offered to put the egg cartons in the food pantry bin for me. (Oh how I wanted to hug him and shout out my praises to God for this kind man's help!) Next, to my joy, the sermon this morning was on Psalm 100. This is my FAVORITE Psalm and perhaps my favorite chapter in the whole Bible. (I was rejoicing and telling my body how many blessings I would have missed if I would have stayed home.)
After church, there is Sunday School. I was on the fence about going to Sunday School. I was feeling really sick. As I stopped at a table to pick up a bulletin, I prayed to God, "Well, this is it. I go to the left out the door to go home or I go to the right to go to Sunday School. I leave this decision up to You to decide for me." About five seconds after uttering this prayer, a woman from Sunday School class saw me and asked if she could push me to class. ("Thanks Lord for answering my prayer!") I gratefully accepted her assistance.
At Sunday School, we were supposed to watch a video. Two technology savvy men attempted for 15 minutes to get everything to work, but the tv and dvd did not want to work together. So, we could not watch the video. Instead, we decided to talk about what we were thankful. Mary Jo shared her thankfulness for her granddaughter and her funeral service. She shared how her granddaughter was at rock bottom with drugs and then turned to the Lord. For three years she grew in her faith until God called her home. Mary Jo added that they discovered her gradnddaughter's diary and how this diary revealed the deep love the girl had for the Lord. Through the girl's incredible transformation and determination to reach out to folks she had injured in the past, she had left a profound impact on so many people. Some of which have re-dedicated their lives to Christ and have gone on to lead others to Christ. What an incredible declaration of how one woman's faith has touched so many people. (During this whole time, I was thanking God for this story and was in awe how this woman's testimony was a continuation of my last blog post, "How will you be remembered?")
After church, I was feeling really lousy. My symptoms had progressed to include a fever and intensified pain and nausea. I really needed milk at the store, but I did not know if I could endure the quick journey in and out of the store. I prayed God would give me the strength needed to get through this next adventure. At the store, the closest parking space to the front door was available. There was a scooter just inside the front door. The store had the kind of milk I like. At the front of the store, there was a cashier waiting with no one in her line. I breezed in and out of the store in mere minutes. In the parking lot I saw a very dear friend. I have not seen her since July. I was filled with great joy to see her smile and to be able to exchange greetings with her. (What a tremendous blessing it was to see her!)
On my way home, my mom called me. She went to a farmer's market and told me a list of produce available. After hanging up the phone, I was reviewing my experience at the store. Suddenly, I remembered I was out of cucumber and forgot to pick one up at the store. No sooner had I thought this than my mom called me back. "Oh, I did not see this, but there are also cucumbers here. Did you need any?"
Overjoyed with gratitude and praise for the Lord, I nearly started to weep at His abundant kindness. If I would have listened to my body, if I would have stayed in bed, I would not have been able to experience so many blessings. One last blessing--five minutes after arriving home, I became very ill. I am so grateful God gave me the strength and health to endure everything and allowed me to be ill in the comforts of my own bathroom. This is a bad way to end a post, but I am tremendously grateful for indoor plumbing, clean water and for God's incredible mercy and grace.
"For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love that you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so." (Hebrews 6:10)
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