A WEEKEND OF STORIES

My last week was a bit hard.  I'm not gonna be fake or be untrue with you.  I had happily finished a big project for my mom which, though an easy process, was a bit hard for me as I've aged.  I've had some health flares during the past week.  I think anxiety about what could happen with these flares sometimes takes a bit out of me.  With all that said, I was anticipating the church deacon's meeting at our house on Friday night as there was a wedding reservation of the church for Friday and Saturday AND I was anticipating a "Nightcare" (yes, Nightcare not NightMare) of the children of The Son-In-Law's Sunday School class' parents as their "Christmas/Super Bowl Party" was to to be at The Girl and The Son-In-Law's house at 5:30 last night.  Kids were also invited but when their rsvp guest list got big (their class is REALLY growing), I asked The Poppa if maybe he and I could try to tend to the potty-trained kids during this time.  The Son-In-Law and The Girl were a bit concerned about The Poppa and me and our older lack of our past energy.  He said, "There could be 15-20 kids" to which I said "If there's 15-20 kids, we will deal and if there's 15-20 kids, you will have to move the venue....your house won't hold the parents".  So a deal was struck.  

On Friday morning, I received a call from an unidentified number.  The two voices were familiar but I couldn't for the life of me recall who they belonged to.  They questioned my identity then I finally realized that the voices belonged to one of my longest friends and her husband.  Quick backstory is that our families met when my dad went to serve as pastor of their church....back in 1958.  Uh huh.  I was very young  but the two of us girls became great friends as did my family with hers.  She was bridesmaid in my wedding, I was a bookkeeper in hers and we kept in touch somewhat through the years.  Her parents have long since gone to be with Jesus.  The Friend actually had a stroke about five years ago in surgery and was immediately transferred to a big city hospital where she spent three months.  The doctors said she needed a warm climate and a daily heated pool so her husband moved the two of them to sunny Florida.  They were actually on their way up from there to visit family here and she had a picture for me and wanted to stop by.  Oh my gosh!  What a delightful time, though short it was, just to see her and to see how far she had come!  She was always so full of life and while her ability to walk and speech have suffered, she still has that glorious smile and soft voice.  What a blessing it was for me to see her!  We did get a photo of the two of us but with respect to her dislike of her photos now, I'm not going to post it.  It's just for me and my memories.   Trust me, it was huge blessing for the both of us.  It made me realize yet again the importance of every single minute we are given.

Later that night, the deacons came and after the meeting enjoyed my cakes and coffee.  I had said it was not a food event but I could not have that many in my house and not feed them something.  It's just simply not in my Southern genetic build.  

Saturday morning saw The Poppa and me cheering on The Grandbaby cheerleader.   Yes, we have become "those" grandparents.

Yesterday saw a great time at Sunday School and church.  Love, love, love seemed to be the popular topic.  I had one of my favorite songs on my heart so I just led it.  It's "I Love to Tell the Story".  Every verse is my favorite.

1. I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
   Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love;
   I love to tell the story, because I know ’tis true,
   It satisfies my longings as nothing else would do.
   • Refrain:
     I love to tell the story,
     ’Twill be my theme in glory,
     To tell the old, old story
     Of Jesus and His love.
2. I love to tell the story, more wonderful it seems
   Than all the golden fancies of all our golden dreams;
   I love to tell the story, it did so much for me,
   And that is just the reason I tell it now to thee.
3. I love to tell the story, ’tis pleasant to repeat,
   What seems each time I tell it more wonderfully sweet;
   I love to tell the story, for some have never heard
   The message of salvation from God’s own holy Word.
4. I love to tell the story, for those who know it best
   Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest;
   And when in scenes of glory I sing the new, new song,
   ’Twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.
5. That a brought us to the "Nightcare".  At church we lost two of the nine children attending from sickness but in the afternoon gained two more from a change in a mom's job scheduling so it was back to The Poppa and me and the nine. The ages were 3-9.   It went just fine.  Pizza and Poppables were the main food, a couple of popular group games and a movie helped the success.  The potential for "wild" was tamed by my strict rules which amazingly were followed beautifully.  When one mom asked her kids on the way home what was the best part, they replied, "All of it".  So I guess can't get much higher praise than that.  They were all picked up by 8:30 and The Grandbaby, who was spending the night, and I were in bed asleep at 9:30 and the floors were clean and the house was in order.  I know!  Miraculous!  One of the moms told me at pickup that The Son-in-Law had prayed for The Poppa and me in his blessing at their party.  :)  Prayers help for sure.  
6. Well, my apologies for such a long, probably uninteresting, post.  I just realize more and more that each of us have our "story".  Each one differs from the other but I think we can all find a commonality in feelings, in preparations, and in outcomes.  I know I again can only speak for myself, but I do know that my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ helps me every single minute to make it through commitments and then shakes a bit of sprinkles on my ice cream of life with blessings such as the random visit of an old, very much loved friend.  And all of this in 3 days!  There's another sermon in that but I must carry on this day and prepare for my week.  Yes it involves a holiday but it also involves a special birthday.  Tune back in on Wednesday for that.  
7. I do love to tell the story of Jesus and his love AND what he does for me!
8. Consider....