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Hope Shows Up Again!

Life began to feel a little more normal again. I had to get it together for work as we have our traditional events at the end of the year. The biggest event, with a small audience, is to provide what is called an interpretation event for our county commissioners court. My 4-Hers cook custom omelets for the commissioners and county judge and then we all visit about what services Extension has provided for the year. My commissioners and judge are the best to work for. Most of them told me they were praying for us and that means a lot. Not many county agents get hugs from their county court!

New Year's Eve rolled around and at midnight I was holding a sleeping Abigail in my arms while Wade and Tommy were outside with the rest of the party popping fireworks. It was just me and my girls inside. Abigail likes to snuggle and I cherish every bit of it, especially getting to hold her and knowing that there are 3 of us snuggling.

We got up and went to church the next morning, which was a miracle in itself as Abigail decided to wake up and stay awake until about 3 that morning. Kaydence was hopping too. She hops a whole lot! So much, in fact, it can really be painful. We were late, but so excited to be at church on the first day of the new year! And to receive communion on that day as well! It just doesn't get much better! I dropped off Abigail in the nursery and joined Tommy and Wade in church. We squeezed in the very, very back row. Normally we sit on the second to the back row because Tommy runs the sound, but today because we were late, someone else had kindly taken that on (our pastor's husband.) Wade is only 6 and doesn't care to pay a lot of attention to a sermon, but he always benefits from the children's sermon thankfully.

This week, Pastor Joy invited the kids up to the front and her sermon was on asking God for something. She asks the kids what is something they want to ask God for? Oh. My. Goodness. Tommy and I were both sweating over this! Wade had been pretty emphatic on getting this one particular game for his new Wii and we just knew he was going to say this is what he wanted. Or toys. Or something very materialistic. One kid did say something like that but he was little and we expect those types of answers. Then Pastor Joy reached Wade and she put the microphone in front of his mouth and asked ,"Wade, what is something you want to ask God for?" He looked up at her and simply said, "I want hope." My eyes welled with tears that my son wanted to ask God for hope! Tommy's did too as we looked at each other - in relief and amazement! Then the pastor used this as an opportunity to teach the kids about praying for someone and laying hands on someone as you prayed for them. All the kids circled around him and layed hands on Wade as they all asked God to give Wade hope. The whole adult congregation was so still and silent through all of this. And we were going to receive hope, for which Wade asked. I think Tommy and I were in awe that the basic theme of the last doctor's appointment was hope, and we never discussed that with each other or Wade, but Wade knew in his heart that our family needed hope.

Then it was time for communion and I went to get Abigail from the nursery as I always do. I love to watch her during communion. She gets on her knees, puts her hands together, and just squeezes her little eyes shut to pray. She's only 2! Pastor Joy anointed me and blessed me and then leaned in and asked me to stay up front and sit in this chair in the middle of the alter rails. So I was confused, but I did what she asked. Remember - total submission!

So there I sat in this chair and Pastor Joy asks the congregation that whoever wanted to come up and lay hands on me and pray with/for me and Kaydence could do so at this moment. If you've read my earlier posts, you will remember me saying that I was NOT raised in a touchy feely family. I know Tommy thought I was probably going to have a nervous breakdown with all of these people surrounding me and touching me, but you know what? I didn't. As a matter of fact I put Abigail on my lap and I'm pretty sure my entire church family surrounded me that day. Tears of overwhelming hope streamed down my face and I heard a lot of sniffling, but I did not look up much as I just prayed and prayed. It was basically a rush to feel the Holy Spirit at that moment. I wrote a devotional for our Advent devotional book based on the scripture about the news of the birth of John the Baptist and how God can use us at any age, even before we are born, for His glory. Little did I know that in 2012, He would be using our little family all starting with the little baby I was carrying.

I didn't expect that service on that Sunday, but it sure did start my 2012 out in really blessed way.

Comments

  1. How wonderful! Praise God for those who love us....and for the new hope He has given you.

    ReplyDelete

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