You really see people’s characters in such situations. My friends Debbie Drake was her normal very thoughtful self. She had obviously spent a good deal of time putting together a lovely statement about why a certain sister had encouraged her, complete with examples, qualities and scripture! She and her husband Milton are two of the most encouraging people I know! They always remember my kids’ birthdays and send a card with some money! How many people do they do that for? And they are always flying off to 3rd world countries to volunteer free medical care to people in dire need. They are amazing!
My friend Gerry Yurko gave us a splendid sermon in only 2 minutes! God is encouraged by us 1. Just because 2. because we seek him and get baptized and 3. because we pray to Him! And his marvelously talented and thoughtful wife encouraged all the women is her group who had been pouring out their love to her through difficult challenges… which I’m sure is true, but it’s easy to do since she is always pouring herself out helping others with their challenging life issues as a counselor! And she and her husband encourage me every Sunday with their arms held high in genuine worship in the congregation while we lead the worship music from the stage! She even told me that she works out her arms specifically to strengthen her arms to keep them up in worship! I love that!
Many other wonderful thoughts were shared last night, but I wanted to get to my turn. I had planned to share about our wonderful recording studio being built (and thus remind people that they can come record here or take lessons)- but honestly, as encouraging as it was, it was also self-serving which would have been completely contrary to the goal of the open mic- to encourage others. So I started with what was overflowing from my heart: Those wonderful young adults who have been giving up their time to study the Bible with my kids! I wanted Diana Botello and Brittany Roscoe to know how incredibly grateful I am that they are building relationship with and teaching and guiding my dear Hannah in the Word of God! The same can be said for Dakota Botello, Adam Radl and Adam Roscoe who have been instructing Caleb weekly and helping him to make the Word accessible and practical. Tears welled up unexpectedly in my eyes. Some things are much more important in the end than my next album!
We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 66:8
Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children.
Some time has zipped by since I started writing this blog… I have a couple new things to be encouraged by: Lice hit our house (That wasn’t the encouraging part!). But I realized after going nuts doing laundry washing sheets and clothes and floors and hairs… that because of the construction, 90% of the junk from my kids’ rooms was now in a POD! This could have been a LOT bigger job!
I realized that my husband hadn’t felt well on Sunday and he and my son didn’t make it to church (and Hannah and I were out of town) so we didn’t share the lice with everyone at church!
God is so good!
Oh- and I picked up a bunch of new voice and guitar students for the fall and booked two gigs this week… The weather has been beautiful! I was even on time, ok, almost on time, for Bible Discussion group and had time to hang out and talk afterwards! I am encouraged! Thanks, God!