December 1, 2013

An Awesome Sunday

December 1, 2013

This morning I was up early and got several things done before we left for the church.  Actually we went in separate cars because my husband was slow getting ready.  Our Sunday School class was awesome this morning!  Most of the members were there as well as a few visitors.  We had a very good lesson and lots of discussion.  Ron teaches the class and at one point one of the men asked if Ron wanted to raise his hand to get a chance to speak.  He loves it when there is a lot of participation.

One of the men in the class shared something that happened this week.  On Thanksgiving morning about 1:00 a.m., his mother's house caught on fire and burned to the ground.  As sad as that is, all were very thankful his mother got out safely.  It again brought home one of my problems to me.  His mother is hard of hearing and as a family member was trying to locate her in the burning house, she could not hear them calling her.  She was trying to get out the back door and the family member found her and took her out another door.  Our class member took her to his home and returned to the scene of the fire, arriving back at his home about dawn.  He slept an hour and then when he got up his mother told him they were going to cook a Thanksgiving meal because they had so much to be thankful for. 

This same class member had asked us for several months to pray for his daughter-in-law who had advanced breast cancer.  At one point the doctors said the treatments had not helped and they only gave her a few days to live.  Hospice was called in.  And then God stepped in.  A new doctor came on the case, evaluated her, and sent hospice home.  He said he would call them if they were needed.  A few days later the lady went home from the hospital to care for her two young children.  This morning she was in church with her two little children and I got to meet her for the first time.  She is a beautiful, tiny young woman who God has chosen to leave here to care for her young children.  What a testimony this family has.  And I heard it.  I heard as our friend shared in class today about his mom.  I was able to talk to the young daughter-in-law.  It is good to be able to hear.

It was good to be able to hear as a lady in our class told of God's protection around her and her grand daughter this week when they found themselves in a very dangerous situation.  I missed a couple of details that she shared in class and after church asked her about the event.  She had prayed through the dangerous time but as she told me, she was ready to meet God if things had not worked out to keep them safe.  She was going to be safe either way - safe here on earth or safe in the arms of her heavenly father, God.  I am so thankful God left her here, and I am so thankful that I was there to hear her testimony this morning. 

We had so much to praise God for in Sunday School class that it seemed like we had already been to a worship experience before we headed to the auditorium for the worship service.  They did start with Christmas music today, but the first song, Joy to the World, did not sound anywhere near right to me for the first two verses, but by the third, I had picked out the melody.  I asked my mom later if the first two verses had been to a different arrangement and she said no.  The next Christmas carol I also could not pick out the melody, but the following two Christmas songs, I could.  When I sing, I sound so strange to myself, that I am not enjoying singing as I had in the past.  Maybe that will get better.

The message from the pastor this morning was good and it encouraged us to give to our Lottie Moon Foreign Mission Offering this month.  He told the story of Lottie Moon going to China to share God's Word in the late 1800s.  I really focused on the message and heard much of it.  I was pleased with that.  I hope it just keeps getting better.

This afternoon, much of my time was again spent in the sewing room.  I have a few other possible projects in mind and I spent time going through fabric seeing what I had that would work.  I need to finish what I have in progress!  It is easy for me to keep starting new projects.  That is not good this time of the year.  I did spend time working on the Christmas tree.  It is looking so good.  Ron and I are pleased.  It is more fun putting out the decorations when we know the kids will all be home for the Christmas holidays.  I told you I would keep you updated on the progress on the tree.  There is still much to do on it.

Ron and I have been married 48 1/2 years and have been collecting Christmas ornaments all that time.  Many are handmade by me or by friends.  The tree is on a rotating stand which had not been working the last few Christmases, but Ron located the needed part this year, ordered it, and fixed the stand.  The grand kids are going to be delighted. 

Our youngest son, Stephen, called this evening and talked to Ron.  I just let them talk and didn't try a turn tonight.  On Tuesday, Stephen has his last seminary class and will turn in his paper and do a presentation to complete the requirements for his Master's Degree.  Praise God!  We are so proud of him for working so hard to finish this.  He works full time and has done excellent work in his classes.  It will be interesting to see where God leads him to serve.  For now he will continue to be assistant manager at the Christian bookstore where he has been working for the last few years while attending the seminary.

This has truly been an awesome Sunday.  God is good.