Following God, even to church

I want to follow God anywhere, even if that means I have to go to church. 




He has called me and created me to love people with developmental disabilities and their families, given me a group of people to call my own. He has given me a history filled with pivotal experiences that shape my future in profound ways. He has given me a unique attitude and sense of justice that cause me to fight when others flee and correct when others ignore. He has shown me that all people can come to Him. All people can know Him and be known. He came to seek and save the lost, not the perfect, the lost. 




And He has lead me from an unknown, tiny, country church that meets once a month in a small conference room to a popular urban mega church that's meets across the Central Valley on multiple campuses for multiple services. 




I loved it at my country church. I was comfortable there, safe and at rest. After more than 10 years He began to stir in me a desire to move to a new church. I didn't want to go. At all. But He gently nudged me inch by inch until I found myself open to the change. I couldn't believe it. I looked around and thought somehow I had been forced and should be revolting, throwing a tantrum. But all I was doing was picking my jaw up from the floor. He hadn't forced me. He doesn't do that. He guided and I followed. I didn't see it coming but He wasn't surprised even a little bit. 




I get to support two 4th grade boys who have Down syndrome, one on Wednesday night and the other on Sunday morning. They challenge me, help me, love me, and let me teach them about Jesus. They are my reward for going to church each week.







"Because He lives I can face tomorrow", even if that includes being part of a mega church.

Naming the elephants in the room

A couple weeks ago I had the following text conversation with a friend. It started with a sincere compliment and quickly turned into hilarity... 

I love that I can always count on you to say it. Whatever it is, at any given time. 

The elephants in your rooms have names.

Names like Blanche and Hector?

Haha. You need to write a blog about naming your elephants.

Get them out from under the rug and introduce them to everyone.

Yes! Blanche and Hector!!

Hector has a mustache and hat. It's quite amazing.

Totally

Blanche carries one of those little purses and has on lavender heels

Oh my word! Yes!

And she trumpets out both ends.

HahahahahaHA!

Good thing hector lost his sense of smell in the war

And he can't see that she's gained 100 lbs and her flowered dress has faded

He just sees her beauty

Aw. That and he lost an eye in that other war

That was a tough day. He doesn't like to talk about it

But Blanche likes to bring it up all the time

Lol. Oh man. Just put this conversation in your blog as a starter.

Ordinarily, I'm not an advocate for naming things. I think names are for people and pets, not things. My car doesn't have a name, neither does my tv, or my boat. (Although that's mostly because I don't own a boat.) The idea of naming the elephants in the room has been rolling around in my mind and it's really growing on me. Naming them won't give them undue power. I suspect it will do quite the opposite and bring healing and hope. It will also bring laughter and, dare I say, joy. So it might be time to follow my friend's lead and start making introductions...

Meet Burt the Troll, Mr. and Mrs. McGillicuddy, Boris, and Travis the Tree, keeper of the Enchanter Forest. Bios to come.