A Trying Week

Besides the valve gate on the pump going out and the microwave burning up this week, this morning I got 24 kids up, dressed and ready for church by 7:50 am. I chose early service today since we had a guest preacher who draws a huge crowd. He's my former pastor. In the early 1980s he was instrumental in all the changes in my life, a true mentor and an inspiration beyond words. I just couldn't wait to get to church today.

We loaded up the bus and got a mile away as I fussed and complained about what a really bumpy ride this seemed to be. Duh...flat tire, rear end to the bus dragging. Somehow I sorta kept on smiling and drove on the rim back home down dirt roads. Loaded 15 kids up, dropped them off at church, returned home for the other 9 and got to church only 30 minutes late.

Sarah was waiting for me out front to tell me that most of the seats were taken and she'd scattered the kids appropriately. She had on her usual funky vintage fashion dress and looked fabulous. I was frayed, aggravated and snarling. Our darling friend, Beth, high-tailed it the other way when she saw the steam coming out of my ears and I apologized to her after the service.

David's preaching was well worth the hassle it took to get there. He has the ability, the annointing actually, to pinpoint all that's happened during the week and Biblically teach all that we, as human beings, need to know and do. He later told me that his Atlanta church now has video streaming on its website. Guess where I'm headed?

When he left for a big church in Atlanta 14 years ago I cried for weeks and months. Once you've had a pastor so full of knowledge, leadership and the Holy Spirit, it's impossible to think of Sundays without that anymore.

I felt like I went into a decade-long dry spell spiritually but for the past several years our church has been blessed by a young and on-fire pastor once again. I have two other pastors that I've been with on a fairly consistent basis for more than 20 years and I'm grateful for them. Tracy, in particular, has been consistently helpful to be in terms of support and guidance as has his wife Lisa. I've been blessed by some wonderfully strong and knowledgeable church friends.

After church I called my friend, Barbara, who lives barely 40 miles north of New Orleans with a category 5 hurricane bearing down on them. I think I'll stay up all night praying for their safety.

Sweet Gabby and her sister, Aurora, both from Peru just brought me a wonderful cake they'd made. It is a Pan Dulce and is delicious.

Now I need to load up 10 kids or so to take Fabian back to the Ranch after a great weekend. Fabian has been sweet and clingy.