Unexpected
gifts: November 26, 2012
I am often
amazed at the sweet moments God allows us to be a part of. As our Pastor Brett reminded us in his recent
sermon, we should look for unexpected gifts--and I do! They are gifts from the Holy Spirit that
say, I am here and I love you. When they come it is like a feeding, filling
me like nothing else and nourishing me for days, sometimes weeks!
Last Saturday, Joey and I, as we have done for the last five
years, set up our ministry outreach booth on the street behind the church --at
the Farmer's Market. We both were a bit concerned that day. We would be there
for four hours and knew we had three other music commitments that afternoon,
which is so stressful vocally and physically. We prayed that God would help us
work it out since we know our time in the street at the Farmer's Market is
always important. We came prepared to
amplify our music for the first time, by request of the new market coordinators.
When we arrived the coordinator came to speak with us - anxious - saying
she had accidentally double booked and another musician was also scheduled to
play for the market. I suggested she
put him at the top of the street and we would be in the middle - plenty of room
for both…I thought. Since the other
musician was to amplify, we decided to keep our music acoustic so there was no
competing sound. Disappointing, we thought, but the right thing to do. It wasn't long before we realized the only
time we could actually sing was when the other musician was between songs,
because while he was very talented, he was SO extremely loud. Admittedly we were a little annoyed at first, but I
told Joey we should look at it as a time to practice songs and just enjoy
having less pressure. When we let go of what WE "hoped for" with our
music that day, HIS gifts began. People
started to stop to chat, some friends, some we did not know, so instead of
exhausting ourselves, singing for four hours, we were relaxed and enjoying time
with people. Gift #1: God was giving us an easier pace so we could manage the rest
of the day)
One of the
people who stopped by our booth was a friend (I'll call her Sally). She had a relative (a young woman) with her
who was not a Christian. Sally took me aside and asked if I could pray that she
would have the opportunity to comfortably talk to her relative about Jesus
before their visit was over. After we
shared a few fun stories, the two women moved on down the road. In a
short while, they returned and Sally wanted us to sing a song for her relative. Joey and I chose a happy song, a song of the
joy of Jesus. As we sang and clapped, then it happened, The young woman
wept - openly. She had been touched. By
the song, I wondered? how strange since it was such a happy song. The next day
I found out, Sally had indeed talked with her relative about Jesus. The young woman had experienced the Holy
Spirit as we sang to her at the market and her heart was open to hear! God used a happy, clappy song - not an
emotional heart tugging song to speak to this woman. Wow! Gift #2: God allowed us to be a part of the process of Sally’s relative
becoming touched by His Holy Spirit.
A short time
later two young women came by our booth with handmade crosses that they had. They were not fancy but were bright colored crosses
made from thick yarn. They asked if we
would like to buy one for five dollars.
Joey said “no thank you” and I brushed them away promising to buy
another time --- not wanting to spend five dollars on something I didn't really
want. As Joey played the guitar and we
began singing another song, the women smiled and walked up the hill. In a few moments, I felt this warm electric
sensation that I have felt so often in my life.
That feeling when God is all over me, telling me...."you are gonna
miss it....this is important.....don't you get it??....hurry up...I sent them
to you!" I told Joey - "this is a deeper thing than ladies
selling crosses - I have to go after them". He agreed and admitted, he had actually wanted one of the crosses. As I left the booth to find them, I didn't know if they were
scammers or what but that didn't matter, I just knew I had to go. I ran
up the hill and when I caught up to them, I touched the one woman on the shoulder and felt a sensation that
feels like dipping my hand in warm butter- Also a familiar feeling when God is
speaking to me. The young woman turned
and smiled. I said, "come back - I
want to look at the crosses you have for sale". She and her friend came back to the booth and
I told her that I felt in my spirit that I should buy a cross and thanked her
for coming back. As we made small talk
, I looked at her and said, "that church over there is our church. There
are a lot of wonderful people that will be there tomorrow and we would love for
you to join us for worship". I
said, "there is no need to dress up - come as you are and you will be welcomed".
They said they were familiar with our
church. They told us they are homeless
and have lived in the woods for almost a year.
They said they eat dinner on Wednesday nights at our church. They said, "your church feeds
us". I told them I would be eager
to see if they would join us Sunday morning.
Gift #3: They came....Sunday morning! After the service, the young woman, in her
old clothes and cheeks rosy from her life living outdoors, came down the aisle at church with tears in
her eyes and hugged me so tight and didn't let go easily. Her friend and two men were with her. She said the men were their husbands. She said they had tried attending other
churches but this was the first time they had felt at home and not judged. I introduced them to several people and everyone
eagerly greeted them. I told people
about their beautiful crosses and many eagerly asked to see them and bought the
handmade yarn crosses. Go church! ...go God!
As The market
wrapped up on Saturday, we were energized.
The other three commitments were at a pace of leisure.
God had it under control the
whole time ! Imagine that!
I realize
that even with these gifts that I still get weary at times from the life issues that
arise and mountains I am faced with and so much suffering that I see. I do find myself
at times caught in a spin and God can't get in. In those times, I envision me as a tornado and
God standing, waiting for the spinning to stop so I will see him and feel his
heart. In that spin, I wonder if my longing for the
broken to find solace in a place is possible or is it fantasy. When so much is
wrong, can it really be better? Can we,
the church, really see others as Christ sees us? But in the spin, I do know God is there and
waiting and maybe laughing a bit at my humanness. I do know that it is possible, and I hate
that I ever slip into doubt.
Joey often
says, "God CAN-DO-IT if we are the CONDUIT" I think that brings us to Pastor Brett's sermon
message from yesterday.... re-creating the world. I do hope and pray that other church
congregations are loaded with the Spirit and ready to re-create God's kingdom ,
reaching out - one person at a time. And
I truly realize that our church - Memorial UMC is doing it! It makes me happy to know our church will
welcome those who God sends to us. It
makes me know that through God all things are possible. It makes me abundantly thankful for
unexpected gifts that feed me and make those times of spinning less and less as
God shows me how to use his faithfulness as my anchor. I am thankful.
in His
Name............jeanie
.
