Author: Wendy

A Chance Encounter with the Gullah Man

Posted on by Wendy
The Gullah Man walked up to my family and handed me this rose.
The Gullah Man walked up to my family and handed me this rose.

On a recent trip to Savannah, my family was taking a break from the oppressive heat, in the shade of Forsyth Park. I was walking around and snapping photos of the famous fountain, while my hubby and kids found a bench. Just as I went to join them, a man approached us and asked us where we were from.

Honestly, we were a little hesitant to talk to him. I mean, who was this guy? Was he going to ask us for money or try to rob us?  He introduced himself as the “Ambassador of Love” and told us that the college kids in town had named him the Gullah-Man. He told us to check him out on You Tube. He handed me and my daughter a flower each and told us that each one was made of a single piece of grass. (like a reed) He told us to have a nice visit and walked away.

After he left, I marveled at the artistry. It truly was amazing. The delicate twists and turns made a beautiful, perfect rose. I did check him out on You Tube when I got home and I have to say I’m really embarrassed that I didn’t take the time to really visit with him.

He calls himself an edu-tainer and teaches a little bit about the Gullah culture. The Gullah people are the descendants of the freed slaves from the South Carolina Lowcountry and the Savannah area. Because they were relatively remote from the rest of the South, they have kept a lot of the African culture, from food, to crafts to story telling and language.

In his story, he tells of a boy who wants to become a master at making flowers. His family tells him to become a master, you have to use your hands, ears and mind. They tell him he can dream, but he must practice too and pray because all gifts come from God. As he tells the story, his eyes are closed the entire time and when he is done, he produces the perfect rose.

What amazing advice. Notice, he doesn’t say to use your mouth. We tend to talk way too much; when we really should be listening. He says to dream, but we have to practice. Isn’t that the truth? How can we ever make our dreams come true if we don’t work towards accomplishing them?

Then he says to pray because all gifts come from God. I mean, this guy gives the most beautiful sermon in four minutes flat.

He ends by saying that he is the Gullah Man and he is fighting the War on Terrorism by showing that we are living, laughing and loving in America. We are not living in terror.

There is another clip where he says that he is spreading love and showing that God exists and he goes out everyday and receives blessings from all of the people he meets.

I kept the two roses that he gave me. I placed them on my desk where I can see them when I sit down to write. I feel blessed to have them. They are a reminder to me that God gives us many dreams. They remind me that every single person has the opportunity to make a difference every single day, in their own unique way, and that is a beautiful thing. What will you do today to make a small difference in the world around you? I’d love to hear from you.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Happy Independence Day

Posted on by Wendy
The original American flag was stitched together in 1776.
The original American flag was stitched together in 1776 by a struggling widow named Betsy Ross.

Today is July 4th, American Independence Day. Americans have been a patriotic people from the very beginning. In May of 1776, three secret delegates from the Second Continental Congress, paid a widow named Betsy Ross a visit. The men were George Washington, Robert Morris and George Ross. They were interested in creating an official flag for the new country of the United States of America. Betsy worshiped at the same church with George and Martha Washington and her pew was right next to theirs. She had also done some seamstress work for General Washington. He produced a rough sketch of what they had in mind. Betsy, who was a gifted seamstress, reportedly, “demonstrated how to make a five point star in a single snip.” She was hired on the spot and in late May or early June, the flag was finished.

Meanwhile, the Declaration of Independence was being written, mostly by Thomas Jefferson. There seems to be debate about the date it was signed by everyone, but Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams signed it on July 4th, 1776. Franklin was seventy years old at the time.

It was read aloud for he first time on July 8,1776 in Independence Hall. The Liberty Bell rang, summoning everyone to come and hear it. It was printed in newspapers all across the thirteen colonies very soon after it was written. Freedom of the press has always been very important to this country. It was also translated into German by July 9th. Immigrants have always played a huge role in our country.

On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress passed a flag resolution which stated, “Resolved, that the flag of the 13 United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.” Americans have always been serious about our flag.

On July 4, 1777, Philadelphia celebrated the first commemoration with the reading of the Declaration and fireworks. Early fireworks were re-purposed military munitions. Other cities followed suit. In 1781, Massachusetts was the first state to officially recognize Independence Day. Congress made it a federal holiday in 1870.

In 1778, George Washington gave his soldiers extra rations of rum to celebrate the day. Now you know where the 4th of July cocktails come from.

While the Revolutionary War officially lasted from 1775-1783, there were many tensions that remained with Britain and unresolved issues, which resulted in the War of 1812 which lasted for two-and-a-half years. After that, our relations with Britain headed to where they are today. It was during that war that Francis Scott Key penned the “Star Spangled Banner.” He was captive on a ship in the Baltimore Harbor all night long with the constant sights and sounds of gun and cannon fire. The fight lasted for 25 hours. He thought the fort was doomed for sure. But, he was wrong. “Oh say can you see, by the dawn’s early light.”

That flag was still proudly flying, representing a fierce American spirit that simply refused to give up. There really isn’t a reason in the world that the rag-tag Americans should have beaten the powerful British, twice. Yet, they did. It’s a feat we are still proud of to this day and that’s why on this day, some 238 years later, we still celebrate the 4th of July and all of those who made it possible.

We fly flags and have barbecues and picnics. We watch fireworks and sing the “Star Spangled Banner,” which by the way, always gives me goose bumps. We spend time with family and friends and celebrate all of our freedoms and what it means to live in this great country and we pray for God’s continued blessings on us. Happy 4th of July!

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

Try to Understand First

Posted on by Wendy
What would our world look like if we tried to understand instead of being understood?
What would our world look like if we tried to understand instead of being understood?

My sister has been visiting from New Jersey for the past few weeks. She has three kids who are two, four, and six. She is a busy lady. The youngest, Lois, talks all of the time, like two-year-olds do. Most of the time we can understand her, but sometimes we can’t. When we can’t, whoever is talking with her, whether it’s my sister, my mom or dad, my kids or me, we politely ask her to repeat her phrase.

She will. Sometimes she has to repeat it several times before we figure it out. Sometimes, whomever she is speaking with will call another person over to help them figure it out. No one ever gets annoyed with her and she rarely gets annoyed with us. We all are making an honest effort to communicate and we all seem to understand that, even the toddler.

As I was watching my sister interact with her, the other day, it really struck me, how different our world would be, if we all made the concerted effort to really understand each other. So often, we only half-way listen to the person speaking to us because we are busy formulating our response. We really want that person to understand our point; but what about their point?

Stephen Covey once said, “Seek first to understand and then to be understood.”

What would our relationships look like if we followed that logic? What if we really listened to our spouses when they were carrying on about something we might think is ridiculous? What if we really tried to understand why he/she is angry or upset? There is  usually some underlying reason.

When our teen says something rude or does something that we find unacceptable, what if we tried to find out the why before doling out the punishment? Don’t get me wrong here. Teenagers are a breed unto themselves with bodies that have grown much faster than their brains. I’m not saying that we should treat them as adults or best friends. They are still children. But, their mistakes are often just that, mistakes. They are also often teachable moments. Maybe, we would get better behavior and more communication if we made the effort to understand the why.

What about the co-worker or neighbor that drives us crazy with incessant chatter about this or that? Have we ever asked ourselves why this person is never quiet? Have we ever thought about walking a mile in their shoes?

I have tried this approach with my own kids when we talk about the difficult people in their lives. The ones who annoy them the most or who act out the most, usually have the worst home life. While that doesn’t excuse bad behavior, I’m as much a mama bear as the next woman when it comes to my cubs, it teaches empathy. In my mind, empathy is something we’re all short on these days.

So, I’m keeping little Lois in mind and trying to understand first, before seeking to be understood. It’s not always easy, but I think it’s worth a try. Care to join me?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

What’s Your Legacy?

Posted on by Wendy
This is all that is left standing of an old plantation house in South Carolina.
This is all that is left standing of an old plantation house in South Carolina.

On a recent trip to Hilton Head, my family and I had the opportunity to tour site of an old cotton plantation. It was originally 1,000 acres. But, this and the slave quarters are all that remain. The house was built in the 1790’s by Captain Jack Stoney and according to legend, was lost in a poker game to William Baynard in1840. It’s referred to as the Stoney-Baynard ruins.

Baynard was a renowned Sea Island cotton grower and he and his wife moved to the mansion and raised four children there. In 1861, Union forces invaded. It was used as Union headquarters until it was burned.

It’s a sad place to visit. To me, it had a negative feel to it. Perhaps it’s because it represents a dark time in American history, a time when we turned on each other. It was a time when many believed it was okay to own another human being. It was a time when those who were slaves believed their situation would never change. They believed they would always be property. Can you imagine that kind of hopelessness?

The Civil War changed all of that. The ruins left standing are not only a reminder of a dark past, but a reminder that nothing ever stays the same. As human beings, we are always trying to make monuments to ourselves and bigger and grander homes and buildings that we believe will last forever. In 1909, not even fifty years after this plantation was burned, we even began building a ship that was dubbed, “unsinkable.” It was called the Titanic. We all know how that turned out.

Humanity has a tendency to believe that we are permanent residents here. We like to believe that bigger is better. Some of us hope that our situations never change, while others pray daily that it will.

Visiting these ruins was a reminder that nothing here on this earth is permanent. We are travelers just passing through and life can turn on a dime. What we leave behind is entirely up to us. Yes, we can make it our life’s work to leave beautiful buildings and monuments to our greatness. Those can easily be toppled by any number of elements from fires to tornadoes and earthquakes.

We also have the choice to leave a legacy of love that requires no money whatsoever. If we were to make it our life’s work to love our families and then our neighbors and co-workers and spread out from there, I don’t think there would be ruins in 150 years. If we were to love God and seek Jesus with our lives and share that with the people around us, what would the earth look like in 150 years?

We won’t personally be here to see it, but I’ll bet there wouldn’t be ruins to visit either. What will your legacy be? How will you be remembered? It’s entirely up to you.

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

When All Seems Lost…

Posted on by Wendy
The book of Ruth is a beautiful story of God's ability to make lemons into lemonade.
The book of Ruth is a beautiful story of God’s ability to make lemons into lemonade.

I have always loved how ugly caterpillars turn into beautiful butterflies and I’ve always loved the expression, “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” It’s kind of been my life’s motto.

I recently followed along with a Bible study on the book of Ruth on the website, #Shereadstruth. Ruth is a short, easy read. I had read it before, but this study pointed out things I hadn’t thought of. If you are a “happily ever after,” fan, this is the book for you. It’s a story of tragedy and of redemption. It’s a love story. It’s a story of God’s ability to take any mess and make it beautiful. It’s a story of hope.

The gist of it is a husband and wife move to a foreign land with their two sons to escape famine. While there, the husband and both sons die leaving the wife, Naomi, alone with here two daughters-in-law. Naomi has nothing left and women couldn’t just go out and get jobs in those days, so she decided to return to home to Bethlehem. Remember who was born there?

She encouraged her daughters-in-law to return home to their fathers. Both objected, but one agreed. The other, Ruth, refused to leave Naomi’s side. Ruth tells her, “Your people will be my people and your God, my God.” This profession of faith would seal Ruth’s fate in the end, as well as Naomi’s.

When they arrive in town, the people are happy to see Naomi. However, Naomi is filled with grief. She has even changed her name to Mara because it means the Lord has made her life bitter. She is still a believer in God, but she believes her life is over. At this point, the writer in the study said, “Don’t put a period where God has put a comma.”

I never really thought about it that way. I have always focused on Ruth in this story and her obedience to Naomi, but Naomi was the one who was most hurt, and God provided for her too. First, he gave her a wonderful daughter-in-law, who became her daughter in every sense. Ruth stood by Naomi and she loved her. She followed all of Naomi’s instructions. She fed her everyday after she was able to gather grain.

The field that Ruth just happened to end up in was a close relative of Naomi’s, named Boaz. (Yeah, right, there are no coincidences where God is concerned. He was working on this story from the very beginning.) Boaz was very kind to her; also God at work. Finally, when Ruth let it be known that she was interested in marrying him, he went through all of the proper channels and made it happen.

The women were saved. Ruth and Boaz married and had a son. The Bible says that Naomi laid him in her lap and cared for him. Have you ever experienced the joy of holding a newborn? The women of the town praised Naomi and she realized God had indeed provided. He didn’t replace what had been lost, but He provided something new and just as special.

And the baby? His name was Obed. He would have a son named Jesse and Jesse would have a son named David. Yes, that David, the one who slayed Goliath and united a kingdom. Isn’t God amazing?

He was at work in this story and He is at work in yours, even when you can’t see it. Have you ever had a time when you thought all was lost, but are able to now look back and realize God was at work?  I’d love to hear from you.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

God is Always at Work

Posted on by Wendy
When I went to check on my garden, this is what I found.
When I went to check on my garden, this is what I found.

It has been a very busy summer for me. The entire month of June is a blur. I am happy to say it’s been all good things, from Vacation Bible School, to summer vacation, to my sis visiting from far up in the northern country. I have been home very little and I’m a homebody. I sat on my porch last Friday morning, after I had to get my son to the church at 7:00 AM for his mission project, with a cup of coffee, bone tired.

I sat there in the cool quiet of the morning and listened to the birds. I thought of all the cleaning that I needed to do, along with the laundry. It’s always amazing how the house gets dirty whether I’m here or not. Dust continues to collect on the furniture and hairballs gather in the corners.

We hadn’t made a true grocery trip the entire month of June. We just ran in and picked up a few things here and there. So, a big grocery trip was also on the list. I sighed. I had so much to do and I was so exhausted. Plus, I needed to think about Monday’s post. I was out of ideas at the moment.

But, as usual, since I have followed God’s calling to look for Him everywhere and share my findings, with words on this blog, He provided.

I looked over at my garden patch. It’s like a jungle over there, with squash leaves, bigger than dinner plates and tomato plants as tall as I am. I hadn’t been over to inspect it since I got home and I kind of dreaded it. Here’s the thing about gardens, they take a lot of tending. You have to be very vigilant about watering and pest control. It only takes a couple of days of no care and you can have some kind of infestation.

My hubby had been watering it, but I knew he hadn’t been really inspecting the leaves and such. Still, I felt a little voice calling me to check it out. I’ve come to have great respect for that little voice, so I headed over. Not only were there no bugs, there was squash ready to be picked and eaten.

It was as if God was saying to me, “I know that you are tired. I know you have been busy. Look what I have been doing. I have made food for you.” I was grinning ear to ear as I said a silent prayer of thanks. He was providing food for my family as well as food for my soul.

And the next day, I had this zucchini.

This one seemed to have popped up overnight.
This one seemed to have popped up overnight.

I chuckled as I pulled it. “Now you’re just showing off;” I whispered to God.

The Bible tells us, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:9-10.

God is always at work. He never tires. When we are exhausted, or sick, or depressed, or angry or out of hope. He is always working things out for our good. We can forget that sometimes when things look bleak, but if we ask for reassurance with an open heart, He will give it to us. After all, we are His children, His prized possessions and we are loved at all times.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

Love Will Find a Way

Posted on by Wendy
When you look at this photo, what do you see?
When you look at this photo, what do you see?

When I was visiting my parents’ house recently, I took a short walk up their driveway. Grass had begun to push its way through the asphalt. It was an interesting picture, so I went and got my camera. What do you see, when you examine this photo? I see life finding a way, against what looks like, impossible odds.

It occurred to me how often we try to tame nature. We pave roads and are annoyed when grass pushes through. We try to build houses on the beach or on the sides of cliffs and are surprised when they are swept away. We put swimming pools in gator country and are shocked to find an alligator in our swimming pool.

Nature seems determined to claim what was hers. We fight it, but in the end, we usually lose.

When I really think about it, it’s the same relationship mankind has always had with God. We need Him, but we want to tame Him or use Him to suit our own purposes. We only pray when we want something. We only quote the parts of the Bible that suit us. We only go to church when we feel desperate. We are self-focused.

But even so, God loves us. When you ever really try to wrap your brain around it, it’s truly amazing. The only tiny glimpse we get of this love, is our love for our own children, and that’s just a glimpse. The unconditional love that God feels for us began before we were born, before we were even conceived.

He loved us so much that he sent his son to redeem us. As a parent, that’s still a  mind-boggling concept for me. But, that’s the kind of love God has for us. It’s an all out, over the top, relentless love. It truly is amazing.

We can run from it, like Jonah did, but He pursues us. He wants us and loves us warts and all and in the end, just like nature, just like the grass in the driveway, love will find a way.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

That’s the kind of love God has for us. Like the photo above, when we see nothing but ugly asphalt, God sees possibility and opportunity. He sees life and He wants to give us the abundance we can only get through relationship with Him. Aren’t we lucky?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

A Place to Rest

Posted on by Wendy

 

This cathedral stood on the corner like an oasis in a dessert.
This cathedral stood on the corner like an oasis in a desert.

My family and I took a recent day trip to the city of Savannah. I lived there once upon a time, but that’s been close to twenty years ago. We wandered around River Street like tourists and then we hit the squares. My son was particularly interested in the bench where Tom Hanks sat in the filming of “Forest Gump.”

It was a hundred degrees in the shade that day, and we were thirsty, tired, and sweating profusely. This magnolia was wilting fast. Needless to say, I had two very cranky teens at this point, who had begun sniping at each other. You know how it is with siblings; when the going gets tough, they turn on each other.

Like a beautiful oasis, this church popped into site. It is a gorgeous church. It’s called the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Like most everything else in Savannah, it has a history. The original church was started in the late 1700’s by immigrants fleeing from France and Haiti. In 1835, a brick church was built. It sustained hurricane damage in 1850 and was repaired. The original structure seated a thousand people.

The congregation moved and built a new structure in 1873. It burned in 1898 and was re-built immediately. The first mass in the new building was held, fittingly, 0n December 24, 1899. And now, over a hundred years later, it stands like a beacon on the streets of Savannah.

My teens stopped arguing with each other when they saw it. My son wondered if we could go inside. We saw some people coming out, so we ventured in.

We were met with the cool blast of air conditioning. I can’t tell you how refreshing that was at that particular moment. But, isn’t that always the case when we encounter God after a long journey? Leaning into Him feels so restful and refreshing.

The beauty of the cathedral was breathtaking.

The beauty of the cathedral was breathtaking.
The beauty of the cathedral was breathtaking.

There was mostly silence, even from my crowd, and the people who were speaking were whispering. There were people praying and people lighting candles. There was a quiet reverence for the majesty that stood before us and the One who people come to worship there, week after week.

The sense of peace and quiet inside was almost tangible. My kids sat down in a pew with their dad, silently. I thought of all of the people who had worshiped there over the past hundred years and of the ones before, who worshiped together before they had this incredible building.

Now I know that God is everywhere and we can hold a worship service in the grocery store parking lot. But, there’s something awe-inspiring and deeply spiritual about old, ornate churches. There’s something about the quiet respect that used to be required in God’s house when I was growing up. There’s something special about buildings and congregations that have stood the test of time. I wasn’t the only one who could feel it. The quiet from all who were there, was proof.

We reluctantly left and entered back into the outdoor furnace, thankful and refreshed. We were glad we stopped. My teens even spoke more kindly to each other. (for a little while)

I think that’s how we are supposed to feel when we leave church; awe inspired and refreshed, eager to carry our light into the world. We definitely felt that way on that day. I pray that people feel that way when they leave my home church.

What do you think about spiritual places? I’d love to hear from you.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Permission to Mourn

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Sometimes, people need permission to mourn.
Sometimes, people need permission to mourn.

She approached me at the grocery store the day after I returned from vacation. It was the day before Father’s Day. I don’t know her well, but we worship together at the same church and we both attend the early service. I speak to her every Sunday.

She asked me how Vacation Bible School went, and if you ever read this blog, you know that is a ministry I’m very passionate about. I told her how great it was, chattering on like a Magpie. She politely listened and then said she had wanted to help, but her father was in the hospital that week. Uhoh, I had been rambling on about something I hold near and dear and clearly, she was in pain.

I stopped. I told her I was sorry to hear that. She said he was out now, but he has lung cancer. I caught my breath. Everyone knows that lung cancer is never good. It rarely has a good prognosis. I let her talk.

She volunteered immediately that he wasn’t a smoker. Don’t we always ask that when we hear the term, “lung cancer?”

“Did he/she smoke?”

We somehow like to make ourselves feel a little bit safer with that question. If they smoked, they brought it on themselves. It’s a judgement. It’s wrong and I have been guilty of it myself, but she was clearing her daddy’s name. He wasn’t a smoker.

She said they were thinking it had to do with years of working for the telephone company and crawling through people’s houses. Mesothelioma was likely the cause. Then she said the words, that really gave me pause. “He’s 89, but still…”

I reached out and touched her arm and replied, “It doesn’t matter how old he is. No one is ever ready to lose their parents.”

She brightened and stood up a little straighter. This wonderful woman has been blessed with parents who have lived to a ripe old age. They have been blessed to be great-grandparents and she loves them dearly. Her daddy is sick. His age doesn’t matter. She is mourning the end of life as she knows it.

Long life is a blessing. We should celebrate it as well as our many other blessings and thank the Good Lord who has blessed us. It doesn’t matter whether someone is one or one hundred years old. Death is sad. It separates us from those we love, for a time. The Bible tells us there is a time to mourn and Jesus himself, wept when all those around him were mourning the death of Lazarus.

But, sometimes, I think the people around us need permission to mourn. Sometimes they feel like they have been so blessed, they don’t have the right to mourn. It may not be a death. It may be the loss of a job or a pet. It may be the loss of a job or of their independence. It may be a child leaving home for the first time.

That’s where the community of believers comes in. Even though I don’t know her well, I worship with her. She is a sister in Christ and for whatever reason, our paths crossed that day and she reached out. I reached back. I gave her a hug and told her I would pray for her.

She thanked me and told me they were going to see each day as a gift. I was again struck by her words as I told her that we all should be doing that anyway. We said goodbye.

I don’t know which one of us received more that day. I pray that I was able to give her some level of comfort. I know that she imparted some major wisdom to me. And Jesus? Well, he was standing there beside us at Publix, of that, I have no doubt.

“For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20

Have you ever had the opportunity to reach out to someone you don’t know very well? Has someone reached out to you? I’d love to hear from you.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

The Power of a Mission Trip

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This cross was what the homeowner said his favorite part of the renovation was.
This cross was what the homeowner said his favorite part of the renovation was.

Last week, my daughter, went on her first mission trip. She didn’t have to go on an airplane halfway across the world. There were people right next door in South Carolina, who needed assistance. The trip got off to a chaotic start, when our youth pastor was unable to pick up the van she rented because her name wasn’t on the church credit card. Next, she decided to drive her own wagon and to get a carrier to place on the top, from her mother. It wouldn’t fit.

All the while, my family was traveling back from vacation and attempting to meet up with them somewhere on I20. We passed them and had to turn around. Now I can’t tell you the sense of peace that I had in this chaos. It was as if I could hear God whispering in my ear, that they were not supposed to be on the road at that time. We did meet them, much later than planned, and they were off.

When they were to be divided into groups to work on the three different homes, someone moved from some group and our small group had to be split up. My child, ever cautious and not normally one to take chances, said she felt the deep nudging in her heart to volunteer to go to a different site than her two besties. (This of course, was the Holy Spirit at work.) She listened to that voice and was not disappointed.

One of the girls on her site was 22 and had been volunteering at Salkehatchie since she was 14. (My daughter’s age) She said she decided to become a teacher because of her experiences with this group. Her foreman, was an incredibly patient man, who gave them all nicknames and worked them hard. She said they were the last group to lunch and the first to leave.

They re-shingled a roof. They painted. They ripped up carpet and put down new carpet. They completely re-did a bathroom. The two elderly brothers living there had no way to take a shower. She learned how to caulk and how to use power tools. She learned how to be a part of a group who were being the hands and feet of Christ.

Her days started at 5:30 in the morning and ended at 10:00. She got to be a part of faith in action. She was exhausted and she loved every minute of it.

All of the groups had lunch everyday at different churches in the community. They were served real down home cooking. Think fried chicken and iced tea. She said the church members thanked them for their service, everywhere they went. She really got to see Christian community at work and she found it beautiful.

And the two brothers who lived at the house? They were super grateful and helped where they could. They picked up shingles and helped prime the house. When the group started, there was no way to take a shower and part of the ceiling had caved in. When they were done, there was a working shower and bathroom with all new fixtures, a new ceiling and roof, new carpet, new furniture and a fresh coat of paint on the inside and out. With all of those improvements, one of the brothers told the group that his favorite part of everything they had done, was the cross that they placed in the front yard. Talk about God at work!

Can I get an amen?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂