EARLY TO CHURCH....

I ARRIVED EARLY AT CHURCH TODAY FOR NO REASON...I JUST WAS EARLY! AS I SAT IN MY SEAT (ALONE) WATCHING PEOPLE ENTER... I WAS ENTERTAINED; AND CHALLENGED. MY FRIST OBSERVATION WAS A OLDER MAN (MY GUESS IS MID 50'S) SITTING WITH HIS HEAD BOWED; MY GUESS IS HE WAS PRAYING. AND WHLE I SAT AND WATCHED HIM I THOUGHT TO MYSELF WHY I DONT DO THAT MORE OFTEN...BOW MY HEAD AND PRAY WHEN I HAVE AN EXTRA MINUTE OR SO IN MY DAY. HE LOOKED SO INTENTIONAL..AND SO INTO IT. I OFTEN AM NOT THAT WAY WHEN IT COMES TO PRAYER THESE DAYS! I ALSO NOTICED THAT THIS MAN WAS WEARING BLACK SOCKS WITH WHITE SHOES, AND TAN SHORTS. THAT MADE ME GIGGLE A LITTLE. THE NEXT GROUP I WATCHED WAS A FAMILY THAT SAT RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. MY GUESS IS THE 3 KIDS RANGED FROM 8-15 YEARS OF AGE. I REMEMBER ATTENDING CHURCH WITH MY FAMILY BACK IN ISLE/MORA, AND I REMEMBER MANY SUNDAY'S WHERE I WOULD HAVE GIVEN ANYTHING TO STAY AT HOME AND SLEEP IN. AND I AM SURE, LIKE THE 15 YEAR OLD IN THIS FAMILY, THAT I DIDNT APPRECIATE WHAT CHURCH HAD TO OFFER. AS I SAT AND LISTENED TO THEIR CHATTER I MORNED HOW FREQUENTLY I TAKE CHURCH FOR GRANTED...AND YET HOW THANKFUL I AM FOR PA AND MA VENHUIZEN INSTILLING IN ME THE DISCIPLINE OF ATTENDING CHURCH. THE 3RD PERSON (YEAH- I WAS THAT EARLY....) I WATCHED WAS A YOUNG MAN...MY GUESS IS ABOUT 25-27 YEARS OLD (AND YES, HE WAS A LOOKER). HE WAS ALONE, AND LOOKED SAD; EVEN LIKE HE HAS A LOT ON HIS MIND. WHILE I WATCHED HIM I WONDERED IF THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT ME. IF I LOOK SAD CUZ I SIT ALONE! HUH? I THOUGHTABOUT HOW NICE IT WOULD BE TO HAVE SOMEONE TO ATTENDED CHURCH WITH, TO CHAT WITH ABOUT THE MESSAGE AFTERWARDS AND TO WORSHIP TOGETHER...AND AS I ALLOWED MYSELF TO GET CAUGHT UP IN MY OWN 'LITTLE PITY PARTY' I WAS REMINDED THAT CHURCH ISNT FOR SOCAIL GATHERINGS. YES, A PLACE TO MAKE CONNECTIONS, FIND AND GIVE SUPPORT AND TO FEEL LOVED...BUT IT'S MORE THAN THAT. CHURCH IS ABOUT MAKING A CONNECTION WITH GOD. SO...WATCHING THIS YOUNG MAN REMINDED ME WHY I GO TO CHURCH. ALL IN ALL...MY TIME SPENT WATCHING PEOPLE WAS ALL IN PREPARATION FOR THE MESSAGE; WELL AT LEAST I THINK IT WAS. PASTOR STEVE TALKED TODAY ABOUT HOW OFTEN WE MAKE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD LIKE A LEGAL CONTRACT. WE ASSUME THAT WHEN WE ACT AND DO CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE SHOULD GET SOMETHING BACK FROM GOD. IT WAS VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING. I EVEN WENT AND TALKED TO PASTOR STEVE ABOUT SOME THINGS HE SAID AFTERWARDS...IT WAS REALLY GOOD. I AM NOT SURE I AM READY TO SPILL HOW GOD CHALLENGED ME TODAY AT CHRUCH, BUT ALL THAT I KNOW IS THAT I MAY NEED TO GET TO CHURCH EARLY MORE OFTEN AND ALLOW MYSELF TIME TO GET PREPARED FOR WHAT HE HAS FOR ME.

JUST THOUGHT I NEEDED TO POST A PIC- IT HAS BEEN AWHILE. THIS IS MY YOUNGEST NEPHEW...TYLER. HE PLAYED OUTSTANDING IN HIS T-BALL GAME!