When the Preacher is Sick Who Do You Call?

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Last week, Christmas week, the Preacher was running a fever, he was nauseous, he felt weak and just wanted to lay in bed and sleep. On Monday he went to our local clinic and he was diagnosed with the influenza. 

Our son, the PK, had returned from Basics the Friday before and I know the Preacher hated the fact he was down in bed sick. We had not finished our Christmas shopping and we had a Christmas Eve Service to prepare. The PK and I were able to purchase the final gifts, but what to do about the church service?

Our Christmas Eve Service is a very laid back, family oriented service. We always ask people to come and tell their favorite Christmas stories, play and/or sing a Christmas song. We close the service singing "Silent Night" while lighting candles and then each family takes communion together.

The Preacher leads the congregational singing, puts together the program and then directs everyone, letting them know when they are to come up on stage. This year he was not able to do any of these things nor was he even able to attend.

We discussed who we could get to take over the Preacher's role. We decided to call a gentleman from our church, to see if he would help out and he agreed, so we began making plans for the evening. This gentleman then found someone to read the Christmas story from the book of Luke and he also found someone to lead the singing. He did a great job leading the people, letting them know when it was their turn to sing or play a song.

Also, before the service began someone else came to me to let me know that if ever this happens again, they would be more than willing to help the Preacher in anyway they could. 

The service was wonderful, every seat in the building was taken and everyone did a great job!

In the last 9 and a half years there has not been very many days that the Preacher has had to ask for help, but when it did, there was always someone there to step in to help. I remember one time we woke up on a Sunday morning and the Preacher, the PK and I were sick with a stomach bug. The Preacher called our neighbor who attends the church and explained that we were not able to be at church that day. This person then began making calls and the Sunday morning service went smoothly.

What I am trying to say is that I want to thank all those who step in and help the Preacher and I when we are too ill or not capable to fulfill our duties on any given day. We have men and women who are so willing to help. You don't know what that means to us. We want to serve you but there are so many times that you serve us and we love you for that!

Thank You and Love from the Preacher and I

Small Town Christmas

Not a day goes by that I see an article in a Facebook feed or on the news, a story about how a school has announced that a Christmas tree will not be placed in their classrooms or a place of business is telling their employees that they must say 'Happy Holidays', not the salutation of "Have a Merry Christmas". They are even calling children's programs Holiday Programs instead of Christmas programs.

In this blog post I want to brag on our little community here in the high plains of Colorado. 

Every year the city puts out this nativity scene and, as you can see, a big 'Merry Christmas' greeting.

This year the City put lights all around the lake that is in the center of town, as well as some old Christmas decorations that they had used in years past. Among them is this nativity scene. So that makes two nativity scenes placed in the community by the City! 

(Sorry for the quality of the pictures)

Last Sunday night we had a Community Christmas Program that is hosted by various churches. Each church has a few people/groups that come and present a special song for the event. This year we had everything from a Trombone Quartet to a young girl singing 'Noel'. Each year the program is held at the High School Auditorium.

The schools are decorated with Christmas trees, you hear people greeting each other with Merry Christmas. In some of the schools the Christmas story is told in Christmas pageants. Our teachers and those in the administration attend churches and believe in the Christmas miracle of the Son of God being born to a virgin.

I want to thank our community, our small town, for remembering and celebrating the birth of our Savior. We may not have big department stores, franchised restaurants or malls but what we do have is a town who comes together when times get tough. We have Faith and we Believe in more than a Santa Claus and good cheer. We believe that Jesus Christ was born to save the world!

MERRY CHRISTMAS from the Preacher and I

"...and she loved a little boy."

"There once was a tree and she loved a little boy."- The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Have you read this book? I love this book! It is one of my favorites.

All week I've been thinking about the tender story of the tree who gives everything to a 

boy that she loves.

This past week, we here in our small community, suffered a tragic loss of a young man. He was 16 years old and died from a horrible accident. I didn't know the boy but I know of his family. I have friends who are very close to the family and it just breaks my heart to think of the suffering that his family is going through, as well as all who did know him personally.

Then two days later we learned of another young man, who lived in the town just east of us,  he was found dead from suicide. Another young life gone. Again, I didn't know this boy but a close friend of mine knew him through the school where he attended. 

Last Monday the Preacher was called to go to our high school to help with counseling the kids. He called other ministers to come and help too. Then on Wednesday the Preacher was called again to go to our neighboring community to counsel the kids in the high school there. The kids were lost, they just didn't know what to do. There seemed to be a heaviness in both of our communities.

My heart has been breaking for these mothers. 

In my life I have been working through not being able to see my son since he left for the Army, but this, this I could not even imagine living through this nightmare. 

How, how can a mother endure this?

Just like the Giving Tree, we as mothers give our sons and daughters everything that we possibly can. From the moment that they are conceived our bodies begin giving them nourishment and life. After they are born we continue to give of ourselves, we give them a home to be warm and secure, we give them clothes, we give them food, we give them protection. I think as mothers we live to give our all to our children.

I also think that there is something special about the bond between a mother and a son.

I don't know exactly why or how but it's there, we can feel it.

So when that child is ripped out of your life how can you survive?

I don't know. 

I know that a lot of prayers have gone up to the Lord on behalf of these two mothers. I don't know if there is anything else that really can be done. 

Of course, if you are close to the families, you need to be there as a shoulder to cry on. 

The tears will not end soon.

The Lord is grieving right along side of these mothers. Remember that He too lost a son.

Mothers, if you have sons, or daughters, still at home, cherish every single moment with them. Stop wishing for the day when you will no longer have to change a diaper, stop wishing for the day when they will walk on their own, stop wishing for the day when they can do their own laundry, stop wishing for the day when the house is quiet and you might have some time alone. All of these things will come to past and it will come faster

than you will ever want them to. 

Love them now in whatever stage they are in. Hold them close, be sure to kiss them goodnight and to say prayers with them every night.

And most of all, don't ever stop telling them that YOU LOVE THEM!

Love and Prayers from the Preacher and I