Reunion

I'm back! What a great week, a whirlwind of a week and to sum it up, some sort of a reunion. I'll esplain. My J-term class that I took "Discipling Adults", exceptional class…learned some great things about trying to figure out how we become disciples of Jesus Christ. It was challenging and extensive and I left with a new perspective of discipleship after being in the classroom for 40+ hours last week.

I stayed with a my dear ole mom throughout the week…each night when I got back to the house I’d make a nice roaring fire and snuggle up to some books or my laptop. We had great times of chatting about everything; we even broke out some old pictures and revisited some memories.

Wednesday night I went to Valley View church (my home church!) to join them for worship. I wanted to see how things operated with their youth worship…cool stuff. Throughout the night I saw people that I hadn’t seen in years…some its been at least 12 years. Men who were mentors to me growing up, my first youth minister, a few old Sunday school teachers, and gobs of mom and dads of some of the friends that I grew up with.

I sat in the sanctuary while the service was going on, trying to focus on what the pastor was preaching on (encouragement)…and then my mind started wondering back to so many of the incredible things that took place in my life in that sanctuary. Countless times of taking of the Lord’s Supper, numerous sermons that I heard, a revival that started out as one week, but lasted like 2 months…great concerts, took part in lots of Easter dramas, in that sanctuary is where I felt Gods calling on my life to go into the ministry, my wedding day and seeing my lovely bride walk down that aisle, it’s also where my dad’s funeral took place. I could go on and on. Lot’s of mind-boggling memories!

My Aunt Jay (dad’s sister) passed away while I was in Louisville. I went over to the funeral after class on Friday and once again, reunion took place. Cousins, aunts and uncles that I haven’t seen in ages where all there. We had some great conversations thinking back to old stories of growing up. I heard so many comments on how much I look like my dad…that was pretty cool. I saw my Uncle Doyle (dad’s younger brother) for the first time in at least 15 years and it was almost like looking at my dad.

REUNION was found in the midst of a J-term class at the seminary…the only thing that would have made the week sweeter, was if Holly and Bryan were with me. Dang I missed them this past week. I’m glad to be home!