No hurricane news. Our return flight is not cancelled, but coming in an hour later. Bob called Southwest Airlines to get Rose's flight changed to December. It looks like she is really going to stay. Huh.
Today's events were so big, I'm not sure I have absorbed it all.
We took Rose out to breakfast at IHOP. She wanted a "Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity" but whispered it with a giggle. The waitress was a softie and didn't make her yell it. Bob had cinnamon sticks with eggs and bacon. I am not really a pancake/egg type fan so I was thrilled to find egg crepes with nutella and bananas topped with strawberries on the menu. Have these people read my mind? Of course, we ARE in the South and drank a lot of tea-which got us all to thinking....isn't that a British type of thing? Oh, maybe the hot tea thing is British. You know, Rose can do a jolly good British accent....which got us to thinking.....(we were FULL of sugar at that point)....maybe she should always speak in that accent. Um, too hard to pull off all the time. Okay, her English tutorial class is pretty small, how about that? Not so hard to....yes! We encouraged her to do it! She's going to speak with a British accent in that class! (Hopefully her teacher is a good egg) We were laughing and giving her pointers on British words and phrases. We are really not a good influence, so it's a good thing that we are going home.
We met up with Rose's posse and went to church. We had some time to chat and get to know everyone a bit better. I heard some pretty music that I recognized and it was so comforting. There was a very long piano up on the platform and then in walked the choir. It seemed to be a skeleton crew of some sorts since school does not officially start until Wednesday. We sang some sweet familiar hymns and it was a delight to hear the piano and pipe organ. So many people, so many voices....all worshipping God together. The head of the organ department played a hymn for the offering and the sound was overwhelming for a moment. Dr. Hankins, a favorite teacher of mine (particularly from New Testament Messages), gave the sermon. It was based on I Timothy 1:2; II Timothy 1:2 and Titus 1:4....grace, mercy and peace. It wrapped up by challenging the students to pursue His mercy, grace and peace. He told them that they are not here to pursue good times, good grades, a good career and future, or a good spouse but to have God's perfect peace in their life. In the end, he challenged each person to ask God to reveal to him what it is that he is pursuing and then to prioritize pursuing God's sufficient care.
Afterwards, well it does keep happening, we bumped into some classmates bringing their son to college and enjoyed catching up with them. We then joined up with my roomie from my freshman year and her family for lunch. I'm always eating here. I'm going to come home with a belly and everyone is going to think I'm pregnant. Anyways, we ate at McAllister Deli. It was a really nice place, and yes, better than Panera Bread. Yeah, yeah, it was fresh, etc. --are you getting sick of my food reviews? Unfortunately, the young man taking our order was a bit sleepy and was really southern...and none of us could understand him. We managed. The tea (I am really start to remember my tea standards here) was quite good. The sandwiches were great-I could not get a 1/2 sandwich though....it had to come with a potato or something. Afterwards, our girls went back to the college, the men (yeah Brandon, you too) went back to their respective hotels, and Kyeong and I went shopping!
We ran around, shopped, and chatted a million miles an hour! It was so fun, just like old times. She's a bit like a sister to me and just so full of life and joy. I love her! What a wonderful bit of time we had together. I hope to meet up with her at BJU again and again in the next many years. There are some people that you should never lose track of in your life: she's one of them. Sigh with happiness.
Bob met me at the hotel door and we got in the car to go to Morningside Baptist Church. This church is special to us for a variety of reasons, the most important is that this is where we went to church in college and when we were first married. A bunch of Rose's posse wanted to come to church with her! Amen! My new friend Laura drove her car, so everyone got there. This would be much more difficult if school was really in session. The kids really wanted to sit in the balcony (I know, it's just like the escalator in the mall....so tempting to ride it up and down over and over..so unique and fun!!). Us adults found a seat in the normal, first floor area.
This little church that I have gone to off and on since I was a freshman in college has just grown and grown. The service blew me away. The choir had about 75 members. The orchestra (ok no one from home will believe me, but there was an orchestra) had at least 25 members. Two pianists, an organist, you count them up, there must have been over 100 people up there using their instrument or singing talents for the Lord. Bob and I sat right down in the 2nd row from the front. The choir with the orchestra was more than amazing, more than just simply beautiful, it was a snippet of what heaven will be like one day. Their huge special was so moving and well done, I felt tears rising. It's just been years since I've heard music so well done. It was like it started raining on the desert, filling up the silent cracks of my mind with the living water of Christ. It just filled my mind and I just wanted to listen and listen and listen. We sang many hymns ourselves. At one point, all of the ladies sang with the stringed instruments. It was such an angelic surge of sound that I simply had to stop singing to listen. The beauty of the words and the violins and cello, etc. were so touching that I wept with the joy of hearing it. There were two women who sang a duet with classical music. Their voices were high and sweet. During the offering, a young lady got up and played a hymn arrangement with her violin and a pianist accompanied her. THEN a family of five (bless them) children got up and sang about loving God with their life. Oh their voices (from young people to little people) were so sweet and well done. The littlest was sure to keep her hands down, but sometimes forgot. Oh my! At one point, Laura and I turned to each other in shock--more music? Wow. The last special music included a mother, who went up to the piano, accompanying her two daughters, one on the flute, the other on the violin in a trio. It was breathtaking. It was pure joy. All of it.
And then the singing was over and Pastor Tony Miller (the dean of men at BJU when we were there) got up to speak. Oh he was a favorite of mine when I was at school. I know he was a nightmare to the boys (enough that no one wanted to end up having to visit him! Good, we told Rose, boy are bad, boys are naughty, do not talk to boys), but he was always a favorite speaker during chapel for me.
His sermon was on what a good friend is and how to be a good friend. Wow. I probably need to cut this a bit short (what? ha ha you are mine) but it was so practical for not just the college students, but the entire congregation. Afterwards, after meeting and talking with various people, I got a chance to see the lady I came to see: Mrs. Countryman. Mr. and Mrs. Countrymen were my campus parents and were such a blessing. I just really wanted to let her know how much her prayers and tears for me those many years ago blessed my heart and helped me to make the right choice and return to BJU for the next 3 years. She is a true prayer warrior. She cried, I cried. We loved on each other. I was so glad to be able to show her Rose so that someday when she was in heaven, she would know why her crown was so heavy. :) What a lovely, sweet lady. What a joy to see her again.
We got a moment to visit with the son of our Pastor from Georgia. Stephen Huffman is the Assistant Pastor of the church. He let us in on a detail that was exciting. Another pastor, along with Rose's school advisor for Biblical Counseling may be starting a Counseling Training program at the church during Sunday School. Some practical Christian training. Oh, what a wonderful opportunity for Rose. He told her where to meet the church bus on Sunday evenings. We left with happy hearts and went to dinner with Rose's babysitter from years ago. On the way, I was reading the church bulletin and discovered that one of the pastors was offering free guitar lessons! Rose just purchased a guitar from a friend and had wanted lessons-but they are only offered to music majors at the moment. The lessons are after evening church on Sunday. Praise God. He loves each of us in such a perfect way.
Well, Rose's babysitter, Kim, is now married and has two really adorable girls. She was in Biblical Counseling as well. Her husband is a Youth Pastor. They gave her some great "old people" advice (too cute) and also told her of another opportunity for her. The Wilds is a Christian camp about an hour from campus and she can sign up to work there on some weekends. She will work about 10 hours working there and get paid about $30. She will have loads to time to study, hike, play, and help others as well. She will be in the fresh sunshine and using her new skills. We talked and talked until their tiny little 4 year old rolled down the window and started talking really loudly about going home. Ha! It looks like Rose might have some opportunities to babysit for them as well.
Wow, a novel. But, this was an amazing day. Amazing. Something to look at, think about and reminisce about in the days ahead. Could we really be headed home? I don't want to leave just yet! The county fair? What fair? I almost don't care anymore. Maybe I will later. For right now, today's events are all I can think about. What a great time we've had in SC!
"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. "Psalm 119:9
Today's events were so big, I'm not sure I have absorbed it all.
We took Rose out to breakfast at IHOP. She wanted a "Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity" but whispered it with a giggle. The waitress was a softie and didn't make her yell it. Bob had cinnamon sticks with eggs and bacon. I am not really a pancake/egg type fan so I was thrilled to find egg crepes with nutella and bananas topped with strawberries on the menu. Have these people read my mind? Of course, we ARE in the South and drank a lot of tea-which got us all to thinking....isn't that a British type of thing? Oh, maybe the hot tea thing is British. You know, Rose can do a jolly good British accent....which got us to thinking.....(we were FULL of sugar at that point)....maybe she should always speak in that accent. Um, too hard to pull off all the time. Okay, her English tutorial class is pretty small, how about that? Not so hard to....yes! We encouraged her to do it! She's going to speak with a British accent in that class! (Hopefully her teacher is a good egg) We were laughing and giving her pointers on British words and phrases. We are really not a good influence, so it's a good thing that we are going home.
We met up with Rose's posse and went to church. We had some time to chat and get to know everyone a bit better. I heard some pretty music that I recognized and it was so comforting. There was a very long piano up on the platform and then in walked the choir. It seemed to be a skeleton crew of some sorts since school does not officially start until Wednesday. We sang some sweet familiar hymns and it was a delight to hear the piano and pipe organ. So many people, so many voices....all worshipping God together. The head of the organ department played a hymn for the offering and the sound was overwhelming for a moment. Dr. Hankins, a favorite teacher of mine (particularly from New Testament Messages), gave the sermon. It was based on I Timothy 1:2; II Timothy 1:2 and Titus 1:4....grace, mercy and peace. It wrapped up by challenging the students to pursue His mercy, grace and peace. He told them that they are not here to pursue good times, good grades, a good career and future, or a good spouse but to have God's perfect peace in their life. In the end, he challenged each person to ask God to reveal to him what it is that he is pursuing and then to prioritize pursuing God's sufficient care.
Afterwards, well it does keep happening, we bumped into some classmates bringing their son to college and enjoyed catching up with them. We then joined up with my roomie from my freshman year and her family for lunch. I'm always eating here. I'm going to come home with a belly and everyone is going to think I'm pregnant. Anyways, we ate at McAllister Deli. It was a really nice place, and yes, better than Panera Bread. Yeah, yeah, it was fresh, etc. --are you getting sick of my food reviews? Unfortunately, the young man taking our order was a bit sleepy and was really southern...and none of us could understand him. We managed. The tea (I am really start to remember my tea standards here) was quite good. The sandwiches were great-I could not get a 1/2 sandwich though....it had to come with a potato or something. Afterwards, our girls went back to the college, the men (yeah Brandon, you too) went back to their respective hotels, and Kyeong and I went shopping!
We ran around, shopped, and chatted a million miles an hour! It was so fun, just like old times. She's a bit like a sister to me and just so full of life and joy. I love her! What a wonderful bit of time we had together. I hope to meet up with her at BJU again and again in the next many years. There are some people that you should never lose track of in your life: she's one of them. Sigh with happiness.
Bob met me at the hotel door and we got in the car to go to Morningside Baptist Church. This church is special to us for a variety of reasons, the most important is that this is where we went to church in college and when we were first married. A bunch of Rose's posse wanted to come to church with her! Amen! My new friend Laura drove her car, so everyone got there. This would be much more difficult if school was really in session. The kids really wanted to sit in the balcony (I know, it's just like the escalator in the mall....so tempting to ride it up and down over and over..so unique and fun!!). Us adults found a seat in the normal, first floor area.
This little church that I have gone to off and on since I was a freshman in college has just grown and grown. The service blew me away. The choir had about 75 members. The orchestra (ok no one from home will believe me, but there was an orchestra) had at least 25 members. Two pianists, an organist, you count them up, there must have been over 100 people up there using their instrument or singing talents for the Lord. Bob and I sat right down in the 2nd row from the front. The choir with the orchestra was more than amazing, more than just simply beautiful, it was a snippet of what heaven will be like one day. Their huge special was so moving and well done, I felt tears rising. It's just been years since I've heard music so well done. It was like it started raining on the desert, filling up the silent cracks of my mind with the living water of Christ. It just filled my mind and I just wanted to listen and listen and listen. We sang many hymns ourselves. At one point, all of the ladies sang with the stringed instruments. It was such an angelic surge of sound that I simply had to stop singing to listen. The beauty of the words and the violins and cello, etc. were so touching that I wept with the joy of hearing it. There were two women who sang a duet with classical music. Their voices were high and sweet. During the offering, a young lady got up and played a hymn arrangement with her violin and a pianist accompanied her. THEN a family of five (bless them) children got up and sang about loving God with their life. Oh their voices (from young people to little people) were so sweet and well done. The littlest was sure to keep her hands down, but sometimes forgot. Oh my! At one point, Laura and I turned to each other in shock--more music? Wow. The last special music included a mother, who went up to the piano, accompanying her two daughters, one on the flute, the other on the violin in a trio. It was breathtaking. It was pure joy. All of it.
The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.--Helen Keller
And then the singing was over and Pastor Tony Miller (the dean of men at BJU when we were there) got up to speak. Oh he was a favorite of mine when I was at school. I know he was a nightmare to the boys (enough that no one wanted to end up having to visit him! Good, we told Rose, boy are bad, boys are naughty, do not talk to boys), but he was always a favorite speaker during chapel for me.
His sermon was on what a good friend is and how to be a good friend. Wow. I probably need to cut this a bit short (what? ha ha you are mine) but it was so practical for not just the college students, but the entire congregation. Afterwards, after meeting and talking with various people, I got a chance to see the lady I came to see: Mrs. Countryman. Mr. and Mrs. Countrymen were my campus parents and were such a blessing. I just really wanted to let her know how much her prayers and tears for me those many years ago blessed my heart and helped me to make the right choice and return to BJU for the next 3 years. She is a true prayer warrior. She cried, I cried. We loved on each other. I was so glad to be able to show her Rose so that someday when she was in heaven, she would know why her crown was so heavy. :) What a lovely, sweet lady. What a joy to see her again.
We got a moment to visit with the son of our Pastor from Georgia. Stephen Huffman is the Assistant Pastor of the church. He let us in on a detail that was exciting. Another pastor, along with Rose's school advisor for Biblical Counseling may be starting a Counseling Training program at the church during Sunday School. Some practical Christian training. Oh, what a wonderful opportunity for Rose. He told her where to meet the church bus on Sunday evenings. We left with happy hearts and went to dinner with Rose's babysitter from years ago. On the way, I was reading the church bulletin and discovered that one of the pastors was offering free guitar lessons! Rose just purchased a guitar from a friend and had wanted lessons-but they are only offered to music majors at the moment. The lessons are after evening church on Sunday. Praise God. He loves each of us in such a perfect way.
Well, Rose's babysitter, Kim, is now married and has two really adorable girls. She was in Biblical Counseling as well. Her husband is a Youth Pastor. They gave her some great "old people" advice (too cute) and also told her of another opportunity for her. The Wilds is a Christian camp about an hour from campus and she can sign up to work there on some weekends. She will work about 10 hours working there and get paid about $30. She will have loads to time to study, hike, play, and help others as well. She will be in the fresh sunshine and using her new skills. We talked and talked until their tiny little 4 year old rolled down the window and started talking really loudly about going home. Ha! It looks like Rose might have some opportunities to babysit for them as well.
Wow, a novel. But, this was an amazing day. Amazing. Something to look at, think about and reminisce about in the days ahead. Could we really be headed home? I don't want to leave just yet! The county fair? What fair? I almost don't care anymore. Maybe I will later. For right now, today's events are all I can think about. What a great time we've had in SC!
"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. "Psalm 119:9
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