Sit Long, Talk Much . . .

Note: Thanks so much to all of you for your comments/feedback on my last post, "What's a Preacher's Job?". It was wonderful, and what I have desired from the start with this blog, to have the sharing of prayerful thoughts. If you haven't read the comments on it, I encourage you to. You can still add your own, as well.

So, Abigail (age 4, shown in the picture) comes in to our room two nights ago and tells Mary Ann that she had a dream that it was the Sunday of the resurrection and the Roman guards left the tomb to get a soda and they came to our house for it. While they were here, she said, Jesus rose from the dead.

So, in our two daughters’ dreams (click here to read about Bethany’s), Jesus and the disciples have come to our house for coffee (which I got to make!), and now the Roman guards have come here for a soda break. Are we just the social fellowship spot, or what!

It has, actually, been our hope and prayer that our home would always be a place of rest and refreshment and revival for anyone visiting. While it is never as picked up as we like, we have made the (often difficult) decision to put people over pride and keep its door open. We have been blessed by the number of people who have said that they find peace here and feel God’s Spirit. We couldn’t ask for a higher compliment for our place.

We have a sign from my folks in our screen porch which says, “Sit long. Talk much.” For me, as long as I can remember, my parents have ended the work day with a cup of coffee together and it has become, in my heart and association, and important time of sharing and connecting. Mary Ann and I try to have a cup of coffee together each day and just connect, and we truly treasure sitting in our screen porch in the summer (or by our wood stove in the winter) and just fellowshipping and talking with each other and/or others.

God made us all to need each other, and I believe that it is important in this busy day and age to make time to sit and fellowship with other believers, as well as to be a person that the unsaved know as someone who will listen to them and care. Time is such a precious commodity today that one of the greatest ways we can show love is with the gift of our time, and taking time to listen and get together says “I care” in a powerful way.

So, sit long and talk much. It may require some tradeoffs, but I believe that they are well worth it. Mary Ann and I are far from perfect in showing others love and in wisely using our time—and we often have trouble discerning what is God’s will for our time or our own desires—but, with all that said, we have found that the investment of time is one well worth making.

Heb 10:24-25 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Ac 2:42-47 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

The Family of Christ . . .

When the transmission went out on our van a week and a half ago we thought our planned camping trip was over. Instead, we were blessed beyond measure (the only regret is that we missed seeing a special family at Hume Lake where we were going to go originally). We had three people offer us vehicles (two from our church, and one from our homeschool group who we had just met that day) and a family in our church loan us a luggage roof rack for the vehicle that we did borrow. Not sure where to go as camping was out for space reasons, we kept hearing about Shaver Lake (we wanted to do some fishing and some homeschool outdoor science time). On a whim, Saturday morning, I did a search for Shaver Lake and found the link for The Church of Shaver Lake. I thought that maybe some brothers and sisters in Christ could give us some advice about the area and where we might stay for not a lot. I called the number and one thing led to another and we were heading up there on Monday morning to meet some new "family". We were so absolutely blessed by the hospitality of the fellowship, from their amazing pastor Jim and his wife Debbie, to the family we stayed next to who live at the church, to the rest of the fellowship that we met. The trip was a beautiful balance of being outdoors, having fun, and that fellowship in the love and Spirit of Christ that is so beautiful. We were completely at home in the family of Christ there and we felt the sweet presence of the Spirit there. It was so wonderful and blessed to be a part of their family for a short time, and we know that we have made friends for a lifetime.

We got to fish (even had Warner in their fellowship take us out for a day and teach us fly fishing), go out on Jim's boat, see giant Sequoias, swim, BBQ, go to some high mountain lakes, relax, laugh, love, and just be blessed. I think that it must so make our Lord happy when His children love one another, open their arms and homes to one another, and embrace one another as a true brother and sister, sharing their hearts as well as their "talents." We can't thank all the people who seeded in to our time with their prayers, loaners, and hospitality. We can't thank God enough for His love and goodness. It was truly wonderful and amazing to feel so at home and loved and welcome among a group of people you had only met hours before. There is, indeed, a sweet love and bond and fragrance among those who love the Lord.

Pictures: The chapel used by The Church of Shaver Lake, Mary Ann fly fishing with Warner teaching, our family at Dinkey Creek, the "girls" and their donuts (and bagel) at Dinkey Creek (really roughin' it!). If you are on my Facebook page I posted other pictures there as well.