weekend report

It's only fitting that I find myself sitting in the hospital waiting room at 3:00 a.m., waiting to meet my first granddaughter!  It's just the most magnificent ending to a truly God-filled amazing weekend!

We were not certain Pastor Dave would make it due to being ill this past week - but he did and his message about what husbands should be to their wives was so good!   This summer has been so strong at Crossroads, I'm beginning to wonder (and hope), that we'll be packed to capacity this Fall?!  The youth was close to their limits based on 'fire codes'!  How exciting!

We topped the weekend off with a beautiful demonstration of how God is moving in people's lives at Crossroads by baptizing eighty-something people at our annual outdoor baptism!

It's just been amazing!

I love it when the brass play - so powerful and fun!

Milo and Jim carrying on!

The Tech department hard at work!

Aaron getting the mix just right!

Jesse and Dylan - I love our students!

Linda and Claire just saying hi!

Eric and Jesse baptizing!

Oliver happy as can be with the pizza snack at the pond!

Anxiously awaiting their baptism!

Praise team leading us in worship!

Our Setlist:

Blessed Be Your Name - instrumental
Victory In Jesus - Special Music
Confirmation of new Elders
Made New
My Heart is Yours
Courageous - special music
By Design Video transition
Message: Pt. 4 - Leaders By Design - husbands/ Pastor Dave Vance
Exit Special: Courageous

To watch our services go to crossroadswired.com

To see what other ministries used in their services go to theworshipcommunity.com

traveling dad stories

Today as I drove with my dad to visit my mom in the hospital, the stories flowed and I wanted to get them down in writing before they slip away…

Russ Forbes - one of the best men on earth

He was the driver for the Chief Warrant Officer in the army.  He told me tales of a cocky sergeant that one day told dad he was no longer the driver.  The Chief Warrant Officer called the sergeant out in front of the whole division and stood nose to nose with him and loudly announced that HE would let him know when and if 'Forbes' was relieved of driving duty!

Another time he was laying on the wing of an officer's bi-winged plane guarding the airport when a guy known to be a prankster - tried to sneak up on dad by turning the lights off on his jeep and quietly coasting up to the plane.  Dad seeing them coming slid off the wing, cocked his M1 30 caliber rifle and yelled 'halt' the guys about had a heart attack and quickly identified themselves.

He had 7 straight bull eyes shooting from the prone position over and over - a sergeant bent down and told dad, "if you keep shooting like that son, they're going to make you a sniper."  From that point on dad shot at other peoples targets and tried to shoot at the red flags the guys down below in the pit waved to indicate misses.

Another time he was the guard for the prison compound and paid a guy $20 to take his place one night.  The guy left his post, his rifle, and took an unauthorized jeep to the PX to buy booze.  The Captain jumped all over dad for paying someone to take his shift and the other guy got  thrown into the brig - court-martialed on 7 charges and sentenced to 30 years in prison- all of this just 30 days short of being discharged.

In preparation for being shipped out for combat in Korea dad had a dentist appointment.  The dentist tried to pull a wisdom tooth - he ended up cracking his jaw and allowing him never to have to face war!  The down side was a liquid diet for 4 months in the hospital and then they kept his mouth wired shut too long making it impossible to open his mouth and eat - forcing another doctor to stick his hand in his mouth and jerk open his bottom jaw.  Now he couldn't shut his mouth!   Maybe war wasn't such a bad deal after all!

While recovering from his jaw they couldn't stop his bleeding.  He asked his buddy on the lower bunk if he could sleep down there so he could get out of bed easier, his friend agreed and proceeded to spend the evening in the PX drinking.  In the middle of the night forgetting he was now on the top bunk, he got up to use the restroom and did a face plant on the floor beside my dad.  He climbed up and said, "BLEEP Forbes - what happened??!"

I love my dad and I LOVE his tales!  He still remembers everything!   I definitely didn't inherit his memory!!

my day off

I woke up today at 5:30 a.m. to be with my dad as he had a stress test at the hospital.  We won't know the results for a couple of days.  There was nowhere more important than being there.  I was in the right place.

I then went to my parents house, with my sister and her husband as my parents signed a contract to sell the house we all grew up in.  There was no where more important than being there.  I was in the right place.

Next I went to Crossroads and helped hang a couple of things that needed to be put up for Easter.  For that hour there was no where more important than being there.  I was in the right place.

Finally I came back home to make dinner and just be with my hubby and puppy.  There was no where more important then being there.  I was in the right place and I still am.

I am thankful for days off that include great medical care and families and enough to get done that a quick stop at work is needed and hubby and rest and food at home.

My day off was a day I could say that  "I was in the right place".

moving

We are constantly moving throughout our entire lives.

We can move up...

move over...

move in...

move out...

move out from under...

move around...

There are good moves like a friend of mine did just tonight. She sold her old house and moved into an awesome double.

Then there are dreaded moves. My husband just left for the hospital - it's midnight - a family connected to our ministry just lost a 51 yr. old son to what sounds like a heart problem - he has unexpectedly moved on.

Moving. It is possible to be ready for moving. It's what we should spend our lives preparing for.

Moving...sometimes we determine and are in control of a move, sometimes we aren't.

sad today

I got a call today that my uncle who is suffering from cancer just had to go into hospice care. My uncle received the Lord a few months ago, so we are very, very thankful for that, but it is sad when you consider that a whole life could have been spent walking with God.

I wish he had accepted the Lord early enough to really know Him. So, I am waiting to hear from my mother for more details, the kind of call you dread. This makes me very sad.

Then right after church today we went to see one of our favorite Crossroads members, Ben. He was not feeling well the past few days and by the time they got him to the hospital and diagnosed he was in really bad shape! It was very hard to visit him because we care so much about him. He has congestive heart failure and his kidneys were failing as well. We prayed with him, talked to him and tried to comfort and reassure his wife. Even in the shape he was in, as he drifted in and out of consciousness, he teased me. I gave it right back to him which made him smile. It made me very sad to see him this way.

Some preachers teach the false doctrine saying if you pray to the Lord believing strongly enough, He will grant your every wish. False! He sees the universe in its entirety, every age all at one time. He knows what will happen next, He knows how our action or lack of action today will affect our tomorrow. He knows every sick person by name, they are after all His creation. I understand as much as I am able with my limited perspective. One thing I do know is that He chooses not to heal every person. This makes me sad, but I totally trust Him.

"And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good." Romans 8:28 esv

My uncle and Ben both know the Lord and believe this promise, and tonight they both rest in his arms as they sleep.