I was out visiting Harry and Anna Culbreth yesterday. A wonderful couple whose center just emotes the love of Christ. And as I left their home and headed home, I realized something: that for me, having the privilege to meet folks in their homes has been a great gift! I thought about the first church I served fulltime in Geddes, SD. And how green I was. And how hard it was for me to just keep going, especially after the "honeymoon" of our relationship started to wear off. There were times that 2nd and 3rd year, that I was tempted to look around from other "options". There were some dry, desert moments, for sure. Ministry was much more difficult than I imagined!
But then I would go out visiting folks! And on those visits, I found two things happening. Every time I met someone in their home, or out for coffee, I found a much deeper connection with them. My visit seemed to give them hope. It was wonderful to experience those "magical moments" when the Spirit of Christ was passed through me to the one I was visiting! But in those visits, I also experienced the reverse of that! The Spirit of Christ often passed through the one I was visiting into me, giving me hope! So cool! These visits became my own wonderful "oasis" in the desert that sometimes become our ministries.
As I pondered the power of "oasis" I remembered my son, Sam, when he was 3 or 4 years old. We were living in the small town of Geddes at the time and Sam had developed a relationship with the neighbor across the street, Perry and Vi Anderson. Perry and Vi worked as the church custodian for us. Perry was still climbing ladders and changing lightbulbs into his 70s! They were just one of many sets of "adopted grandparents" for Sam. And Sam had grown accustomed to paying Vi and Perry a visit every 2 or 3 days. He'd tug on our arm and say, "Can I go over and visit Perry and Vi?" and we'd say sure. We'd take him to the edge of the sidewalk and watch as he watched for cars (the traffic there was incredibly slow) and cross over the street, head up Perry and Vi's sidewalk, climb the steps, step up on the step stool (Perry and Vi had put it there especially for him) and carefully press the doorbell. And in about 15 seconds out would pop Perry or Vi, and in would go Sam.
One day I asked Perry and Vi what the secret was to capturing Sam's heart, and smiling from ear to ear they said, "rainbow sherbet! He loves that stuff!"
A couple of years later we moved to the town of Mitchell, about an hour away from Geddes. One summer day we decided to head down to the Geddes area to do some camping near the Missouri River and as we went by Geddes we decided to drive through our old town. And as we did, we passed by the church, our parsonage, and Perry and Vi's. Suddenly Sam, now 5, shouted “stop!” And we did. Suddenly, and without telling us what he was doing, Sam got out of the car, looked both ways, crossed the street, and walked up the steps to Perry and Vi's. Imagine his joy to see that the step stool was still out! And then imagine his exultant smile when Perry and Vi popped out the door in response to the doorbell! Fifteen minutes later, Sam headed out the door...his face still smiling, and his lips still covered in rainbows!
Sam had found the power of an "oasis" in the desert! Sam had discovered the power of "a place of grace!"
Yesterday, coming home from Harry and Anna's, I came to the realization that I now know exactly how Sam felt! And as I came home, guess who was waiting for me at my door? My granddaughter, Emerson, waiting for a "frothy" with Pops! I think you call that a double rainbow!
Your friend and pastor, hoping you, too, have experienced the power of rainbow sherbet and a warm friend (big or small) to share it with, Brook
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