Weekend Update!

It's taken me a couple of days to process all that took place on Saturday. Thank you to those who have continued to pray! Your prayers have been felt without question. Thank you as well for the checks up however you've sent them.

Saturday morning, four of us headed out at 7:15 a.m..... my mother, her boyfriend, hubby, and myself. We decided it would be best to let the boys stay in G-town. That decision was not made lightly, but ended up being the right one without a doubt! We were gone a total of 12 hours...

Overall, I can say that the ride to and from went rather smoothly. Again, the prayers were greatly felt and known intimately. It was the in-between that I'm still working on.

My uncle Dale requested to be cremated. He also did not want any flowers. So, needless to say - it was rather different from most services I've attended or been part of. His wife, daughter, two sons, their spouses and children were there. I was greatly saddened by the lack of attendance by the majority of our extended family however - not even half showed up....

My uncle Joe was in rare form.. Hubby didn't have to fill in for him like we thought might happen. Uncle Joe told me as we were preparing to leave that he is done being the marrying and burying pastor for our family. He's officially passed the baton to hubby now. Uncle Joe has cancer too. He handled his brother's service with much dignity, grace, and never forgetting to take the opportunity to talk about Jesus and Heaven. And I was beyond thankful. Given that he has been told there's nothing else that doctors can do for him either - it came across with much concern for those he'll be leaving behind. He never got one name wrong either.. With such a large extended family as ours - that happens often!

My aunt Jane - Dale's wife and I spent some real in-depth time talking. It was my conversation with her and Dale's grown children that still has me processing things. She talked about my role in the family - especially in the last five years. Dale's grown children did too. And about hubby's as well. She specifically said to me, "Camey? I believe God healed you because our family couldn't have handled your dying. We need you to get us through these deaths. Your place in the family is known by all of us. It is greatly appreciated." What does a person do with that? I must confess - it made my heart heavy. No, not because of being physically healed.... I remain thankful for that.

My uncle had served the USA in the armed services years ago. Taps was played as was a flag unfolded, folded again, and given to his wife with the Country's thanks. One couldn't help but notice the memorial with all the names of individuals from that little country town who had or are currently serving. Yes, I stopped and prayed for all those families represented.

There was lots of talk about Dale being back home where he wanted to be - speaking here about the small country town we were in. As we stood at the site where he was to be buried - his children and grandchildren took turns digging the hole for the small box his ashes were in. Laughter erupted when the ground was much harder than anyone was expecting and muscle really had to be put into it. It was natural to laugh during those moments.

When the box had been covered... we all went back to the pavilion. Aunt Jane proposed a toast with champagne - one of his favorite things to drink. Some of us had Ginger Ale instead... More toasts were made - some serious and yet some funny.

When it came time for us to be heading back to the highly secure gated community, I made my rounds. As each one of his children were hugging me - they said the same thing, "I'll be calling you soon to talk!" When I told them people were praying for them and would continue - I got smiles and winks. And the one I would have least expected hugged me harder. Much harder.

So, keep praying!

"You're Not Finished Here Yet."

Remember: You were warned.

Do you ever get hurt so badly that you want to leave? You want to go anywhere else, but stay where you are at? That was me/us at the beginning of the summer. And yet, Brother G and I kept hearing, "You're not finished here yet. You're not released to leave this town." We were even told by another church in another place - "You're not finished there yet." Confirmation yet again... This is definitely where having a praying life and not a prayer time is crucial.

As God so often does.... He is using the hurt and the pain and is continuing the work here in G-town in ways that there is no denying it's Him. How do I know? It is totally beyond me/us...

One of the things that Brother G and I have the privilege of doing is teaching the late teens and twenty-somethings Bible study group on Sunday mornings. At first we said yes to doing it because there was an immediate need for teachers/leaders. We thought maybe we'd be "the substitutes" for a couple of weeks and then be gone. Little did we really know.....

I was walking up the stairs after having been moved greatly by the Holy Spirit... and I saw him.. and he saw me. And he walked into the room I was going to.... Then came the..."Camey? You're just going to have to trust me on this. You're going to be uncomfortable as hell, but I know what I'm doing even if you don't." Brother G was not going to be with us for today's group either.

We sit in a circle.. We were discussing "Spiritual Maps"... I had asked the question, "So? Where are you on your Spiritual Map this moment?" We were going around the room. When it came time for Tommy.... he said, "Well, this is my first time in a church in about a year. I live in Ft. Worth now. I came today because I knew I was supposed to. I used to live here and worked at ______ before changing jobs and moving." Then, Tommy and I looked at each other in the eyes. That's where we knew each other from. And he remembered... and so did I.

Brother G and I were on a double date with Smithee and his wife when we first met Tommy. He was our server that night. He already knew Ry and so the conversation flowed more as individuals who knew each other and not as that of complete strangers. As Brother G and I do... I asked Tommy how we could pray for him... he responded... and then Brother G prayed... He was treated with kindness our whole time there. God's kindness.... and received a generous tip. We had Tommy as our server several more times... whether Brother G and I together on a date or my being with others that I was meeting to minister to in a neutral place. Each time offering to pray, treating with God's kindness, and leaving a generous tip. At that time in his life - Tommy really didn't want any thing really to do with a place known as a church. Remember - Brother G and I (nor our sons) consider the church to be a building.... that is how we live life as lifestyle missionaries. That is where life in the moments come from... it's not just about those couple of hours on Sunday morning or whenever one might "do" church...

Had we treated Tommy like dirt - he would not have been as open to listening to the Holy Spirit talking to him about coming or through me and the others in the group. He also said he was in a cave right now and the light peeking in was really bright. Then he brought up "Hell" and we discussed it. It included me throwing my Bible down in the middle of the room. Talk about uncomfortable.... Talk about totally relying on the Holy Spirit...... I'll leave the rest of what was said between those there for now... except this part..

As they were walking out of the room - one by one - we hugged and "I love you" was said, meant and known. I almost did not hug Tommy. "I" had to get out of the way again... He hugged me hard and told me he was glad we were still here and that he came. He really hadn't wanted to but knew he wasn't finished here yet. That even though he didn't think there had been any way to reach him.... God was.

I'm quoted now as saying, "Included moving to a town I said I would never live in." That's because I knew I would truly have to die by living here...

There were other things going on this particular weekend that I will not write about here... except to say this... I would rather look like a fool and follow the Holy Spirit even when it does not make sense than to leave in an effort to become comfortable again and lick my wounds.

Where are you not finished yet?

Are you willing to die to self and let Him use you as HE wants?

It's not just about Sunday.