Remember when?

I've been working on cleaning up things, and this included my computer.  This thing isn't that old, but I had transferred most of my things from the old one here.  I tend to do that, instead of cleaning it up.  I was amazed at some of the things I have saved.  And thrilled when I found some things I thought were gone.  It's like looking in an old shoe box and finding treasures.  

Now that I've done this, I want to go through a big tub of pictures I've been meaning to clean out.  I wonder what I'll find in there...maybe I'll have to share some of that with you.

One of the things I did find on the computer was a video we took of Abbie.  She is about 15 months old on this one.  I hope I can download it here, we'll see.  The story behind this is funny.  I was working here in the computer room.  She came in, tried to get my attention, but I didn't listen to her.  She picked up a paper out of the trash and started "reading" it to me.  I was so engrossed in my work, I sent her to grandpa.  Pretty soon she was back, "reading" again.  So, I quit and went out in the living room to listen to her.  I sat down and she pulled up a metal dolls chair and the fun began.....

 She is and was a hoot.  She still amazes us with her antics.  She's in first grade now, but excelling above her grade level.  She sits at night and reads her Bible to her mommie.  She sounds out words, and when she doesn't know what they are, she stops and asks, then repeats the sentence.  All of this without prompting from anyone.  We had put a DVD in, and somehow it was on with the words displayed.  She started reading those to us.  Then she realized they were what the people were saying and she was thrilled.

We've had a busy week.  Went to the airport Tuesday and then waited and waited for the plane.  Finally called MFI and found out that our new plane, 500MF was sitting in the Bahamas with a problem.  They had to fly 200MF down, pick up passengers and cargo and bring them in.  We came home, since the plane wasn't due for HOURS....Don went back, and picked up the pilots, since they had to overnight, coming in so late.  Sure enjoyed having them here, though.  It used to be quite often that MFI would overnight, with plane problems, or for other reasons.  It's been a while since they have had to do that.  They are working out the "glitches" of a new plane and should be out of the frustration mode soon.  Then we won't have them here again for a long time.

I shared at English church on Sunday.  What a hoot that was.  I had sat here, doing the whole thing, including the songs and everything, and timed it out to about 54 minutes...good, we have an hour.  I ended up finishing in 35 minutes....somehow I got it all wrong on timing.  While stateside, I had gotten a CD by Michael W. Smith, "A New Halleluiah".  I got it because it had "Amazing Grace" on it.  Even before we were Christians, I really liked that song.  But after accepting the Lord, it had new meaning for me.  Well, this version of the song has an added chorus.  This is it:
   My chains are gone
   I've been set free
   My God, my Savior
   Has ransomed me
   And like a flood,
   His mercy rains
   Unending love
   Amazing Grace
Since we have about 60% Haitians at English church, I wanted to do that song, but explain God's Amazing Grace before that. I had it all set up.... our friend, Ray, helped with it.  There was a lot that went into it, but the basics came down to me holding up individual signs that read, HATE, BITTERNESS, ANGER, GREED, UNFORGIVENESS...and a couple more.  I told everyone that once you accept Christ, these things can be dealt with, with Jesus help.  Then I read the chorus from the song.  I nodded and Ray came forward with chains wrapped around his body, and a lock on it.  I said, Jesus went to the cross for YOU, and for ME.  But between His death and when He rose again, what did He do?  I said, He reached down and took the keys away from the devil.  He took those keys to FREE you and me from all that holds us down.  I turned and unlocked the lock and took it off the chain.  Then I told them, He HAS set you free, but you need to turn to Him and release those things in your heart....I took the paper with HATE, held it up, crushed it in my hand and threw it away...and Ray dropped part of the chain.  I took another paper, held it up, said "Give it to the Lord", crushed it and threw it away, and Ray dropped more of the chain.  I did this through all those words.  And when done, the chain laid on the floor.  Then we sang "Amazing Grace" with the new chorus...When we got to "My Chains Are Gone", I held up the chain and threw it away.  I looked at my watch and  was shocked it was only 35 minutes.  I said, we have finished early, but you are free to go....so this week, go and share with someone how your chains are gone and you have been set free.  And share the Love of the Lord with them.  

What amazed me, was watching the Haitians.  Most come to church just to learn more English.  They sit and text, or talk quietly on the phone (a real frustration to everyone).  But that day not one person did any of that.  They all sat with mouths hanging open.  Enoch, our musician, asked if I had seen the faces of the people.  He was shocked with how quiet they were, and how they paid attention.  There was a Haitian pastor and his family there.  He knew English pretty well, but he wanted his family to learn more.  He told someone there that he was going to use that illustration in his church.  
Enoch told me I did a great job....I told him, nope, it wasn't me.  God put it all together and simply used me to do it.  And God did a great job of reaching some of those people.  I guess we are back to my favorite saying (that one of our sons used YEARS ago), "Isn't God AWESOME???"