Happy Monday and Happy Birthday Bruce!

We had a celebratory dinner tonight. I prepared several of Bruce’s favorites including a smoked pork shoulder roast, individual sweet potato pies and cole slaw. We also had homemade red velvet cake. I only mention the cake because when we went to The Red Oven to pick up our traditional red velvet birthday cake we discovered The Red Oven was closed. How sad! Bruce received about 40 birthday greetings via Facebook. I told him that since I did not have a Facebook he would just have to be happy with my face saying Happy Birthday! He also received a Happy Birthday certificate and a sticker from the folks in Cardiac Rehab. How cool!

Updates: Geni had a wonderful first day of teaching. We were anxious to hear about her day. She had 6 children in her classroom with one more to come. And my Mom is doing well. I spoke with her this morning and she sounded really great. After a conversation with Sheena (my sister in law) who went to see her today, she said that Mom looked great and confirmed that she is doing much better. Praise God!

I must share with you something that happened today. God is such a multitasker. While Bruce was in cardiac rehab I went to the third floor to support one of our church members as her husband was having heart surgery. I took two cups of Starbucks coffee and two slices of banana bread. When I arrived, our Music Director was already there and had brought 4 cups of Starbucks coffee. We all burst into laughter and decided we needed to set up a kiosk right there in the waiting room. You know for Lutherans coffee is the third sacrament!

I left the waiting area to take a phone call and passed a woman sitting by herself. When I came back by her I noticed that she was crying. So I sat down with her and asked how I could help. She began to tell me her story. I interrupted a couple of times to find out her name, where she was from and if she had any other family or if her pastor that were going to be with her. Then she began to tearfully tell me about her son who was 47 and had entered the hospital on Saturday with some heart problems. This morning he had an episode and his heart stopped. He had to be shocked by to life and was in having an emergency cardiac cath. The woman began to tell me more of her story. She stopped and said, “I have just unloaded on you.” I told her no problem and that I was glad to listen if that is what she needed. I listened. We had prayer together. I left her my card and asked her to call me when she had news. She did call later in the afternoon to tell me that her son was better and was going to be just fine.

Today was the first day of public school life and I was not there. I guess God needed me to hear His voice today very clearly. Most of the time I hear God’s voice in His Word or in songs, but today God spoke very clearly as to His calling for my life and His timing was perfect. And He made His voice know in the tears of a stranger who feared the loss of her son; a scenario I know all too well.

Tomorrow I begin classes full time at Brite Seminary. I go armed with gifts of highlighters, two new pens, three new spirals (college ruled!), new “first” pencils that are a bit larger than your regular number 2 yellows and a new bottle of glue! But I also go with some nervousness. Today I received assurance that I am doing the right thing in God’s time and by his will.

First, I have been praying for God to use me to help others by His will and direction. And today I sat down with a total stranger and listened, prayed and shared a moment of fellowship. God used me to listen to this scared woman as we prayed for the life of her son, and the peace in her heart…“when two or more a gathered in His Name…”

Second, God’s voice was very clear in that I am still called to service, but that my life as a public school teacher is finished and that His calling on my life as a chaplain is authentic.

2 Timothy 2:1 “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”

Every once in a while I would ask Bruce, “I can do this can’t I?” meaning leaving a thirty year career to have a different life as a student and later a chaplain. There are times I feel really insecure about being a student full time and being smart enough to do the work required of me. Today I received an affirmation from God that His grace is there for me each step of the way. His grace will be there with each paper I write, each test I take and with each word I read. God has been faithful and I have felt His presence in my life. It is my prayer that God will continue to strengthen my faith and increase my dependence on Him so that I can be the servant He has called me to be. And my friends, I ask you to be in prayer for me and I will continue to be in prayer with you and for you. Let us journey with Jesus together.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Be not afraid. God’s grace leads us in all of our journeys and His grace is the grace that is in Jesus. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am only moved by what I believe and I believe God.