Something Special

My mom is up for a visit this weekend. I do so enjoy that. She always brings good stories and I never feel like I'm paying close enough attention but I enjoy them all very much.

This trip one piece of news she brought had a big impact on me. One of those voices from the past that you never see coming. Something that I'd completely forgotten about. What was it you might ask?

She got a call earlier this past week from the wife of the pastor who preached at the very first church I ever attended. Twenty-two years ago, our youth group created a time-capsule and it's time to open it. I'd completely forgotten it to be sure. I'd not forgotten her (Roberta) or my orginal pastor (Lee). See they were like my spritual parents and that church was where my whole experience with faith really began. Those two people will always hold a special place in my heart and I'd fight and die for them alongside anyone else that I love.

I remember as a deacon in that church that Lee used to let me "preach" from time to time. He trusted me enough to turn over his pulpit and teach those people that attended that church. And I was like 17 years old, tops. Its a tremendous honor and one really only offered in small country churches. In the summertime, we used to have special services and bbq out in the back lot and play games, do crafts and all that good stuff. It really was a "Mayberry" kind of place. I miss them.

And to hear about this time capsule really got me to thinking.

It's been 22 years after all. I have no idea what I put in there or what predictions I made. But I"m definitely going to go see about this when they open it. It's worth the long drive back home and to that place to see those folks again and reminsice about how things turned out. It's very, very cool.

I know you're reading this thinking, sheesh dude, it's not that big of a deal. And from the outside looking in, I get that.

But with how I'm wired this is like a top 10 life moment for me :) Going back to where my life really opened up to the rest of the world, where I had my first girlfriend, my first real friends, where I learned to be a smart alec, and finally, where I started to learn to talk to people and realize (on a small scale) that it's okay to be me.

Took me 22 years to learn the lesson but it all started in a small country church in Fredericktown, MO.