Sunday: At The Cross We Are Free

Updated to add: I forgot to hit "post" on this one last night, so it may show up that I posted twice today. But I didn't. Well, I kind of did. But I wrote it on two different days.

What I neglected to mention about our time in Fayetteville yesterday, is that the town was crammed packed full with people who had come to watch an Arkansas Razorback's Spring football practice. And, I also think there must've been some sort of biker convention, because EVERYWHERE.

After Joshua's Powerlifting meet, we decided to grab a bite before heading back home. I suggested Hammondtree's, which is a little gourmet grilled-cheese place and it.is.yum. But, Joshua suggested Braum's, and since he was the man of the hour...we went to Braum's. And their food is okay, but their chocolate cappuccino crunch ice-cream on a waffle cone nearly put me into a warm and lovely sugar coma.

While I was driving.

(I haven't had ice-cream in a WHILE)

Also, since we were up that way, I really wanted to go by and see Kelly Stamps and her newborn baby boy at the hospital, but I didn't because, well, she's my pretend internet friend, and so stranger danger.

And, also: stalker alert.

Relax everybody. I would never do that.

(This may be one of those times my daughter is talking about when she says, "MOM, people don't "get" your sense of humor.")

Last night was also prom night. In the 3 years that we've lived here, Clark has not gone to prom one time. He just has no desire. His girlfriend begged him to go (she's already out of high school), but he wasn't having it. I don't really care that he didn't go...I just hope he doesn't regret it one day. I guess if he does, he does.

He was also one of the guys nominated for Prom King. All of the nominees had to turn in a form saying they "accepted" the nomination, and since he wasn't interested in going to prom, he didn't turn it in.

HE DIDN'T TURN IT IN.

I...can't...even.

I never went to a prom. Where we lived when I was in high school, our church had a big banquet on the night of prom...and that's what I did. Jim did go to his prom, and he told me that he didn't remember having prom kings and queens, and that, 10 years down the road, no one but the parents would remember anything about prom...but STILL.

He has friends from 3 different schools in the last 3 towns we lived in...I have LOVED seeing all the prom pictures of his friends this weekend, tho. WHERE has the time gone?

I'd better get off this subject, or I'll be in tears. (sniff)

Speaking of tears, the lady who sang during church yesterday got really emotional during the 2nd service praise and worship time. She was out front with the praise team. This lady and her husband lost both of their teenaged sons in a tragic car accident a few years ago. I would still be balled up in a corner, but they are at church, and she sings in the choir. I don't know how she does it. But, GOD.

So, she is wiping tears and singing, and I knew we would have a prayer, and then she had the solo in our choir song. I saw her ask someone for a tissue, but the other person didn't have one. And there are no tissues in the choir loft, and WHY AREN'T THERE TISSUES IN THE CHOIR LOFT BECAUSE I PRETTY MUCH NEED ONE EVERY WEEK?

But, in my hand, I had a tissue. I had already been in first service, and I knew what was coming. We were singing songs like, "Now the daylight flees; now the ground beneath, quakes as it's Maker bows His head. Curtain torn in two, dead are raised to life; "Finished!" the vict'ry cry! This, the pow'r of the cross...Son of God, slain for us. What a love! What a cost! We stand forgiven at the cross."

We have so much talent in our choir. Not me, but many, many others. I feel like we could get a piece of music, and probably get up and sing the words with very little effort...and then go on about our week. I never want to do that. I pray for God to keep my heart tender to the message He wants us to get from each song. I want what we sing to speak to the members of the congregation, but I want it to speak to ME as well.

So, I made SURE I had a tissue for the 2nd service. In fact, I may or may not have used it a little during the praise and worship time. I got so worried about the lady who was crying. How would she make it through her song? It's a good thing that Holly was not in choir with me yesterday, because she probably would've fallen over dead at what I did next. During the prayer, I tapped Clark's girlfriend, Faith, on the arm. She was on praise team and standing in front of me. And I'll be dad gum'd if I didn't give her that slightly used tissue and whispered for her to give it to the lady who was crying.

I figured a slightly used tissue was better than nothing, right?

Don't tell anybody. It'll be our little secret.

We had a great morning at church. I asked Joshua if he brought one of his gold medals to church. He never brings all three. He says that bringing all three is "too much," and they "clank together." Anyway, yesterday, he said, "no, I didn't bring one. I don't want to show off."

After church, I headed to a baby shower for Holly's best friend. I cannot believe that kids who are my kids' ages...are starting their own families now. Circle of life, right?

And that's how I came home and realized that I had missed lunch and that it was now dinner time...and I was hungry.right.now. Jim went out and brought home Wendy's, because it's close and because we're classy like that. We split a chicken sandwich and called 'er done. Holly and Aaron-the-son-in-law came over, and we caught up from the weekend.

I spent the majority of the day thinking of two things: First, our music minister's daughter, Ruthie. She's very ill and undergoing treatment in Washington, DC for the next couple of days. Your prayers would certainly be a blessing to this family.

And secondly, the cross. 

A couple of months ago, Logan and Morgan were in their church service at FBC Jonesboro, Arkansas, where they were able to hear a choir full of members who had Special Needs of one sort or the other. The pastor spoke of the ground being level at the foot of the cross; how no person is above any other person; how, in Christ, there is no favor or distinction. I could not help but think about that this morning as our choir sang the song, "At The Cross We Are Free."

Because the ground IS level at the foot of the cross, and we ALL have Special Needs of one sort or another; The main one being that GOD made us all SPECIAL...and we all NEED Him.

"At the cross we are forgiven, at the cross we are free; at the cross we are broken from the chains of misery. Oh grave, where is thy vic'try? Oh death, where is thy sting? At the cross, at the cross, we are free. Where Perfect Love abides, where darkness cannot hide, where healing waters rise, at the cross we're satisfied; where dead men come to life, and blinded eyes are opened wide...at the cross."

"The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18