Joshua the Usher

Well, today is Monday...but I completely forgot to write about the OTHER cool thing that happened yesterday at church.

After our choir finishes singing, we come down and sit with our families in the congregation. Well, after the message...after the invitation...there is the offering. And when the pastor called the ushers up front and began to pray, Jim slipped quietly out of his seat...as usual. He helps take the offering pretty much every Sunday. But as I opened my eyes to motion for Joshua to move over and stand by me (he likes to sit on the end), I noticed him walking down to the front of the church with Jim.

And that's how Marty died.

No, seriously...I.about.died.

WHAT WAS GOING ON?

Memories came rushing back of when he got in line with the deacons at Jim's ordination service.

At our church...back in the place-our-kids-call-home, when a man is ordained as a deacon, he will share his testimony in front of the church. Sometimes, if a specific person nominated him, that person will speak and share the qualities they've observed that would make the candidate a good deacon. There's other stuff that goes on...I just can't remember what all at the moment. But, when it's about over, the man will (typically) sit in a chair at the front of the church. His wife will stand beside him...and then allllll of the ordained men in the church will get in a line, and come by and pray over him.

I'm sure each church has their own way of doing things, but this is how our church did it.

So, I was standing there beside Jim and my head was bowed and my eyes were closed...but something...SOMETHING...at some point...made me open my eyes to take a peak, just to see if we were about at the end of the line.

And that's when I saw him.

The "travel-sized" NON-deacon. Proud face on. Standing, very respectfully, in line with the other men.

And I thought, "OH DEAR."

I don't remember what Joshua said when he got up there to us...if he prayed for Jim, or if he just told him he was proud of him. I was too busy hoping we didn't just break all the rules of decorum. Ha!

I'm kidding...of course. Everyone thought it was sweet. But that was at the church in the-place-my-kids-call-home.

And this...yesterday? Was at our church. Here. OH, dear.

I nudged Clark, who was next to me...he looked up...then over at Joshua's empty seat...and then up at the front. And then his eyes got real big...and then he just shook his head.

The next thing I heard was the preacher say, "Amen," and we sat down. Joshua was proudly standing on the far side of our section, offering plate in hand. He very seriously passed the plate up each row.

He did a great job...he really did.

Everyone was smiling. It was sweet.

And, I know it's not a competition or anything, but I'm pretty sure our section gave the most money...TO THE LORD.

Because, the plate may or may not have been passed twice on some rows.

Second Baptist Church...where we will MAKE you give. :)

"You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully." 2 Corinthians 9:7