This weekend was our family reunion...

Nothing too spectacular about that, except that cars broke down and people who don't normally ride the bus ended up on the bus with me, such as Jeremy, Tamara and their baby Wyatt...but that isn't what I want to talk about today... There was this couple on the bus, obviously mentally challenged. They had waited for the bus with us, with their bikes, and they ended up sitting right behind me. For about 30 minutes I got to listen to their interactions.

They were fascinated by Wyatt. They thought he was adorable, and told my son and his wife that a couple of times. And then they talked about him between themselves. And the conversation was fascinating and poignant, and it is this I want to share with you...

They talked about children, how they had always wanted children, but how the medications the wife is on for her mental issues would have been damaging to the baby, so they had decided not to risk it. They spoke of how they had longed for a son and a daughter. And then, they brought tears to my eyes when they said that GOD knew how much they longed for a baby, so they were sure that when they get to heaven, GOD is going to put them to work in the heavenly daycare taking care of all the babies. They spoke of how much care they would give these little babies and I just sat there, in tears.

Now, I know that theologically, someone would want to challenge this dream of theirs, but I just sat, absorbing their dream and wishing it for them. And then the woman said to the man, could you rub my knee? He reached over and patted her knee. No, she said, rub, not pat. So he started rubbing her knee, back and forth. And she sighed and said, thank you, your touch always makes me feel so much better. At that point I was almost sobbing.

The love and simplicity these two were displaying (albeit quietly) was just so amazing that I was overwhelmed by it. I don't know this couples name, I probably never will, but they made a spiritual impact on me this weekend, and made me think of the concept of simple faith.

You see, I don't have simple faith...I question, poke, prod, challenge and probe every theological concept. But these two spoke and breathed simple, loving faith, and on that ride, I envied them...

I saw this picture...

and it so expressed the sea of emotions I've been experiencing in the last few weeks, that I had to save it and share it!!!

Music sometimes lifts us...

And sometimes body-slams us. While packing this past week, this song came up on my MP3 player and I was singing along...until I got to the chorus...at that point I collapsed against the wall, sobbing uncontrollably...

Unspoken Love by Kim Hill

I wonder how many husbands and wives

Cry themselves to sleep tonight

Wishing for the world that they could just reach out across the bed...

And hold each other the way they used to do

And whisper sleepy “I love yous”

Oh but most just turn out the light and let it go unsaid

How many love songs never get sung

How many sweet thoughts die on the tip of the tongue

Victims of unspoken love

Tell me How many lonely people there are

Left holding the pieces of a broken heart

Tokens of unspoken love

In his dreams he dances until dawn

But she never even notices he’s gone

She’s lost in a novel somewhere off the southern coast of France

And in the morning she watches as he pulls away

He almost turns around, she almost shouts “Please stay home today!”

Oh, but neither takes the chance

How many love songs never get sung

How many sweet thoughts die on the tip of the tongue

Victims of unspoken love

Tell me How many lonely people there are

Left holding the pieces of a broken heart

Tokens of unspoken love

Today's talk in Church...

Was on a passage of Scripture that I am brutally familiar with...Matthew 18:15-17

¹⁵"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. ¹⁶But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' ¹⁷If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

When I was "found in sin" in the Baptist church I was attending at that time in my life, this is the Biblically justified Scripture they used to "handle me & my sin". First I was called to meet with a brother in the church, not knowing there would be another brother there. Then I was told to come meet with an Elder of my church, not knowing there would be 15 elders and a few of my friends there. Then I was asked to leave the church until I "got my life together".

Today's sermon showed this scripture to me in a totally new light. No one in today's sermon hid that there would be other people at meetings. Joe told us to first go to a person one-on-one. If that didn't work it out, ASK if you can bring in another person to help/mediate. If that doesn't work out, ASK the person you are working things through with to meet with others in the church. No one is shanghaied or surprised by the "others". It's a cooperative venture.

But the shocking part to me was the end. He spoke about the fact that Christ freely admitted that things wouldn't always work out between people. Even after speaking to them one-on-one, bringing a brother/sister to mediate and even after bringing it to the church in a private meeting. So, then, what does one do? We: "treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector".

Then, Joe shocked my socks off...He asked: And how did Christ treat pagans or tax collectors? And the answer is: With utmost respect and forgiveness!!! You don't throw them out or shun them. You treat them as you would an unbeliever who needs the saving Grace of GOD!!!!

I was STUNNED, you see, because that is what I had believed that Scripture meant...at least BEFORE I was kicked out of the church. I was thrilled to know that another Christian saw this scripture the way I had. That at our worst in behavior is when we need our brothers/sisters in the Lord the absolute most, and that to throw them out into the street simply isn't the Christian way to deal with them.

Thanks, Joe.