I’ve been trying to word out my next post for over a day. Usually a post comes from a constant conversation rattling around in my head, and I feel if I type it out, I’ve at least conversed with my little cow gateway, and allowing others to hear what you are thinking . . . .once I type it, or speak it, I seldom dwell on it any more.

Have you ever been so excited, opportunities, passions, anticipation, change, good fortune, that you could burst?  Be surrounded by trees, lakes, birds, flowers, roses, grass, family, the Ocean, kites, sunsets, Fireplace poppings, baked goods and soup? Have you felt the longing of anticipation of knowing that the Lord has a new mission for you? The overwhelming joy and unspeakable thankfulness for His provision and faithfulness?

and then

Walked among those who don’t? Have never? Havn’t in a very long time? The whole town. Everywhere we go.  I thought people at the kite festival were sad because there was no wind. All bundled up in the PARKING LOTS to watch the kites and kids. Seriously, I doubt I could have counted 100 people on the beach. Everyone we talked to was cranky, sad, or just annoyed. I wondered if they got the memo that a free kit festival was supposed to be frolickingly good fun. (that’s a word).  The boys entered a contest to get 16 signatures of kite designers to earn a very cool pin, frisbee and Kite.  (4 for pin, 9 for frisbee, 16 for kite).  Took us almost 2 hours. But we got to meet everyone and be in the show and such. We turned in our books, – we were the first ones, the only ones so far in 4 hours that had done it. 

We got up Sunday morning anticipating a joyful morning of worship. Read all these great posts on the internet of coastal worship. Spent the greater part of the morning photographing ducks, egrets, loons, etc. Drinking coffee and excitedly getting ready. Stopped by Bi-Mart for some lunch fixings. It may have looked like the Bend store, but it sure didn’t feel like it. Sadness. Sorrow. Pain. Hardship.  Radiated throughout the store. Employees barely moving. Fixed facial expressions of tiredness and aches. No contact. No joy. It was 10:15 in the morning, they had been there for a while, enough to wake up. The people shopping looked about the same way. I felt so sad for my husband. I will be praying all the more harder that he can be a spark of joy and hope and passion there.  He worked with a cheerleader of a guy at Bi-mart. A few of them actually. I know he will bring what he learned from them and spark morale.

So we went on to church. I had two picked out, choose one that a pastor had written an article and mentioned Ramesh, Homeschooling and Radical Christians all in the same paragraphs. He was looking for radical Christians. I can see now why. In 30 minutes not one person had acknowledged our presence. It was a really small building. We tried to smile. Wave. Look lost. The service started 15 minutes late. They sang the saddest songs ever for 45 minutes. Gut wrenching crying out ME centered songs. Not one was biblically minded to glorify our God. To appreciate our Savior. To speak His Name. To Bask in His Glory. They were more concerned in songs that talked of their shortcomings and failures and beg for the God to Come.  Could they not feel it? Could they not sense it? Our passion and Joy for the Lord. Our need to fall to our knees and worship the provider and giver of all things? THe need to cry at the alter for all that He has orchestrated in our lives this past week? For all that He has aligned for us? For all that he kept out? For His healing? For His Hope? For His Love? For His People? Could they not see the glow in our skin and the shine in our eyes? The Spirit had come – with us – with them – to that place. He was waiting to be worshiped. Adored. Bewilderment set it.

It was not lost on the boys.  They both felt the sorrow and the pain. We talked most of the afternoon and later that evening with dad of the plague of sorrow that blankets this town. Are they tired from a long summer in the service industry? Have they forgotten to enjoy sunsets on the beach and fishing in the lake? Have they forgotten to refuel?

I wanted to come to this place and rest. To be refueled. To enjoy a break.  I hear a verse in my mind of not resting until the day that He returns. Even the boys speak of our need to share our joy and passions for Christ in this place. I had heard of several ministries that are dying here in this tiny coastal town. I mentioned a couple of times, that there must be someone in charge that lost their passion. How disheartening to see that so many beneath their leadership have lost theirs too.

These are only 3 of many instances that we have experienced here this week. What will the Lord want from us? How do we spark a town? I will start with one by one.  We were at the beach yesterday hoping for a bit of wind (I know sounds silly) to fly a kite. An elderly couple were sitting quietly in their car watching the most beautifully painted display of a sunset I have ever seen. They pointed to young son’s bare feet. I smiled and waved. Rookie stood up and did her hello wave to them. They both smiled widely. I told young son that they wanted to wave, so he turned around and did his crazy dance wave a them with his kite. Their smile was as beautiful as the sunset. We danced on the beach a while, then returned to the parking lot and they were still there. We did our little wave smile dance for them.  They lit up. And so it begins. We will share our joy, one at a time.