A Raw Sort of Love

This morning was my "last" church service with my folks here. I am leaving on Wednesday.

If I've learned anything about God this year, it's that He's a faithful provider. He gave me this family that I love and belong in. He'll make a home for me everywhere I go no matter who I am with.

All week I was sensing that something was going on behind my back, especially when Masha begged me not to go away on Thursday night, because I had planned to visit Nadia at a camp in nearby Baliko Shuchenka.

So I stayed home and Nadia came for supper and then we went over to my house for Thursday night prayer meeting. I already knew something was up, but I didn't know what. I came into the living room, which was rather fuller than usual, to be greeted by a lot of goofy looks, and balloons and something behind the semi-see through guest room door, which Masha was diligently guarding.

Then Cheryl asked me to go get my Bible, so I went to open my door, and Bam! The door flew open and out flooded a dozen or more people! I screamed and then started laughing and we had a hugging assembly line because they could only get out my narrow bedroom door in single file.

I was a little shocked to see most of the church there (about 30 people,) because, having rather limited ideas about parties, I had imagined a small quiet get together. And then this. I was so blessed and I felt blanketed in love. I just have these awesome sneaky friends! I tend to be uncomfortable in groups, but this was a very good kind of uncomfortable, a raw sort of love, one that we could all share. The Body of Christ is precious and I feel so privileged to be a part of it. I love it that even when I wasn't a very sociable person, people loved me into the family anyway.

The only thing that saved me from crying was the fact that I was laughing almost the whole time. They said a lot of really nice things, and there were poems and a song, and we prayed, and they Cheryl and Deb served up banana splits. Ruth said they were talking like it was my funeral, but I didn't mind. Yeah, what's with all the past tense, anyway??

So I am very happy, and very at peace. It's like what Simeon said in his message this morning at church, that we are like sheep, and sheep need the shepherd to take care of certain things for them so that they can relax, like protecting them, finding food for them, making space for them, etc. They get really nervous and freaked out about just about anything. But they know the shepherd so well that just his presence on the scene is enough to calm them.

And I guess that's what I felt this morning as I sat in the upstairs of the Gollan's house with these friends, listening to Simeon talk about the Good Shepherd. God's comforting hand soothing me, completely resting me.