Hallelujah!

I normally don’t write about the everyday things I do, but this week has to be special, and an exception to the rule.  Let me tell you about my week.

Starting Sunday, we had a special guest at church.  Trinna is someone I’ve known since her childhood.  She visited us Sunday and gave her testimony in front of the combined adult class.  She has a powerful story to tell of sin and redemption.  Breathtakingly honest, Trinna captivated the class as she told of her former life and of her transformation in Jesus Christ.

Sunday afternoon, my brother, sister-in-law and I went to Nebraska for the upcoming eclipse.  We stopped in Lincoln so I could see a childhood friend who now has incurable liver cancer.  He was home waiting for us, and we had a great visit of about 1 ½ hours, reminiscing, talking about the present, and looking ahead to the future.  His attitude seems great even in the face of the constant pain and bleak outlook for a long life.  It is cliché, but I’ll say he is truly an inspiration.

To York we went to spend the night before the Great Eclipse.  Next day we went down to the Strang, Nebraska area to actually watch it.  We went there because of a sentimental attachment to the area, as our dad was born somewhere in that area and his family lived there for a time.

The eclipse was all we thought it would be…a magnificent celestial display that takes one’s breath away.  It didn’t get pitch-black, but was dark enough we had trouble making out the colors of the flora around us, and it got noticeably cooler as well.  Additionally, we could see the circle of the shadow as it approached, came overhead, and left us in the sky and clouds.  An awesome, awesome sight to behold it was.

While in Strang, we met a woman who, it turns out, lives in the very same house that our grandparents and my dad lived in in the early 1900’s.  The story of how we found this out is too long to print here; suffice it to say that we were taken aback by the coincidences that came together to put this woman and us together.  We were able to see the house, confirm it was indeed the house by comparing it to an old photo we had, and plan to come back for more research.

On Tuesday, I had a pleasant and informative visit with Stephanie, who is starting her own business consulting with non-profit organizations on best practices, and helping them with things such as grants and funding.  She would like to expand into churches and health care, and has asked me if I would be willing to help her do that.  I am flattered that she asked and will

do what I can to help, because her services, if done properly, are sorely needed.

Wednesday, I received a fanciful book about Unicorns in the mail, written by the daughter of a friend of mine.  Dayna has written a wonderful children’s book called “The Majesstic Unicorn,” which just has to become a best-seller.  I enjoyed both reading it as well as the illustrations that are part of it.  You can get it on Amazon, by the way.

Today I visited, along with Curtis, the mother of one of our Elders who is in her last hours on earth.  She has lived a rich and full life in the Lord, and is ready to go home.  We had a pleasant visit with her family, and trust we were some blessing to them and to her.

The week isn’t over yet.  But so far, it’s been good and productive.  I like weeks like that, especially ones that start out as this one did…with tangible, real-life evidence of what the Gospel of Jesus Christ can do in the life of someone who by faith puts all of her trust in the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus Christ.  Hallelujah!