Ordinary Blessings

It’s odd. Usually I am worn to a frazzle by Sunday evening. But God blessed me with a long nap in the late afternoon, which refreshed me and put me in a very good spirits. In fact this whole weekend has been full of blessings. Not so much of the grand nature, but more of the ordinary kind.

For example, on Saturday, Ed and I ventured out into the surrounding area. We are so new here, almost every time we leave the house it’s an adventure. A short drive from 907 Friendship Rd. is located a general store called Shiloh. It is just over the county line in Yadkin. We had heard about it from our new friends, so we thought we would check it out.

The store at Shiloh is not a place you just pop into. It is quite a ways off the beaten path or so it seems. The folks who operate the store are Amish, and it is filled with a bounty of fresh breads, cakes, herbs, nuts, fruit, jams, jellies, and produce.

When we got there on Saturday, I noticed a stretch limo parked right out front. Hey, I told Ed, we might get to see a famous person. But alas, inside we found mainly ordinary folks like us. Some of them may have been famous, but since I’m seriously media-challenged on a regular basis, I couldn't tell if any were or not.

Ed and I purchased some homemade ginger snaps (my favorite), and a pan of blackberry cream cheese rolls (Ed’s favorite).  I got some fancy popcorn too (again, my favorite).  So if you find yourself somewhere in Yadkin County, go by there. You’ll enjoy it, and the food is the best.

The country in North Iredell is beautiful this time of year, and I can’t wait to experience the change of seasons. The lushness of the growing corn and soybeans, seeing the dairy cows spread out over the pastures, and the hopefulness of the morning glories curling over any tall thing fills and nurtures my heart.

Best of all, worshiping with the saints at Friendship UMC this morning topped off the week-end. God was present, and we were blessed! I know God has brought Ed and me among the folks here for something special. We are not exactly sure yet what that might be, but if the blessings we are experiencing so far are any indication, it is going to be fantastic!

Feeling blessed and in good spirits and thanking God here in N. Iredell County!

Transitions!

Oh the joys and frustrations of moving. Today I spent some time resting from the week’s work of packing, sorting, lifting, carrying, grunting, sweating and just plain hard work of moving. We euphemistically call this itineracy “our time of transition.” Ed calls it hell week. He is glad it is over, and he gets to return to his regular routine of opening locks and visiting with friends. I’ll admit, he has had the worst of moving as he has done all the heavy lifting, all the driving, and all of the taking apart and putting together.

I am so thankful for his wonderful spirit through the grand adventures God puts us through in ministry. He is a gentle person and has been worried that something may have happened to the toad who was living in the aluminum ladder on our carport in Lincolnton. “I should have brought him with us,“ he said. “But of course he may have a family there.” Leave it to Ed to always be thinking about the little guy.

We have this Sunday as our transition Sabbath, which means that I wasn’t allowed to attend our new church-Friendship UMC. So we scouted out a place to worship and ended up at Yadkin Baptist Church over on highway 115. It was good to worship with them. It seems like it’s been a month since last Sunday!

I am extremely excited to begin in ministry with the saints at Friendship UMC. The welcome here has been overwhelming. We’ve have had our socks blessed off already. I am thanking God for the blessings of my new brothers and sisters. We are going to do gooooood, because God is with us…and the best is yet to come!