Homecoming

Roger was asked by a Bi-Vo Friend that we had met seven years ago at the Bi-Vo Retreat to preach at his church's Homecoming last Sunday.  We live 30+ miles north of Chattanooga.  This homecoming church was in Lincoln Co., TN, which is southern middle TN..............and it happens to be about 20 minutes from both of our mothers, who live in Alabama.

We were very excited to be able to see our friends and to visit with them at their church.  It was also a wonderful time to visit with both of our moms during the weekend.  (We only live three hours from them, but with both of us working secular jobs and also being Bi-Vocational ministers...........it does not leave much time.)

However, on the way to our moms on Friday, I was telling Roger that I was excited about the entire weekend, but it was kind of strange that the pastor would invite us to Homecoming when that is usually reserved for former pastors, etc.

WOW.....what a surprise!  Upon arriving at the church, we discovered that the pastor's mentoring pastor was "the little boy" that grew up down the road from me years ago.  He, his sister and older brother would ride to church with my parents.  Also, we discovered that the church we were visiting was only 22 years old because it has split from another church...................a church that Roger had lead music in 30 years ago as interim.  Yes....you get the picture now...........we wound up knowing about half of the congregation and even had visitors from our home church that came just to hear Roger.

See, unknown to us and unknown to the church's pastor, God had everything all planned out.  ROGER was perfect for the Homecoming Service..............lots of ties and connections.

A lady about my age came up to me and told me that I probably did not remember her.....but she had talked about me and thought of me often.  She called me the "Worm Lady".  Let me explain...........thirty years ago, I taught the 4 years old at the church Roger was leading the music at during V.B.S.  When she rattled my memory, I still did not remember her, but I remembered her girls and the situation.  She brought her "un-churched" 4 year old twin daughters to that V.B.S.  They were very shy and cried most of the week, so mom stayed with them.  The middle of the week, I brought fishing worms for the kids to play with.  We even brought home our own personal fishing worm, with corn meal to feed to them as pets.  Her girls LOVED it and that was the breaking point.  From that moment on, the girls were all over "Mrs. Kathy".  I had made two friends.  

Shortly after that V.B.S., God moved us on to another church......and what I never knew was that because the girls loved V.B.S., their parents got back in church and today, dad is one of the deacons of the church we were visitors at last Sunday and the girls are now 34 years old.  Mom said that over the years their testimony has been that they were in church because of the "worm lady".

Many times we give it all we've got and do outstanding jobs at something, thinking we are really making an impact.....and we might be.  BUT.....it's been my experience that, many times it's the little things that people remember the most; the things that seem so small.

Also....it always amazes me (and it really shouldn't) how God always GETS IT RIGHT.  He led Bro Randy into inviting Roger................neither of them had a clue as to the connections that we would discover once we were there.  We have known them for seven years, but when pastors and wives get together at the retreat, we discuss our church but rarely name names..........

Homecomings.............wow....what a time to reflect on the past, on the present and on the future!