The most wonderful family

There is a family that I have been blessed to get to know over the past few months. They all have been a wonderful support for me and my family through everything that we have gone through. It wasn't until this past Thursday night that I really understood how great this family is. This past Thursday I attended a going a way party for one of the youth. She was one of our babysitters while I was on bedrest and she will be greatly missed. Her name is Tabby and the thing that I love about Tabby is the way that she worships God. You can just tell that she is truly seeking the heart of God during worship. The Bible in John says that God is seeking true worshipers - ones that worship in spirit and in truth. I know that when God sees Tabby worshiping, He is pleased. Tabby will be missed!

Okay back to Sherri and her family. I had met Sherri when David and I had first started going to River of Life - well really shortly after we moved here. Sherri runs a local Christian School that is very successful. I had first met her two daughters, Cori and Kayla, because they worked in the nursery where the brothers went. They really attached themselves to the brothers right away. I got there phone numbers thinking that if we ever needed a sitter we could use them. (If we only knew!!!)

I then started having some pre-term labor issues and was put on bedrest in December - right before Christmas. Debbie and Ward were there so we had the help that we needed at that time. David had changed his work schedule so we really thought that I could handle 2 hours with the brothers and Ethan all by myself without too many problems. Well a week after Debbie and Ward left we realized that was not the case and I was hospitalized for 5 days due to pre-term labor. That is when we really found out the heart that Sherri has. She called David and didn't ask him if he needed anything - but she pretty much just told him that she was going to take care of making sure that our kids were taken care of not only when I was in the hospital but also once I was home. You see she spent time on bedrest with all of her pregnancies. She knew what I was going through - She had done the hospital visits, medication, bedrest with other kids. She had been there.

With the girls at her school, she arranged a weekly schedule for us. We had 1 or 2 (mostly 2) girls come over everyday when David was working and play with the boys, feed them, give them their naps, bath them, and then put them to bed. They would also keep me company. I am so thankful to these girls and all that they had done for us. The helped keep David and I sane through the past 5 months!

Well Sherri and I also made a trip to the ER for Aidan - after his wood eating incident, and a trip to L&D for me after Aidan (think he might be my adventurous one?) bruised my big 'ol preggo belly. We were able to talk during those times and I learned so much about her and her family. She also told me about her school. The kids have a chapel time everyday and some of the ones that she has described to me, and that the kids have told me about, it sounds so awesome. I want to be a part of that. How often do you see teenagers want to worship or pray for others - and it is all genuine? During the going away party I got to see a small glimps of what they do. There was a video that was shown of one of there chapel times that turned into "Church on the Street". They took chapel outside and ended up worshiping and praying for 3 1/2 hours right in front of the school on the sidewalk - in the middle of downtown Woodriver. We also watched part of the video that was filmed during the National Day of Prayer. The schools worship band played and the youth did a video. It too was awesome. At the end of the party, Ryan (one of Sherri's sons) pulled out his guitar and ended the party in worship. So if you are reading this - that might have sounded cheesy but it was not. These kids, at least 40 of them - if not more, went from playing around, having fun, jumping in the pool when it was a gloomy 55 degrees outside, eating food, behaving like normal teenagers and yet they transitioned so easily into worship. Like it was a normal part of their day. In all of my time working with youth - this is not something that I have ever seen before. It amazed me. It also made me realize that there were a bunch of things at work here.

1st - Sherri's house is a comfortable place for these teens to come and not only hang out and have fun, but to also worship. They know that. You can tell that there is peace in the house. Now I am sure that with 4 teenagers (2 boys - 2 girls) living there, there are plenty of times that the house is not peaceful but yet it is always peace-filled.

2nd - These kids are doing something right. They way that they are so easily able AND willing to enter into worship, during a party - not even at church, means that they are walking this walk every day - not just at church - or even at school. Wow.

In watching these kids, I am, dare I say it again, in Awe of them. It makes my heart happy! This is what I want to be a part of.

During this Thursday night outing I was also able to watch and get to know Sherri's kids better. They are all teenagers now but you can tell by watching them the kind of upbringing that they had. I pray that I am able to give my children that. I pray that my 4 will interact as well as her kids do. I pray that I will be always an encouragement to my children. I pray that my children will learn from us that their relationship with God is a personal one. Not something that is mandatory or expected. As much as I want my children to be believers and walk in the fullness that is God. I want it to be their choice first and foremost.

I look forward to spending more time with this family. I want to learn all that I can from them. I am blessed, and honored to call them my friends. And our babysitters! :)