The Great White North

Hosers take off! (I've always wanted to say that - but I'm not Canadian. I do have good friend who is French Canadian and a Pentecostal pastor. When she starts speaking, I'm never sure if it's in tongues or Quebecquois!) I feel like I live in the Great White North today. We've got a good foot of snow with wind chills below zero. The cats have been camping out by the fireplace.

We had more in worship today than I thought. Brave, brave souls.

A young couple came that I didn't recognize. The church family pulled them into loving and caring embraces, talking animatedly with them. They left before I had the chance to go over and introduce myself.

Turns out, I've already met the young man. He dropped a lot of his mother's stuff off at the church after her death. After he left, both Hubby and I looked at each other and said at the same time, "He has such sad eyes. He must have a story to tell."

He was arrested shortly afterwards for drug possession. I found out by reading the newspaper.

The church family filled me in on his story. He attended Church Around the Corner from the time he was brought in his mother's arms until the time he became an angry, rebellious teenager. The good folks of CATC have watched over him, prayed over him, loved and cared for him all through his life. Today, he came back "home" and they rejoiced and loved him up. Sounds like a parable we've heard, doesn't it?

This church is just so awesome. Not perfect - not by any stretch of the imagination. These are good, good folks.