In Tennessee

We had a wonderful time in Tennessee. Here are some highlights of our time in Greeneville. We spent time with my dear friend, Jennifer Hillman, and her incredibly talented husband, Pastor Scott. Their church, River of Praise AG, was amazing. We arrived a couple days early to reconnect with our friends (I hadn't seen them in 17 years!). The tour around Greeneville became a history lesson for Ellie and Drummer Boy. And their parents as well.

Ellie girl with her new friends, Abbie and Mrs. Jennifer Hillman. We went to the Andrew Johnson Museum. Ellie is in period dress, part of the educational exhibit.

I think the stovepipe hat should make a comeback. At least on this kid. He can pull it off.

"Oh no! We're stuck in jail! Let us out!!!"

Enjoying the springtime feeling of almost zero humidity. Really.

A cannon ball lodged in this brick wall since the Civil War. Amazing.

Pastor Scott and Jennifer Hillman. Two of the most incredible people ever called into ministry.

Drummer Boy at Andrew Johnson's family grave site.

Biker Man and Drummer Boy studying history.

The service that Wednesday night was anointed, powerful, and had no time constraints.

We started at 7pm, and when Biker Man glanced at the clock a few minutes later, it was actually 9:20pm. We got so lost in the presence of God, that nothing else mattered. Pastor Scott sang and played guitar with me. And blew me away with his God-given abilities. Plural. Because he made that guitar sing beyond what I've thought humanly possible.

After altar time, and praying over needs, people meeting with Jesus on a more intimate level, it was time to leave. Around 11pm. (We had to get on the road and drive four and a half hours to Nashville. So I could be at Mercy Ministries the next morning. At nine. I'll post pictures of the chapel at Mercy in another post.)

I leave you with this picture of Jennifer and me at the close of the night at River of Praise.

Imagination

Well, I have been sick with some kind of sinus thing for the last few days.  

I was in Natchez, Mississippi for a couple days over the weekend, led worship at our friends' church.  Scott and Suzanne Green are now the senior pastors at First Assembly in Natchez.  They are doing an amazing job loving people into the family of God!  The band met me up there Sunday afternoon, and we had a blast just worshiping and sharing a time of testimony and prayer.  I was coughing a little, not feeling the best, but I guess I thought it would be over by Monday. 

Fast forward to today....I'm still fighting whatever this is, have been coughing at night, and my head feels like it's going to explode.  Fantastic.  

But in the middle of all this, my son is playing away, seemingly oblivious to the fact that I can't chase him around the kitchen.  He has taken a slinky and a ball and is making up some game that has occupied him for awhile now.  I don't think this counts as "vain imagination" as he is staying busy, which helps me rest.  You never know what your imagination will do for someone else if you put it into practice.  I'm just saying.  You know that old saying, "An idle mind is the devil's workshop"?  Well, I don't understand how Little Drummer Boy can get himself into trouble on so many occasions when his mind is never ever idle.  

Ever.  

Last Saturday he was running around the church nonstop, and I asked him to settle down.  He paused mid-stride to comment, "It's like I'm nocturnal or something!"  (He just learned what that word meant, but still, from a 5 year old??)

A week ago we were driving to my father-in-law's house after dark.  I made it very clear when we left that the children were in no way to get out of the car at Papa's house.  No way.  

"Mommy is just getting something from Papa's house, and we are going home.  Don't even ask to get out of the car."

"Yes ma'am."

About 8 miles down the road, we turned onto Papa's street.  I hear a little boy's voice from the back seat.  "Mommy, do you know what is the lamest of all?"

"No, what?"

"Not getting out of the car."

He must have been thinking of a way to pose the desire to get out of the car without actually asking that entire trip over.  

God, give me some of that imagination, just so I can keep up.