Miss me?

I didn't get to do regular updates from Mt Airy, NC, like I had planned. The motel boasted about it's free wifi but forgot to mention it offered just ONE BAR of connection! Then, my little broadband stick was hitting only 2 bars, and my pages took forever to load, much less upload a picture. So, I was basically internet-less for 5 days. It was a LONG five days, in that aspect.

Here is my quick update, until I can get some quiet time to actually think deep thoughts ;)

I played the organ every night I was there, and my sister Casey kept Ben while Mom watched Ethan & Micah. Katie is good on her own. She constantly checks on me to see if I'm giving her my "evil eye." She's so me!

My view from the organ:

I love playing the organ because I get to view ALL the action from a front row, elevated seat. And trust me, there is ALWAYS action at these camp meetings! I'm talking, a guy knocking preachers' hands away when they tried to pray for his girlfriend - I mean, you knew it was a Pentecostal meeting when you passed that big sign at the entrance that said HOLY GHOST TENT REVIVAL. And yeah, we like to lay hands on anything that moves. If it moves suspiciously, like you did, we lay hands it TWICE.

Then, of course, there is always shouting. Flailing arms-busted lips-shoes flying through the air kind of shouting.

There is nothing like a Holy Ghost Tent Revival - especially campmeeting style. I'm so glad I went.

And then, there are healings. A wonderful lady from our church, Sis. H, has walked with cane for 4 or 5 years. She has to sit through the entire service, even when she comes up front to sing. But Friday night, she got miraculously healed without anyone touching her, and is now cane free! She walked up to me Saturday night before church and I just about did some shouting of my own. She has wanted to be healed and talked about the day she wouldn't need that cane, since I met her. God is good!

Thursday, July 2, 2009
We ended up filling this tent by Friday night, over 275 people there:

Then, my little boy. Ethan came to me about 2 weeks ago with a deep punture wound on his hand. He said he had scraped with with lego, but as the sore continued to grow and eat away at his flesh, we all had the same thought: brown recluse spider bite. The skin was green, black, and infamed and red, circular, and spreading very fast. Here's what it looked like Saturday night (PS this is not for the weak stomached!):

I took this Saturday night, right after they prayed for his hand:

See how big? How red, green, and black? It was breath-taking to see for the first time, and every morning I dreaded seeing how much it had spread.

And this is what it looked like the very next morning, after they prayed! Today it is
even better but I'm too tired to run take a pic and do all that. I'll update again as it totally heals up. He definitely got a miracle! Thank you, God!

And last, but certainly not least, my baby brother got saved! So many friends and family have been there with us as we sat in the hospital room with Aaron last year, when he was so messed up on drugs that he didn't even know what had happened. We prayed and God moved for him. Over the past year he has been in and out of trouble, with such an aimless, restless spirit in him.

But Sunday night, he gave his heart to God! He was with my parents in NC and at the altar call, he went forward and accepted Jesus as his saviour. I wasn't there, but my parents and friends said he cried and cried for about 15-20 minutes, then went between laughing and crying for the rest of the night, his whole body shaking like a leaf.

I think God knows what each of us needs, what it takes to get our attention, and what we need to feel when He comes into our life. He totally overwhelmed Aaron's emotions, totally cleaned him up and out, and gave him an experience he will NEVER forget.

Isn't He good to us?

So, that is my fast update. I will have more later, as I unpack, look at my pics, and replay it all over again in my head :)

PS Congrats, Michelle, on your new job!