I went back to my old stomping grounds last night to attend a memorial service for a friend of ours. I was very nervous about going back, I haven't been back in almost 4 years. All day yesterday it seemed I walked down memory lane and the more I thought the more I seemed to tear up.
It all started when I opened facebook yesterday and my very good friend Julie posted a video of another very good friend, Benji, singing James Brown's "I Feel Good". I have known Benji and Shawna for 10 years and I worked alongside Benji at Grace Fellowship in North Augusta for many of those. When I first met them they only had two children and then along came Eli and then I was there in the hospital room rubbing Shawna's feet just minutes before Leanna was born. Needless to say, our families had been very close and then life happens and time and space seems place distance between you. At times, I couldn't hold back the tears.
Yesterday afternoon, I was reading the paper and learned that a friend who we knew from Grace had passed. I knew I needed to go, but at the same time I was nervous about going back.
The kids and I drove into the parking lot and I sat and looked at the building in which I watched being built - brick by brick. I was there at every meeting when the colors were chosen, the furnishings were picked out the carpets installed, the lot cleared, the parking lot paved, I rode to the top of the ceiling in the scissor lift, Warren and Benji installed every wire and every piece of equipment for the sound system and I was there when the foundation was laid. A piece of my heart is in that place. I helped paint the children's wing, and I sang "Lord You're Holy" on the first Sunday in October that doors finally opened for our first service.
More important than all the things that were ever done in that building was the relationships that were built. We were close, we were family, and we were there for each other. I don't ever remember a Sunday eating at a restaurant by myself. Every Sunday was about seeing how many tables we needed to pull together to fit us all at one. Every summer was about spending one whole day at the lake as a church family, eating, swimming, boating and of course Tim Robinson trying his best to throw me off the tube while tubing behind his boat...He never did do it!!! And every Christmas was about bring as many people together to decorate the church. Carldeen had a talent for pulling people together and making a building look like a picture out of a magazine. Tuesday nights were about praise team practice...oh the hard time the vocalists use to give Benji, I admit I was the worse and who could forget "Rockonica"!
I didn't make it into the door when Michele Smith grabbed me and we had ourselves a good cry/hug session. It was so good to see everyone and reconnect - for me it was like home.
As I sat in my seat remembering all the songs I sang from that stage, I glanced over at my old office and remembered all the hours I spent in there and then I remembered all the leadership lessons that Pastor Phillip taught me. He and Diana took me under their wings and poured their lives into me and taught so much about leadership and grace. I will never forget the one thing that he always said over and over, "People are the most important thing, not your job, but people".
I appreciated the fellowship time that followed the service - it gave me a chance to reconnect and laugh - Dolly Morris, among other talents, has the ability to tell stories and make you laugh to point of tears. I really needed that.
As I drove away last night, I couldn't help recall the days events. I grew up (spiritually speaking) at Grace, it's home to me. When I was a child I lived with my parents until I was old enough to move out and then I established my own home. Grace is like that for me; it's home, but I grew up and one day we decided it was time to leave and begin another chapter - make another home for ourselves - where God could grow us even more. Grace is still home, that is still my family and I will always treasure the memories. God did some amazing things in my life there and I will forever be grateful.
I love you all so much!!! Thank you for opening your arms and welcoming me home!!!
