3 gifts read

 

#202  “Gibsonville Fire Department  Emergency 911”

This mid-afternoon sun was out bright.  We could feel the warmth of the sun seeping into our skin, underneath our winter clothes as the neighbors unexpectedly gathered outside our home.  A 4 year old boy to a 70+ year young lady and many ages in between were all drawn to the bright red fire truck on the street.

Our neighbor a few houses down is a volunteer fire fighter and every so often he goes the station and takes the truck for a ride.  He’ll bring it here to our street that is filled with children of all ages to let them climb on it and ask questions and see the lights flashing and hear the siren blaring.

Our children have gotten older, but when they were just a few years younger, as soon as they saw it, they’d run out the door as fast as their legs would take them.  This time dad kept encouraging them to go outside (because he wanted a good reason to go out!) and see it because it had parked right in front of our house.  

So, I went out the front door.   Kids followed with dad in the rear.  I could tell they were excited by the look in their eyes and smile on their faces.  They just needed mama to get them out the door.  Then a four and six year old boy ran down the street towards us with their dad.  The grandmom next door wanted to come see the excitement of the children whose eyes glimmered like the bright lights on the truck when they were lifted into the driver’s seat and could “drive” holding the steering wheel.  Other neighbors got on their bikes and rode over and circles around the truck.

Everyone was talking, laughing, asking questions, were joy-filled to be outside in the tease of spring and when you look up in the blue sky there isn’t a cloud.

On the bright red truck I read the words, “Gibsonville Fire Department Emergency 911”.  Our newest neighbor we had not met yet was there.  He must have read those words the same time I did.  He all of a sudden told us this truck helped save him and his family’s lives because the house they lived in before they moved onto our street had caught on fire.  Consumed by flames and smoke.  Destroyed.   He told his story.  He could have lost his life or his family’s if it had happened just an hour earlier that day.

They were rescued.

It reminded me that God rescues.

That’s what He loves to do. 

That’s His mission.

His mission is to rescue all He created from the flames of fear, from the flames of sin, from the flames of doubt, from the flames of remorse, of hopelessness.  

That made me want to find and read… “(God) brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.”  Psalm 18:19   (gift #203).

A spacious place…a place to breathe and take a deep breath.  A place to feel safe.  A place to breathe thanks to God.  Thanksgiving for rescuing us.

#204 “Life with God.  Welcome to Highland UMC”

That’s what I read on the paper I was given when I entered the church. We were at church with my parents this morning.  I hadn’t been in those huge oak wood doors for a while.  The sanctuary looked just the same as it did 30 years ago except for the new organ pipes.  The 3-dimensional cross carved in the wall, the alter and the choir loft.  The room I was confirmed in, the room in which we had holy matrimony. 

I was thankful to read and feel the church’s welcoming open doors.