Reconnections

Just recently, I reconnected with a friend from high school named Reggie who is a master sleuth -- he's constantly finding people we haven't seen in a really long time. I don't know how he does it... but, if he ever loses his job at the Dept. of Agriculture, he'll have a very promising career as a private eye! Anyway, he somehow reconnected with two of our old friends, Eric and Shannon (who have gotten married since high school). He passed on their phone number to me, and I called today and reconnected with Shannon... wow, so much has transpired in the last 20 years!

Shannon and I used to ride the same bus in high school, and were really good friends... I used to teach the other kids on the bus songs like "Sardines and Pork N' Beans" (I got suspended off the bus for a week for leading "singing riots")... seems like ages ago! She and Eric have been married for 15 years now, and they live in Tennessee and have 4 boys (from ages 5 to 13) whom Shannon homeschools.

Eric and Shannon are SOLD OUT Christ followers, which is an awesome thing to know... having not seen them in years. It's amazing how we spend years in rebellion to Jesus, and then Christ changes our lives and we're like, "Man, why'd I wait so long??" I was into music, sports, and girls... Shannon was into cheerleading and guys... and Eric was into sports (he didn't get into girls until much later... sike!!! Sorry, E). But my point is, it's amazing to see what God does in the lives of individuals... how He totally changes the direction (and impact) of their lives... how His mercy is SOOO evident in covering us and protecting us from our sinful selves! I never saw me being a pastor... I never saw Eric and Shannon getting married! But, oh how true is the Scripture when it says "God's ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts... As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high is His ways above our ways and His thoughts above our thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9).

The great thing about that is we don't know how people will turn out. My former high school teachers and classmates are WIDE EYED when they find out I'm a pastor, especially if they haven't seen me since high school. Shoot, I'M wide-eyed when I hear how God is using some of the kids I knew from years ago. We just never know! We put labels and stigmas on people that God just ends up shattering!

I, for one, am really glad that God doesn't listen to the labels and stigmas placed on us... only He can take a "troublemaker", "prankster", and "under achiever"... and a few more labels that I can't put into print... and make him into a "pastor" and a "church planter... Only Jesus!

And look at Eric... he married a former cheerleader! You just never know!!!!!! (Sorry, again, E... you're my man, for real!)

;-)