I love days like today. The neighborhood was Sunday-morning-quiet at 6 am when I did my two mile walk. Even the bull dog who passed me on the Pike was friendly. I had about 36 hours at home between trips and I was thankful and planned to use every moment of it expeditiously–laundry, unpacking, repacking, picking blueberries, studying for three lessons I’m doing this week, and most importantly, worshiping the Lord; praising Him for the first-world life of material blessings and renewing my desire to place them in after-world investments. He is so good.
And just as I began to get ready to leave for worship, my phone rang. Nuris. Now I love Nuris. We’ve been studying the scriptures together for the past four years, on and off. Nuris is from El Salvador, a wife and mother of two sweet little girls. I knew that Nuris was close to making the most important decision of her life. Hearing her voice on the phone with a baby crying in the background, I knew she was intent about something on this early Sunday morning: “I am trying to come church, Cindy. But I just found out my car is broken and my husband has to fix. So I don’t think it will be fixed in time.” (I love her sweet broken English. She is learning so quickly.)
So I threw my wet hair in a quick braid and I was out the door. Nuris lives pretty far from me and she lives pretty far from the building where we worship, too. As I was on my way to pick her up, she called again. Long story short, her husband ended up bringing her, because he needed to get a car part in town, so I turned around to go back home and retrieve my husband. I forgot the card I was supposed to deliver to someone. I forgot the books I was supposed to deliver to someone else. There was no time to go and look for the frog costume (yes, that’s what I said) that I was supposed to take to yet another person. I did throw a baggie of fruit loops and a doll in my purse for sermon-time entertainment for Nuris’ sweet little four year old. I remarked to my husband, “You know, my life is just crazy!” I was out the door for the second time.
My life IS crazy…crazy happy. When the sermon was over this morning, my friend Nuris walked down that aisle to put on our Lord in baptism. I came with her, baby carrier in hand and a four-year-old in tow. My sweet sisters Holly and Emily met us all down front to lend hands with kids, towels and sweet hugs. We filled up that front pew. I love having a front row seat to hear that sweet confession. Then on the way to the baptistry, Nuris said, “I am not out there in the world anymore. I am of the Lord. You know, Cindy, the devil put so many things in my way, but I am not going to let him stop me.” I hope she never lets him stop her.
I heard this afternoon that there were people who had crazy-happy days like this in the states of Tennessee and Virginia today, too. I hope there were people all around the world who could rejoice with the angels today. It is not everyday that you get to play a tiny part in a process that moves the finger of God as He writes a name in the Book of Life. But I wish it was.
