"5 Small Things Friday" No. 68

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: Ps. 111:1-4

2. Hearing: Austin's Charge

3. Smell: Campground Cafeteria

4. Taste: Taco Soup

5. Touch: Hug From Bro. Mike

The stories behind the list:

1. At work at the restaurant Friday, during a slow bit I pulled out my New Testament. I don't remember why I was reading this particular chapter, but I remember these first four verses seemed to sing out at me.

"Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.

The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.

His work is honourable and glorious: and His righteousness endureth for ever.

He hath made His wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion."

2. "Let's play our hearts out. This is for Bro. Mike and for Archer."
Go to this post for more of this story's details.

3. I'm so thankful for my sense of smell. As I've grown up, I've realized that it's responsible for probably half of my memories. I'll catch a whiff of some unknown scent, and instantly it will take me back to a time, place, person, or memory of my past. I hadn't even noticed the smell then, but it was stored in my memory and the association remains.
During this past week-end retreat where Victory Rd.'s youth music group played (for more of the story, see this post), we stayed at a campground that I'd been to more than a decade ago for church camp. When I stepped into that cafeteria building Friday evening, my first thought was, "It smells just the same." And I breathed deep.

4. I love. Love. LOVE taco soup. Wednesday night at church they had it for supper - hot and delicious, with shredded cheese and Frito corn chips liberally added to the top. Guess what I had for my supper that night?

5. Wednesday was Bro. Mike's family's last night in the States before heading to the mission field. After church, and after everyone else had said their good-byes, Trissy and I walked over to their house, next door to Victory Rd.'s gym, and we stayed and visited a little longer - putting off the parting as long as we could. I didn't let myself think about this being the last time I would be in their house - the new youth pastor's family would be moving into it in a few weeks - or that these conversations and hugs would be the last ones for years. I just spent my energy savoring it, to be able to look back on later.

"Hallelujah, For All You've Done"

What a hard, wonderful, tortuous morning.
Thursday Bro. Mike and his family will leave for their new roles as over-seas missionaries. Since this was his last Sunday, he asked if our youth music group would lead the music service this morning so he could see and hear us together one more time.
It was also our last time to play together as the group we are - Austin, Archer, Julia, Simon, Law, and me. This is Archer's last week-end home before leaving for university this week.


I took my little camera, two memory cards, and my tripod, and set it up to try to video this bit of our history. I was going to get Trissy to run it, but Ava saw me setting up and offered to do it, since she sits closer to the front than my family does, and might could get a better/closer video. Sweet Ava. I gladly accepted.

As Sunday School was letting out and people were beginning to fill up the auditorium, Austin, me, Archer, Law, and Simon (Julia had gone to get or do something, I don't remember what) gathered in a little circle over in the left-hand corner of the stage before the service began. Before having prayer together as we always try to do before we play, dear Austin spoke to us for a moment, charging us with the importance of what we were fixing to do. Not only were we to play, as is always the goal, for the glory of our God, but today we were also honoring Bro. Mike, who'd stood by us and poured so much of himself into the youth of the church, and Archer who, with Austin, had co-led the group and who'd been with us so long and who now was moving on. This would be our last time to play together. "This is for Bro. Mike and Archer. Let's play our hearts out."
And I think we did.

The songs we did were a reflection of our history together - perhaps unintentionally, but I noticed it later - and fitting for the occasion. 
"I Saw The Light", a wonderful toe-tapping spiritual,
"For All You've Done", praising the Lord for His goodness and kindness,
"Beneath The Waters", proclaiming our faith in God and telling the story of our salvation,
"10,000 Reasons", praising God for His goodness in the past and asking for His grace to serve Him in the future, and the
"Revelation Song", simply worshiping our awesome Lord. Also, Austin had sung the "Revelation Song" on the Sunday before he left for an almost-year-long mission trip in a dangerous over-seas country, three and a half years ago. This is the Sunday before Bro. Mike's family leaves for an over-seas mission field.
For the 'invitation song' after Bro. Earl preached, we did
"Sometimes", which is simply a cry from a weak human heart, admitting fear, yet expressing a joyful abandon to the whirlwind of God's plans. One of the lines is "Where You go, we will follow, oh, God send me!". Pretty fitting I thought.
For the 'leaving song' as some of them call it (when the service has been dismissed, and the musicians just play a little bit as people begin leaving or milling around talking to each other), we did one that some of us really like and others of us really don't, but it sounds good and it's fun to play :) .

So, a variety of our favorites, gathered from our months together, and a last tribute to those who've encouraged us, to each other, and to God Who put us together and blessed us with this time of our lives.

Austin had said, "Let's play our hearts out. This is for Bro. Mike and Archer." And Archer, in his characteristic mix of kindness and matter-of-fact cheekiness, stated, "But for Jesus mostly."

Amen. Always.

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 66

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: Austin And Ava's Wedding

2. Hearing: 'Pop-Culture' Discussion

3. Smell: Evergreen Candle

4. Taste: Chicken Gumbo

5. Touch: Hug From Austin

The stories behind the list:

1. Saturday was such a blessing. I wish somehow I could capture the whole day on paper, but I just don't think I have the talent to paint the magic like I'd want to. See THIS post for my thoughts in a nutshell.

2. I don't remember how we got into it, but Tuesday at music practice, Julia and I began discussing music and movies and TV, with Law listening and chiming in every now and then. I mentioned how some people say that such-and-such was a "good" movie or a "good" song, but their meaning of the word "good" doesn't seem to be what I think of when I say "good". She asked me what I meant, and I tried to explain how I feel - that certain content or messages automatically negate a movie or song from being good. Things influence you. People are different in their levels of strength, but no matter how strong you are, negative content is going to affect you to some degree. Even if it's not 'real'. And I'd just rather err on the side of caution; if I feel my conscience twinge at something, I'd rather just avoid it and play it safe.
I hope I got across what I meant without seeming judgmental towards people who do watch or listen to things I disagree with. The last thing I'd want would be to seem 'holier-than-thou' and hurt somebody! But Julia seemed to understand what I was trying to say, and I was thankful. I was also surprised and encouraged that Law was listening to our conversation, and kept agreeing with what I said!
It was just a good, open, honest discussion, and I love those.

3. Mom has a little evergreen-scented jar candle, and somebody (either she or Trissy, don't know which) lit it Thursday and the whole living room/kitchen/dining room part of the house smelled wonderful.

4. Trissy made chicken gumbo Wednesday, and Trissy makes the best chicken gumbo. End of story.

5. We (Trissy and I) didn't know until the last minute if we'd get to go to Austin and Ava's wedding. Dad and Mom weren't going to get to go, and they wouldn't let us drive that far by ourselves. So unless we could get a ride, we'd have to miss it. Which would have been so heart-breaking. But the Lord worked it out and at the last minute we found that we could ride with Bro. Blake and the rest of that crew. We'd told Austin and Ava that we might not make it, so they didn't know we were coming. When we walked in the door, most of the groomsmen, Austin, and Bro. Earl and Mrs. Shannen were standing in the church entry-way, greeting those coming in. When Austin saw us, he didn't say anything, he just walked over and hugged us with that million-dollar grin lighting up his face. Words weren't necessary.