Tent Meeting Rainbow--Glimpse of Grace

Last week tent meeting was held as usual in our church parking lot. The evangelist was Mike Avery, GBS College president, who brought outstanding messages. My favorite was Thursday's with the following quotes or similar as he preached about confessing one's sins:

"Confessors have a liberty that deniers do not have."

 

And "Where did this heresy come from that if you are sanctified you can do no wrong?"

He talked about how if one is truly sanctified, he would be the first to humble himself when he messes up--because the best of us mess up at times.  

Also that same evening during the music time (Derald and Kim Hunt were singers) a storm blew through and the tent was ballooning and flapping and I ended up just plain scared so silly that I grabbed Hannah and Danny and got us three out of there in a hurry.

Too bad what people thought--I planned to stay safe with my little ones!

So while I was standing at the back corner of the tent, kind of weak and shaky, all the rest of the people stayed nicely seated in their seats whether they were scared or not. 

I felt silly. 

But I decided, (confession time) that the best way to deal with my fears was to listen to them this time and just find a safe spot from which I could actually enjoy the music (which was flying off the piano)

instead of sitting under the middle of the tent staring at the swaying tent poles and billowing tarp.

And then, weak and tired, I moved further back to sit down on some bricks near the parsonage.

And when I did, this is what I saw.

None of the brave, stalwart, courageous, unflappable people saw what I saw. 

Only the poor little lady that was scared silly of all the flapping, and her little son all wrapped up in his blanket saw this beautiful rainbow arched right over the tent and church. 

And just so God sometimes sends His little glimpses of grace not to the fine and brave and strong,

not to the pious worshippers or the nice, polite people who don't want to discourage the platform workers,  or to the politically correct.

But to the weak and weary, the shaky and embarrassed and failing to measure up--

He sends His little glimpses of grace. 

Well, we've been doing up corn lately.

And when a friend sends home with us an eleven-year-old who needs some time in the country,

he joins the work crew!

 He did wonder why it had to be so chilly in July! Even Sam was wearing a jacket!

 When there is a a lily-white, spindly boy from the city, this is one mom that hides a twinkle in her eye and sets him to work helping the other boys carry tubs of corn husks to the steers 

and things like that.

This is one mom that doesn't think it wrong to invent work to do or projects to enjoy or games to play--

anything to keep boys from computer game addiction.

 And here is Sam, having just gotten his drivers' license.

 And then Carrie and Rose left to spend this week helping with a VBS in Denver with friends,

so this mom is up to her ears with all the work the girls usually do!

Talk about load after load of laundry!

   

 And then I realize I need to send a wedding card to the oldest son of my dear friends Andy and Shirleen Troyer, who is getting married this Saturday. 

And in searching for a wedding poem I'd written long ago to copy into a homemade card, I found this poem I'd written, too.

  The Joy of the Lord is My Strength

There is too much joy in this world of ours

To complain about weeds and not notice flowers;

To whine at the thorn prick and not smell the rose,

To think only about our troubles and woes. 

There is too much joy to sit down and mope.

There's a lot of despair, but oh, so much hope!

Under the cloud is a rainbow's bright glow,

And the whirling blizzard leaves glistening snow.

Affliction's furnace leaves purest gold.

The kneading of pottery--a lovely mold.

The crushing of grapes--delicious wine;

The pruning of branches--a fruitful vine. 

Loneliness makes us appreciate

A hand to hold, a smile at the gate.

A noisy houseful of girls and boys

Brings with it a cartload of childhood's joys. 

For children remind us that the simplest of things

Bring such treasures of joy--a bird on the wing,

A newly hatched chick, the first daffodil,

A kite on the breeze, a bloom on the sill. 

But as adults, we, too, must learn

There's joy in hardship, and not to spurn

The trials of life that wear us down.

If we overcome, we shall wear a crown. 

There is joy in the Lord when earth's joys grow dim;

There is something to praise for if we wait upon Him.

If we serve Him for love, not for what we will gain,

We'll find blessings will shower like tropical rain. 

We're not all alone when we try to do right,

Though we walk here by faith and not by mere sight.

God's presence is there when others are gone

To lift up our load when we can't carry on.

His strength in our weakness, His lamp in our night,

His smile in our heartache makes everything right.

So we look to the heavens--the sun and the rain

Show us a glorious rainbow again!