When you think of visitation, especially if you are a church-goer, you have thoughts of the preacher coming to your home to visit you. Maybe you think about a visit the preacher made while you were in the hospital. Or perhaps you think of the visitation program where members of the church meet at a specified time to go out into the community (usually with pamphlets of information about the church and gospel tracts) to knock on doors and invite people to the church. Every church I've been a part of has had a visitation ministry.
I shared this story with Mark today:
When Tim was the assistant to Bro. Rex Hensley at the Addyston Baptist Church in Addyston, OH back in 1983 - 1988, he was in charge of the Visitation Ministry. He had the contacts each "team" was to make on Saturdays when we met. Sis. Hensley and I would usually team up and go together. Those years spent ministering with Bro. and Sis. Hensley were wonderful years and Tim and I learned a lot to take into our own ministry when Tim became a pastor.
Tim went through a phase of bicycling for health for awhile during our time at ABC. Bro. Hensley, normally very serious and business-like around us, told Tim that he should name his bike, Visitation. Bro. Hensley said that way if someone called Tim while he was out riding his bike he could inform the caller that he was out on Visitation! It was so funny coming from Bro. Hensley. Tim had such great respect for him and learned so much about being a pastor.
When we left ABC in 1997 to go to Buffalo, WV the church had a going-away party for us. The next day I was given this note from Bro. Hensley. I don't remember if he handed it to me or if Bro. Hensley gave it to Tim to give to me. I have cherished it all these years and have gone to it many times when I needed encouragement, as you can tell from the fold creases. I really enjoyed working with the ladies at ABC with Sis. Hensley but Tim's goal was always to pastor, not be an assistant to the pastor, so I knew that eventually I would be the First Lady and use many of the things I learned from Sis. Hensley.
Thank You, LORD, for putting the Hensley's and ABC in our lives! I pray that I used my talents and abilities in a way that pleased You! Please right the wrongs of those times that I failed You!
"Vicky - I didn't get to say anything to you personally
last night so I thought I would write you this note.
I am not overstating my feelings when I say that you
are one of the finest young pastor's wives I know.
I believe you have exceptional talents and abilities
that the Lord will use.
In Christ,
RH"
Today:
It was a sleepless night in Wallburg last night for me! I laid in bed until 1:30, tossing and turning, before I decided to give it up and get up. Normally, I can do some reading for an hour or so and then go back to bed to sleep. Just didn't happen last night! I was awake when Mark got up for work, but laid down when he left to try to sleep some. I slept off and on for about 4 hours and then got up.
Mark sent a text and invited me to eat lunch with him, so we went to Real Q where he ordered a BBQ salad and I got a BBQ sandwich.
When I came back home and went to the mail box, I saw this beautiful feather! God is such an artist!
When Mark got home from work today, he wanted to take a walk in the woods with the dogs. It has not been too hot today, so it sounded like a great idea to me!
THIS is a welcome sight!
I was sweating by the time we got back to the house!
After I got home from lunch, I worked on cleaning out one of the storage buildings so Mark could store the Indian motorcycle that we don't ride much and it was just getting dusty and dirty sitting on the carport. After we took our walk, Mark helped me move a couple of more items around in the storage building to get the bike in easier. And then he moved the bike to the building.
This bike does NOT have a reverse on it, so Mark had to use leg power to move it out of the carport.
A win-win.....the Indian is stored and there is more room on the carport now! :D
Tomorrow:
I'm picking up Carolyn McGrew and we are going to pick up Ilene and go to lunch!
Thank You, LORD, for Your blessings on me!
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