Getting Caught Up

 

I hope September has been a nice month for you so far. Yesterday we had a taste of fall. It never got warmer than 76 all day. Perfect bliss. I had to stay outside all day. It will go back to normal tomorrow I think. Back to the 90s, hopefully, we won't reach a 100. I am so over that now.

I don't know where the weeks seem to go to or what it is that I do. I started a woman's Bible Study last week. Its different. Its been awhile since I went to a morning class. Like maybe 30 years. Gosh can it be that long? I would go to the evening kind so I could take the kids with me when they were all in school at home.

 

I was nervous last week. Emilie started a new job at the church as an assistant to the lady in charge of the women's ministry. I thought it might be nice to go and be apart of it. Do you ever think about embarrassing your kids? I do, I worry about it all the time. Like I am going to turn into Granny of the Beverly Hillbillies or Ma of Pa and Ma Kettle fame. I worry about things like will my clothes be okay or am I too fat? Yes, all silly things, but that stuff does go though my head. Or maybe I lapsed into complete pagan?
 On to the Bible Study:

 

 We are going to be going verse by verse though Joshua. I have never done just Joshua by itself before. When I was walking out to the car just wanting to go back in the house and throw up. I didn't but the verse that popped into my head was Joshua 1:9 " Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

 I breathed deeply, and got in the car. It was a morning like this, jackhammers going like crazy, tractors going up and down the street. Water trucks spraying water. I thought to myself, "I am so glad to be getting out of here today!" Ron later quipped, " It took a lot of heavy machinery to get you out of the house!" It was true. So all of the heavy machinery is a good thing. 

As I drove and I was praying that the Lord would speak to me and I would be an open vessel to receive all that He wanted me to have.  A long time ago, I went to another Bible study and the lady who taught it was named Janet. We became friends and she also had been one of my favorite English teachers in high school. I was thinking about how much I missed her. She passed away 20 years ago. Why do things just pop into your mind like that I wonder?

I walked in to a building that I wasn't all that familiar with. I always go in another door so I wasn't aware of this side of the building. I found Emilie and we talked. I picked up my Bible Study materials. I do what I always do, I walked around trying to find all of the exits and the bathrooms. Just in case you know? I went into this really big room where we were going to be while the ladies explained how all of it was going to work. I was all alone and on the chairs was a newsletter telling about a ladies retreat coming up. It was double sided and I turned the paper over and there was an article entitled. "The Significance of Success." It also said, By Kim Johnson. 
Not a single person would notice that but me. My maiden name was just that. Kim Johnson. I laughed because how like God to give me a little nudge. Emilie said that it isn't anyone in their church it is something they just put together. So what are the odds I wonder. 

When Ron and I go to church, we only go to Nik's class room in the junior high. He is the pastor there. It is the only place I am really familiar with in this whole big church. Guess what room I go to when we are dismissed to our classes. Yep, the one room I am comfortable in, this isn't a little study either, there must be about 150 women attending. I sat  down in the class room breathing deeply and praying I would be courageous.

 As the ladies are filing in, and I don't know anyone at all, until this lady walks in named Joan. I haven't seen Joan in 20 years since Janet's funeral. I used to be in a Bible Study a long time ago, when I was pregnant with Ben. Joan just happens to be Janet's sister. Now I loved Joan just as much as I loved Janet. So of course, I said, " Joan, do you remember me? She so sweetly replied, " Of course, I remember you Kim." Me of course, being nervous I just blurt out, " Oh Joan, I miss Janet so much!" She tears up and smiles. We chat after class, and she tells me that she was so glad I said that because after 20 years no one remembers Janet. I felt I had been given a gift to have Joan in a Bible Study with me.

I have thought a lot this week, all of the little gifts God gave me to show that He was aware of where I was and how no matter how far I stray He is always there with me to bring this lamb back in the fold. This study is so far out of my comfort zone and so new. This program all of the ladies will be together three years. This is an established group. I am the new one. I think though, its good to get out of my comfort zone. To have to look to God and see all of the ways He surprises me with His gifts. Its easy to forget how much He does when I am in the safe confines of my house. 

So if you are still reading along with this long winded post. Thank you. I was hesitant to write this out. 
It really is still on my mind. So I thought I would share it with you. I will go back tomorrow. I am excited to see what new gift God will surprise me with as it will have to be Him again who gets me out of the house. 

Thank you for stopping by and reading. 

~Kim~

“. . . I have found that if, instead of praying for my own comfort and satisfaction, I ask the Lord to enable me to give to others, an amazing thing often happens — I find my own needs wonderfully met. Refreshment comes in ways I would never have thought of, both for others, incidentally, for myself.” (Elisabeth Elliot)