Last weekend: change of plans

Last weekend, I was supposed to head for the mountains for a youth retreat. All 50 is us were looking forward to skiing, snow boarding, snow-tubing, a great speaker and fellowship. But, the weather had other plans. Major icy roads, a mountain, and a full-length school bus carrying 50 teenagers aren't a good combo. So, we decided to postpone the weekend. And, it happened to be quite providential. A family in our church had a house fire on the Friday we planned to leave. The scene was very devastating. Here is the newspaper article if you want to read.

So, many of us were able to help this family on that Saturday. It was truly a blessing to see the outpouring of church family, neighbors, family. And, it was a blessing to see the testimony of the family whose house had burned. This family is not just an ordinary family: they have 3 biological children and 7 adopted children. Both parent's are gifted musically and theatrically. They both teach at a local Christian school. They own a company called Theater and Kids. They lead the music (choir, band, hand bells) at our church. I could go on and on . . . I really think I need to submit them to Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. This family is a testimony to God's grace. The church has really rallied around them. They have a home to live in for the next few months, and all the furnishings have graciously been provided. So, needless to say, that weekend was a blessing in disguise . . . and many of the youth had a chance to bond in a way they hadn't imagined.