Have you ever had one of those days where you woke up and just had to drag yourself out of bed? You know, the kind where you just don’t want to do anything? The kind where you think of every excuse imaginable to get out of everything for the day? Yesterday morning, I felt exactly like that.
I hadn’t gotten much sleep on Saturday night only to wake up late for church to the sound of thunder and rain. Then I saw we were under a tornado watch.
I thought, “Well, it’s thundering so I can’t take a shower. We are under a tornado watch, so I guess we should stay at home. It would just be easier since Paul isn’t here.” Only, I serve during the second worship hour, so I couldn’t just not go. Then, my toddler woke up, and it stopped thundering.
“OK, God, I get it. I can’t take the easy way out,” I thought.
So, in full “single-mom” mode, I got the girls and myself ready and out the door to church. I pulled up at church under the awning on the children’s side. Someone immediately greeted me, saw I was by myself, and helped me get my girls inside out of the weather. {I was so grateful!} I got the girls dropped off, my jeep parked, and inside worship service during the first song. I was pretty impressed with myself! ????
Towards the end of worship, our preacher comes up on stage. Only, instead of starting the sermon, he let us know there was a tornado headed our way. They had already safely moved the children in one hallway and the youth in another.
Landrye and I playing with the camera on my phone while trying to stay entertained in the hallway.
I immediately went to find my girls. As I sat in the hallway with the other parents and kids, I just began praying for our safety. Then, I hear a familiar voice ask, “Sabrye, can I sit next to you?” I look up, and one of Sabrye’s teachers from preschool is standing there. She looked at me and said, “I was looking for a family with more than one child so I could help out.”
I said, “Thank you! Paul isn’t here today.” She said, “Well, I’m here. Sabrye, scoot over a little so I can sit next to you.” Sabrye LOVES her teacher and was so excited to spend some extra time with her! It was such a blessing to have here there! She didn’t know Paul wasn’t at church, and she was so unselfish to offer to help another family with young children!
There were a couple hundred people sitting in the hallway. All were either holding babies or toddlers, or trying to entertain older ones. We heard the tornado sirens go off, and then we heard that the tornado was going a different direction.
Once there was a break in the storm and the tornado had passed, my sweet friend Jessie saw me with my girls and offered to help. She helped me get my girls loaded up so we could get home.
Even though, I woke up not really wanting to go to church, I pushed through the feelings and went. In return, I felt so blessed by some of my church family! I felt so undeserving, and so grateful.
Have you ever had an experience like this where you didn’t want to do something, but did anyways? What was the outcome? Do you have a church family that has blessed you?
