A Matthew 11:28 Afternoon

OK. I just spent a wonderful three hours here at home. I got home from church, plugged my cell phone into the charger to get re-juiced, and then I plugged myself into THE CHARGER to get re-juiced. Matthew 11:28 : Jesus says "Come unto me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Most of the time for me, that takes the form of a spiritual rest, but today that included a deep need for physical rest.

Finishing a long week at work and a long (but super-fulfilling) week-end at church, and getting ready to head into a week of serving at the Leadership Summit...Russ needed to receive that rest! I played with and loved on Colby, Marley, and Cosmo; and then I climbed into my big over-sized chair. Flipped between the Food Network, the NASCAR race, and one of my favorite episodes of Andy Griffith. Asleep before Barney could get his bullet out of his shirt pocket.

I am up (obviously) and filling renewed. Thank you God for providing the rest! Cosmo and Colby are still asleep, though, and Marley is looking to me to be entertained.

Awesome week-end at church. Pastor Mike was on target as always...even with a raspy voice. Karl still leaves me speechless just about every Sunday. What a gift. We sang one of his songs , "I Am Hungry" today. He also sang "Welcome Home", another of his songs, after Mike's message. If those songs don't move you, you don't have any movement left in you. I heard "Welcome Home" all three services this week-end, and I cried through it each time. I am proud to say that, too.

Other highlights this week-end:

Great "going away" party for Jackson Boone and Jordan Dodson who are heading off to ECU in a couple of weeks. 2 awesome young men. They filled our College Room with so much food you would have thought we were Baptist. Everything I had was incredible. In fact, I am going to pause for a minute and re-live some of those tasty eats.

I'm back. Also, I was blessed by an anonymous gift today. Someone gave me two wonderful books and a sweet card. I have no idea who left this for me, but I am bringing in handwriting experts first thing tomorrow morning! What a blessing today.

Melissa played violin with the band this week-end. She adds so much to my worship experience. I asked her father, Steve, if she got that talent from him. He said, "Yes...I paid for every bit of it!" Awesome! Melissa really tore it up this week-end.

Great group of volunteers...as always. There was an easy flow to it and we had a blast serving together.

Well...my cell phone says that the "charging is complete". I'd say mine is, as well...at least for now. Pray for Summit this week and all of the wonderful leaders who are committing themselves to "re-charging" their lives and ministries for Christ.