JODY AND I

I'm choosing this color, because both Jody and I like it.

Saturday, the 27th, we met in a parking lot northeast of Tacoma.  I climbed in her car and she took me to lunch and we went to a thrift shop [YEA!  Both of us found neat items we needed and practically free].  Then we went to a garden nursery center.  During those hours we talked and talked and yammered and yammered.  What a treat!  And at the nursery beautiful flowers and trees.

Then life occurred in huge blessings.  She took me to her home, introduced me to her husband, and their kindness became overwhelming.  A lovely dinner, hours of sharing about the Lord's grace and mercy and healing power.  I was filled with "HALLELUJAH!" again. 

On Sunday, we went to church. I loved it. The members have a real strong heart for missions.  They are focusing on giving to local and distant needs for food and spiritual gifts.

Worship???  Oh, it was amazing.  The men have been on a retreat, so the team needed to adjust a bit, I guess.  But the music, worshiping and praising filled my heart to overflowing.

And then the pastor, Jody's brother, said there was a guest speaker.  He was introduced clearly and my heart immediately exploded.  Jim Hayford, the brother of Jack Hayford, was a friend of the church.

He had been a pastor in Seattle for 25 years and had retired.  If I'm remembering correctly, he hadn't been speaking at this church for a year.  And I had the gift of being there that very moment.  It was a very straight and very mind-and-heart-filling message.

Before we left for her house to have lunch, we had our photo taken.  I had fallen in love with Jody and Bill.  We'll be friends and family forever.

 After lunch, talking more and more, it was time to leave.  Bill said we needed to pray -- mostly for me and my safety and health -- and it was wonderful.  Jody had prayed for me very intensely a couple other times.  This "retreat" at their house was filled with praise, prayer, and godly promotion.

Now a couple funny bits:  Jody's name was the same as mine.  I was Joanne Lee [maiden name] and she was Joanna Lee [middle name].  I've never experienced that in my whole life.  Just had to to chuckle more and more.  AND we are both rock addicts.  I was overwhelmingly blessed to see what was in her yard.  OOO-OOO-OOO!!!  [And one small one:  Bill is one day older than I am.  Never run into someone like that, either.  What a laugh.]

Before I left, I took more photos of and from their yard.

 

This was one of the most "loverly" days I've ever spent.  Being drawn to the Lord, over and over, and prayed for over and over.  And resting.  Absolutely necessary, because of the stress I'd felt for several days.  How kind of our Lord and His servants' hearts.