Happy New Year!

At the close of our New Year's prayer meeting, our pastor said, "Now I would like all of you to come forward and we'll have a time of prayer for each other." He asked that all who needed prayer sit along the altar while others stood to pray for them, then switch places and pray for those who had prayed!

Howard and I were among those who went forward, and a compassionate stranger prayed for our needs. Then he gave his requests which we prayed for. In conversation, the man mentioned he had been a pastor at a small town nearby several years ago. Howard recalled that we had visited that church. Then memories began to coalesce in my brain, and I said to the former pastor, "Oh, I remember you! You wore a back brace!" Howard had said he'd had the pulpit that morning, which I hadn't remembered, but then I said, "That's why Howard preached, because you had hurt your back!"

I don't think the brother recalled our visit, but he introduced us to his wife, whom Howard remembered as being a fabulous pianist, and they reminisced about the music. In his reflections, Howard told that his brother had held a revival at that church in the early fifties.  He laughed about how the neighbors hadn't appreciated the enthusiastic music and praise and had retaliated by throwing eggs, plastering the outside of the church building!

That must have been the revival (but not the same night) my mother and I, new to our church, had attended with someone who offered us a ride. I was 13 years old.  I hadn't yet met Howard, but we loved to hear his brother Delmar, a fiery young evangelist, preach! (A friend had said that this preacher had a cute brother who was her boyfriend!  Well, he married me!)  

What a wonderful way to start the new year! Prayers, fellowship and reminiscing!  This morning at breakfast my husband remarked on a beautiful star he had seen during the night. That brought to mind the song, Beautiful Star of Bethlehem.  "Do you remember when you first heard that song and wished aloud in front of the Sunday School class you were teaching that you had the words?"

"Yes," Howard said, "and the lady on the front row said, 'I have that song in my purse!'" How often God grants our wants in surprising ways! Howard reminded me that just yesterday he was wishing for a couple of pigs at a price he could afford.  "Then I saw some in the paper at almost exactly the price I  had in mind!" I knew the rest of the story. They are now at the farm  in a pigpen hastily prepared by him and our son! Happy New Year!