| The Fruitcake, Jimmy Buffet, said about | | | | was about to begin speaking. |
| relationships, "We all want them, we've all got | | | | I HAD BEEN TRICKED! |
| them, now WHAT DO WE DO WITH THEM?" | | | | Daylight Saving Time had caused everyone to |
| When I was going through divorce there were | | | | spring their clocks forward one hour. Everyone |
| two things that I said I'd never do again. | | | | except me, that is. I was ready to bolt out those |
| 1. Never get back into church | | | | double doors in the back when a nice young |
| 2. Never get married again | | | | woman befriended me and asked me to sit with |
| Therefore, I was not looking for a relationship | | | | her. |
| when I walked through the doors of a church | | | | I was introduced to several people after the |
| that April morning. | | | | service but I did not remember any of their |
| So why was I at church? Because of the nudging; | | | | names; including the name of the man that I |
| that internal voice or sense of knowing. | | | | most impressed. I received several invitations to |
| I'd visited new parts of town on temp | | | | other opportunities that would allow me to get |
| assignments and when I passed by a particular | | | | involved and make new friends. |
| office park, it seemed to call to me. I ignored the | | | | I was lonely so I attended a small group meeting |
| nudging as long as I could but curiosity finally got | | | | later that week. There was a guy sitting across |
| the best of me and I turned down the road into | | | | from me that I had not remembered seeing at |
| the office park. I hoped I was being led to a | | | | church but he sure had my attention now. I kept |
| full-time job with benefits. A lot of businesses | | | | an eye on him to see what stupid thing he would |
| there, but nothing I felt drawn to until I neared | | | | do that would disqualify him as a candidate for |
| the back of the office park and saw a warehouse | | | | companionship. After all, I was NOT looking for a |
| that was being used as a meeting place for a | | | | relationship! |
| church. | | | | I heard that HE would be leading worship for a |
| "No, not church!" I whined. "You know I hate | | | | small group at the church on Friday night so I put |
| organized religion, God. I don't want to go to ANY | | | | on my best jeans and showed up. I learned a |
| church, much less one in a WAREHOUSE." | | | | new meaning for the phrase "Small Group". I was |
| Every time I passed the office park, the nudging | | | | one of three people in attendance and HE was |
| got stronger. I knew I was not going to see any | | | | one of the others! |
| peace until I visited this place. I woke up the | | | | We had several dates over the next few weeks. |
| Sunday morning before Easter agreeing with | | | | I felt like I was being guided from one event to |
| myself and that "inner voice" to go to that church | | | | the next not really making any decisions-just |
| in the office park, but I made a deal with God | | | | going with the flow. Ten weeks after meeting |
| that I would only go to hear the music then I'd | | | | one another Randy and I broke the news of our |
| leave before the preaching. | | | | elopement to our children, our parents, and |
| I looked up the number in the phone book and | | | | extended families. It was both exciting and |
| called to see what time the service started | | | | upsetting for them. Some were happy. Most were |
| -hoping it would already be over and I could wait | | | | suspicious. All were shocked! |
| another week. No such luck. I arrived in time for | | | | Randy and I celebrated our sixth year wedding |
| what I thought would be the musical portion of | | | | anniversary on July 7th and I must say that it is |
| the service only to find that a man in the pulpit | | | | one of the best decisions I've NEVER made! |