June 13, 2010

We had an easy drive out to West Plains, Missouri on Saturday, the 12^th, and found our hotel. We got settled and then walked next door to the Waffle House to have dinner.

It didn't take long to get across town to the Civic Center where His Place Worship Center meets for their Sunday morning services. We met Pastor Greg Worley and his sweet and beautiful and adorable and amazing wife, Angie. Together Greg and Angie, along with a third person, (I think she's a relative) lead the worship and it's great! Pastor Greg plays the keyboard and the girls stand in front of him. They have 4 other pieces to their band and I loved their music. We worshipped together and had a great service.

After church as I was standing next to the CD table, Angie brought a lady to me and introduced her as a mighty prayer warrior who was saved in prison. (Those are the best kind!) She asked if she could pray for Grace and we did. She wanted to know what I believed for Grace and I told her. We realized we were in agreement with each other and she promised to continue to pray for Grace. Angie told me later that if you mention to her friend that you could use some prayer, she'll stop wherever she is and pray out loud, whether it's in the church lobby or in Walmart. It doesn't matter, she's not ashamed. She'll pray as if there's no one else around. That's a Christian.

When I hugged Angie goodbye there was a longing in my heart to know her better. Sometimes you meet people that you just seem to have a kinship with. I was wishing that we had more time with Greg and Angie as they seemed like people we'd enjoy knowing.

We headed out of town eastward stopping along the way to grab a quick lunch before driving all the way to East Cape Girardeau, Illinois.

East Cape Baptist Church was just over the big river from Cape Girardeau, Missouri. As a matter of fact, the church sat next to a body of water that was a little inlet from the river. Bobby unloaded and set up while I took the children to the nursery and began getting them ready. About 30 minutes before the service I heard a woman speak to Bobby in the hallway outside the nursery. She had to remind him of who she was and he remembered the woman and her husband from years ago when he sang with Mid South. They were from Arizona and had been in Nashville for CMA's Country Music Fest. They learned that Bobby was going to be in Cape Girardeau so they decided that instead of going back home the way

they came, they'd drive a bit north out of the way to hear him. What great fans! I wish I could remember their names but I failed to write them down right away.

After a good service we enjoyed some refreshments in the fellowship hall. The church purchased an ice cream machine a few years ago for a great price. Our kids thought that was one of the coolest things they'd ever seen...to have an ice cream machine in the church!

When we were leaving the church I couldn't help but notice and take a pic of the sign advertising the strip joint across the street from the church. ...never in all my days.... :)

We were able to drive home that night as we were only about 3 hours from home. And we were able to settle in for a while as Bobby was singing a special song at our own church the following weekend for Father's Day.