A hole in Dot

​This past weekend we went to a tiny little town in Southwest Virginia called Dot.  It truly is a Dot on the map.  We have been going to this church for 23 years every August.  The first year we went, we had maybe 20 people in attendance, but I am thinking that it wasn't even that many!

This past weekend, the church was packed!  I don't think there was a seat left in the room.  There were people there who were there 23 years ago, but there were also lots of new faces!  The new faces were mainly young families with children!  What a blessing!  This church believes in keeping the children in the service too.  No kids church for them!  I love that.  I don't know when we started separating the children from the older people, but I don't like it.  Old and young need each other.  I saw several of the older generation interacting with the kids and it was beautiful.  That's the way it's supposed to be!

We stayed with our friend Kay.  I wrote about her husband Hank awhile back.  He went to be with the Lord this past year, and there was a huge hole where he always sat.  I missed him giving the communion meditation too.  In fact, I kept looking for his smiling face everywhere, because he seemed to be everywhere in that building.

I wonder sometimes about the hole I will leave.  All of us should wonder that.  When something is going on around us whether in the church building itself, on the grounds or in the community, do we spot certain faces  in the activities surrounding us?

When I am out on the street among the homeless, it is rare that I don't think of Maxine, who started the Lost Sheep Ministry.  I see her interacting with the homeless in a way that I will never be able to do.  I want to live in such a way that even when I am gone, my presence will remain.

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