4-19-03

too-early-forty-five-O-clock AKA 6:45a

Okay, so it isn�t that early, and if I hadn�t had such a fitful night, it would probably be easier to wake. But, then again, it�s early to my head and perhaps it�s just the fact that I went to bed too early mixed with the �Noise� last night.

I went to bed at about 10-ish. Between 1:30 and 2:30a, I was in a groggy, semi-sleeping state due to pain in my back. I couldn�t find a comfy position � let me clarify a little. I didn�t spend an hour in that state, I spent approximately 15 minutes in that state, I just don�t remember WHEN that 15 minutes took place. I looked at the clock but I don�t remember what precise time it was � I really couldn�t find a comfy position and I was in that state where you�re still asleep enough to want to stay sleeping. It was at around 2:30 or so (I think so, anyway) when the �Noise� happened. Because I was in this semi-sleeping state, I heard at least the last part of this noise. It sounded a whole hell of a lot like someone had just slammed the front door of our house.

The part of the noise I heard was loud enough to cancel the semi-state of my sleepiness. I laid there in bed, not moving much, just listening. I figured I�d hear either Mom�s van or Dad�s pickup � he�s got the loudest Diesel I�ve ever heard, and I mean that! Honestly � to start up, but neither vehicle did. This, of course, made me think that perhaps someone had broken into the house and had slammed the door accidentally.

I laid in bed for about ten minutes then heard Dad moving around upstairs � my bedroom is immediately under their bedroom, and bathroom� nuff said � so I was no longer worried about an intruder. Trust me, anyone surprising my father in the middle of the night is going to be more surprised� and sore. *laughs quietly, shaking her head*

Anyway, the point to all of this� within fifteen minutes of being awakened by the noise � I think I heard the last part of the noise � I started praying for safety, security, protection. I asked for the usual �don�t let the mean guys get me� kind of protection, then turned to praying for my new brother, so to speak.

Mom �adopted� a serviceman through a locally sponsored program. They give out information packets with the name of a specific soldier/sailor/airman/Marine who doesn�t have a whole lot of contact with home. It is then our privilege to send letters, care-packages, encouragement and the like to our specific �adopted� serviceman.

Anyway, I started praying for his safety and the safety of his battalion. Then I was able to go to back to sleep. So, whoever made the mystery noise� thanks.

Cheater Bible study today, since my back still hurts and I can�t handle sitting here anymore� These are stories that I find inspiring. You may have read them before� you may even have read them so often that they�re meaningless to you now. Whatever the case may be, these still inspire me and if they inspire you enough to smile even once, then it�s all good. So there.

Mountain Moving Faith

Author Unknown

A small congregation in the foothills of the Great Smokies built a new sanctuary on a piece of land willed to them by a church member. Ten days before the new church was to open, the local building inspector informed the pastor that the parking lot was inadequate for the size of the building. Until the church doubled the size of the parking lot, they would not be able to use the new sanctuary.

Unfortunately, the church with its undersized parking lot had used every inch of their land except for the mountain against which it had been built. In order to build more parking spaces, they would have to move the mountain out of the back yard.

Undaunted, the pastor announced the next Sunday morning that he would meet that evening with all members who had "mountain-moving faith". They would hold a prayer session asking God to remove the mountain from the back yard and to somehow provide enough money to have it paved and painted before the scheduled opening dedication service the following week.

At the appointed time, 24 of the congregation's 300 members assembled for prayer. They prayed for nearly three hours. At ten o'clock the pastor said the final "Amen". "We'll open next Sunday as scheduled," he assured everyone. "God has never let us down before, and I believe He will be faithful this time too."

The next morning as he was working in his study there came a loud knock at his door. When he called "come in", a rough looking construction foreman appeared, removing his hard hat as he entered.

"Excuse me, Reverend. I'm from Acme Construction Company over in the next county. We're building a huge new shopping mall over there and we need some fill dirt. Would you be willing to sell us a chunk of that mountain behind the church? We'll pay you for the dirt we remove and pave all the exposed area free of charge, if we can have it right away. We can't do anything else until we get the dirt in and allow it to settle properly."

The little church was dedicated the next Sunday as originally planned and there were far more members with "mountain-moving faith" on opening Sunday than there had been the previous week!