Reconnecting — Dave Russell

A few of us from the February trip gathered at Cedar Springs Church a few weeks ago to share memories and renew fellowship. Anna Garlington was the first person in Vine history who was successful in such an endeavor after a trip. Anna gets the “Bringer Togetherer Award.” She was also kind enough to bring along some frijoles negra y bananas negra, the latter being unintentionally crisp! It was fun to see everyone.
Ernie and Charlene arrived a little worse for wear after arriving Thursday morning from Las Vegas where Ernie said their daughter had just been married by Elvis. You’ll have to ask him about the truth of all that.
Woody rolled in with chips and salsa in hand. Do you think he was wearing a hat? We were all standing up talking when Stephanie slipped in. It was so good to see her once we all sat down:) Becky (AKA Barbie) arrived with her smile and easy way to complete our circle. Then, ever the observer, I watched us as we looked at pix on the TV and leafed through Ernie’s photo album. There was the off chance that we would talk about Mandy’s wheelchair, and sure enough we did. We are still in awe that God would have visited us in that way, in that place. As I watched, I thought of each person and how the Lord used our gifting in specific ways for His glory. I had my own slide show or sorts playing in my head as I remembered.
The LORD had pulled us together and knit us into His body for a particular task and for a particular period of time. He placed us individually in that body just as He willed to do in order to bring glory to himself and to provide pleasure, fulfillment and joy to us. The little remnant of our body, through chips, salsa, beans, and bananas and each other’s company remembered. And through the remembering we want to remain. Remain where? In His presence. Doing what He is doing — in the rightness of caring for the poor, the outcast and the oppressed — in the kind of sweet communion we find elusive elsewhere — in the unpredictable adventure of being blown by His breath.
It has been said that a joy is not complete unless it is shared. And in coming together to reconnect we share our joy and the joy is renewed. Stephanie understands this, for she is diligent to gather our email addresses and keep us together if only by cyberspace. She gets the “Keeper Togetherer” Award.