Dusty and I were not looking for a Church home when we signed our children up for kindergarten and preschool at Shoreline. We just wanted a kindergarten that offered full day classes and the public school in our neighborhood only offered half days...We were not opposed to going to Church - we just weren't interested.. we had other things to do.. like sleeping for me... and golfing for Dusty.
I became friendly with the school secretary and she was bound and determined to get me into church on Sunday...after weeks and weeks of her asking me to visit, I finally broke down and came with my kids... Dusty was golfing.... The service started with a couple of songs and then they had a meet and greet for a few minutes... Several people came over to me and introduced themselves and welcomed me... I felt welcomed but I was looking for the beacon on my back that said "newcomer".... After the meet and greet the sermon began....To be honest, I have no idea what that service was about...but I stayed and I filled out a card saying that I had visited...
A few days later, I was at my home and someone came knocking on my door... It was a couple who attended Shoreline and came to invite me back to Church... They were very nice and normal people and I didn't feel any pressure or any weird feelings... I just felt like I met some new friends named Vaughn and Grace...Vaughn was a retired police officer so Dusty and him did the male bonding thing right away.. and Grace was just a sweet spirit.... The next day - my phone rings and it's this nice chatty lady named Christal - well Christal and her husband Joel led a Sunday school class geared towards parents with young children and would I like to come join them this Sunday... I felt an immediate kinship with Christal and assured her I would be there with Dusty and my kids...
Sunday arrived and the whole family showed up... not really knowing what to expect.. The Sunday school class was really nice...just a bunch of normal people like me or abnormal however you want to look at it.... nothing scary.. I was very relieved.. and when we went into Church for the service people came up to me and said "Welcome Back, Kelly" They remembered my name... How about that... it may sound like a silly reason to go back to a Church but that's how it started for me.... people caring enough to remember my name...
We have been at Shoreline for eight years now and I call it my home... my family. One day stands out very clearly to me.. My dad was dying and I had gotten an early morning call from my mom that dad was in the hospital. Dusty was on a business trip... I came to Church and walked into my Sunday school class and told them what had happened... each person in that room offered to take my kids for however long I needed.... just thinking about that morning still brings tears to my eyes...they stood up and laid their hands on me and prayed for my dad, my mom, and my family... my dad lived for a couple of years after that.. He went to Heaven last Summer...
I can honestly say that when I walk through my Church doors, I am with family and friends. I wish that everyone finds or has a home like that...
