Primitive

Last Sunday our family visited Smoky Mountain Primitive Baptist again.  We look forward to our times with the people there.  The pastor's wife is battling breast cancer, and I was thankful to get to visit with her again and maybe encourage her.  It made me think about my own battles with cancer and what was most important to me then.  Just knowing that someone cared about me, cared whether I lived or died, that mattered a lot then.  It does now, but in a different way.  Then I was in a scary place.  A place of fears and a feeling of a lack of control.  Then I really needed help on my way.  I could not face things on my own.  I needed a Savior - Someone who is all powerful and who loves me, really and truly loves me.  He was there.

Two Sundays ago our family was in Kentucky.  A church in Mt. Sterling asked OBT to come and preach during their annual meeting.  We had visited this church before and always enjoy our times with the saints gathered there.  We stayed at the pastor's home and are immeasurably blessed by their friendship and love for us.  We were blessed by the meeting and the fellowship of those we spent time with - some we know well; others we just met.  God richly fed us, and we thank Him for all blessings.

"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." - Romans 14:17

Our house has problems that need to be fixed.  The estimate was very high.  The insurance denied coverage.  Then the Lord sent two preachers to help us.  He is good and worthy of all praise.

Primitive

A few Sundays ago the children surprised me. You never know what they are going to do. A recent widower, arriving for the first time since his wife died of breast cancer last year, to preach and having no way of knowing how it would be. His first time back to Washington Courthouse without his wife by his side.

It is traditional for us to have a handshake at the close of services. During this time a young girl - our daughter - slips her hand into his and stands by his side at the front of the sanctuary, bringing great joy to him and thereby supplying a need. On another occasion her sister draws a picture of the same preacher while he is feeding us with God's word at an association meeting. Afterwards I inquire whether she will give this illustration to the man, and she says, "Yes." He is delighted and says that he will put it on his refrigerator at home. Blessings!

Primitive

Our family has started visiting a church in Washington Courthouse, Ohio.  This church was built in 1889 and still has the original hardwood flooring, pews, and kerosene lamps (now converted to electricity).  No air conditioning and no indoor plumbing.  

On our first visit the children needed to use the facilities so we ventured back behind the church to find the outhouse. I had been told to use the women's as it was in the best condition and that door was unlocked.  Seeing one with a rope tied around the doorknob, I assumed that that one was not it.  So we walked behind it to find another outhouse waiting.  After opening the door, I could tell that this one had not been used in a while.  The church only meets once a month.  There were leaves on the floor.  The roof was missing a few boards, and spiders had been spinning their handiwork on the holes.  The children did not even want to go inside, but I insisted since they had said that they had to go to the bathroom.  In they went and did what needed to be done.

After church and lunch, I took the children outside so that they could play while OBT and the others visited.  As I walked around the backside of the building, I noticed a small portion of fence with a shed behind it.  I had assumed that this was where they kept their lawnmower for the lawn.  Instead it turned out to be the women's outhouse, the newer one.  I tried to open the door, but it was stuck and I could not get it to budge.

When I went inside, I shared our story of our outhouse adventure, and one of the brothers stated, "You used the real Primitive outhouse."  Yes, we did, but next time we knew better!