Acts 3:1 - Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer...
Sometimes it just pays to go to church.
One Sunday morning in 1974, I went to First Church of the Nazarene in Columbia, SC, with a girlfriend of mine. I never had a clue that my life would change forever that day. Usually, I attended a Baptist church with my family, but had visited this church several times before because quite a few people I knew went there.
One of the people that I knew there was Ray Whisennant. I had met Ray five years before at this church at a youth event. I was immediately attracted to him, and now can admit, it was as much due to the way he looked in his navy uniform as it was his sweet personality. However, he hardly noticed me. Every year after this first meeting, for some reason, I always remembered that April 11, was his birthday, and I would give him a call and wish him Happy Birthday. He told me later that while he thought I was real sweet and he kinda liked it that I remembered his birthday, he really had no interest in me.
A lot happened in both of our lives during the years leading up to 1974. We rarely saw each other and were in totally different circles of friends, but now and again we would run into each other at a ballgame or just around town. Of course, Ray would only say hello and keep on moving.
The girlfriend that I was with that Sunday morning had actually dated Ray a couple of times, so it didn't surprise me at all when he spotted us in the sanctuary and began to work his way down our pew. But, low and behold he didn't sit down beside her, but moved past her and sat next to me. Honestly though, I wasn't too impressed at that moment because I was in the third year of a serious relationship of my own. (even during those years I called Ray on his birthday)
...to be continued
Monday, November 10, 2008
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