One incident can change the pattern in your life

My dear friend, Lil

Lil, son Cameron, and Jim

Lil and Jim on our Alaskan cruise in 2008

Life goes on, day in ~ day out. Most of the days seem mundane, some of them are special. You know what I mean. You've had both. In looking back on my life, I can remember many of those special moments: deaths of my father and mother, my first date, getting engaged, getting married, a miscarriage, moving to Illinois, having each of my children, and so on. These events will always be huge to me.

Then one day — a normal Sunday — you decide to go to a different church — not because it's a special day or because the church is having a guest speaker, but because you are feeling a need for a change. The service is a "normal" worship experience. The congregation is small — only 19 people, counting Peder, Heidi and me. But here's the difference: the minister's wife goes out of her way to make us feel welcome. She not only invites us to stay for the "pot-luck" dinner, but insists we stay (in a nice way). We do, and a life-changing friendship starts.

Because of this one event — which didn't start out as "special," the next 24 years are on a much different course. The minister's wife is my very dear friend, Lil, and because of her, Heidi and I made a move to the twin cities. Because of her, I go to the strongest, Bible-centered church I have ever attended. I've had some interesting jobs, met incredible people, lived nearer to my Aunt Liz and cousin, Pat, so I could see them more often, and now work in my most favorite place ever.

Thinking back, none of this would be what it is today, but for that one ordinary day. Oh, I know my life would have gone on had I not made the decision to attend that small church on that particular Sunday, but I'm happy I did. My life is richer having Lil being a big part of it.