It's a small world after all

Don't let anyone tell you that the world is to big, because it's not. My brother ran into my cousin, who were both playing separate gigs, in NYC one summer. And I've ran into countless friends over the years and been connected to others along the way of life. When I was in the Navy I always used to joke that a persons world got small and then after I got saved my world got even smaller. Being a fundamental Baptist in the Navy leaves only a handful (if that) doctrinally sound churches that someone can attend, and because of that little room for not running into people you've previously been acquainted with. Part of the reason that I felt the Lords will for me was to join the church I now attend was because there were many people at Bible Baptist that had been connected with my friends at Calvary Baptist. Laura and Aaron were friends with Ken and Sharon (the leaders of the singles ministry in Sicily) while they were stationed in Virginia together. The choir director, Mike Dolan, said that his brother, Rick, was stationed in Sicily with his wife, after putting that together I realized I had been attending church with him. And Tim, who is now my SPG leader, had his own connection of friends that had passed through Calvary Baptist. The familiarity of the fellowship that was at Bible Baptist when I arrived spoke for itself.

This brings me full circle to the events of today. After 6 years of silent friendship my dear friend Joy and her husband Philip visited BBC today, after finally getting stationed at NAS Whidbey Island. This irony might not seem like much to most people, however the Lord happened to let me be the privileged instrument that brought Joy out to church where she accepted Christ and eventually married Philip. To tell the full story would take up many more pages on this blog, but suffice it to say I was tickled to see them today.

I saw them initially as I was walking from morning choir practice to the auditorium, but it didn't really register. However, being in the choir loft does give a person the advantage of looking out into the congregation to see who's who. And the more I looked at them while I was up there the more I new it was them. After service I approached Philip, who was talking to Chris. It took Philip a second to register who was looking at him, until Chris (who he was talking to) said my name. I just stared at him until he finally turned to me and said "I know you." I said "I know you know me, because I know you Philip." I smiled and then he said "Carolyn! You're Carolyn. From Sicily." It was hilarious, LOL. He went on to say that we needed to find Joy 'cause she would freak out, which once we finally did see each other,happened. It was totally cool! Joy was just like I remembered her, and the same was reciprocated, except that time has left it's inevitable mark on us both. I'm 15 pounds heavier and she's got 3 little girls and a husband. We laughed about how we found ourselves in opposite ideals of the lives that we originally saw ourselves in. And we shared in a noisy, albeit satisfying lunch. We've all changed over time, but being with them today made me think about how really age is just a number and that once souls are knitted together through life's experiences that's all that really matters and makes us who we are.

I hope that everyone has the opportunity to share the excitement of this experience at least once, I don't think that I should get to have all the fun in this matter. I've always wondered if, and when, and event like this would transpire because of already knowing the truth of the opening statement in this blog, It is a small world after all.

What a way to start the closing of a year and the opening of a new one:) I can't wait to see what 2009 holds for us.