a little rain never hurt anybody!

So we have really dedicated ourselves to truly 'living' the PA life here in Montoursville and the surrounding area. That includes doing silly things like the fair, the farmers markets, meeting neighbors, introducing ourselves to the mail lady, and lots of other things. This week living in Pennsylvania meant attending the Little League World Series parade. As Dothan natives, we are up to date on parades, thanks to the National Peanut Festival Parade. This, though, was totally different! Couple of major differences: the emphasis was baseball, not a peanut, and there wasn't a SINGLE BEAUTY QUEEN!!! It was really quite refreshing to get out as the three of us and enjoy something new and fun!

Chip Sharp, had purely died and gone to heaven! There were firetrucks,
  "big trucks" (18-wheelers), "big brass bands" (high school bands), and baseball teams! He couldn't have been more excited - he has been to parades before, but I think this is going to be the first one he really 'remembers'.

We were blessed to be able to be within speaking distance of the amazing Wade Boggs, as he was the Grand Marshall of the parade this year! It was a really neat experience, and one that Tony appreciated most of all!

In all, there are 16 teams that make it to the LLWS. Eight from America and eight international team. I was lucky and able to get a picture of each team which was really a neat experience!

Tony and I were each able to enjoy this moment in Chip's life in our own way. We were each to see through the eyes of a toddler, the excitement and joy in the small things of life such as another tractor, or another "big truck" or even what he is convinced is a "big brass band". Where else and how else do we keep our eyes on the prize and joys in life without a toddler. 

There is a magic in the world when you are four that is beautiful and fabulously innocent! They see things so differently, and I try to learn a little something from him each time we do something like this! A little rain never hurt anyone, and we should just let God do a little cleansing work through the rain and clean our hearts and minds to see things more clearly!

All of this joy on a day that began as a reminder of why we are in Pennsylvania! We are here to do the Lord's work! We will find opposition, but the prize is simple and great! The sad moments are but a mere reminder of the fact that this world is temporary but the kingdom work goes on forever! Enjoy the moments of awe in your life! Allow the rain to wash away the sadness and cleanse the lenses you see the world through and to reveal the purpose in your place. Whether you are at a church plant near Auburn, AL, at a mega church in Dothan, AL, working in a local church garden in Napier Field, AL, in the African Congo as a missionary or in Montoursville, PA as a worship leader, the Lord has a plan and a purpose for your life! Ask him to reveal it, and you might just get a little wet - a little rain never hurt anybody!