Circleville, OH and Omaha, NE

The Salvation Army event in Omaha, NE

The Salvation Army event in Omaha, NE

I know I need to write an update on Noah, and I promise it will be the next one! I just wanted to get an update on here about our time in Nebraska and tell you a funny story. And when I sat down to write this, I realized I never put in an event I did in OH as well.

The OH event was in Circleville, only about an hour south of my home in Columbus, so that was great (and apparently I forgot my camera that night, sorry!). Again, since Noah’s not loving me leaving, it was so much easier just to be gone for the evening! First Baptist in Circleville did an outreach event for women, and I think they succeeded beyond their wildest expectations! They had nearly twice the people they were hoping for which was wonderful! They were so easy to work with, and I loved getting to be with them. Since it ended, I’ve also heard from a couple of people who told me they met the Lord at the event, and that’s the best news I can ever hear.

This past weekend I was in Omaha, NE to do an women’s retreat for the Salvation Army. This had come up somewhat last minute, and it was amazing to me how the Holy Spirit put it together. While I was praying about what to speak on, they sent me their theme and it was almost a perfect match – God is so good! I knew very little about the Salvation Army beyond their social programs before I went, but it was a beautiful weekend and I learned a ton too! Shout out to Lieutenant Crystal for not making me wait at the airport for 6 hours, and to Major Kathy for being so great to work with! And I had the privilege of leading a woman to the Lord Saturday night and then again on Sunday, and that was just amazing.

So, funny story now for those who think I must have all my stuff together because I speak for a living. (Why do people think this? I’ve never figured it out, but you are out there, I have met you!!!) So, Lieutenant Crystal was taking me to the airport on Sunday after the event was over, but we had literally 6 hours until my flight, so she asked if I wanted to do anything or needed anything so I wouldn’t have to sit there so long (bless you, Crystal!). I desperately hate shopping, and therefore desperately needed t-shirts so we stopped at Target. While there, I thought, “I will buy some snacks for the plane so I don’t have to pay $12 for a yucky pre-made sandwich for dinner.” One of the things I bought was a box of blueberries. “Hmm,” I thought, “these blueberries need to be washed, and that will be easier now than it will be when I have all my bags with me.” So off to the Target bathroom I went to wash my blueberries. I know, that’s already a little weird, but you do what you have to do when traveling.

So, I’m in the Target bathroom, washing blueberries, and Lieutenant Crystal is standing there pretending this isn’t weird at all because she’s a nice person, and I think “Wow, now I have a dripping box of wet blueberries and there’s only a hand-dryer in here. I wonder if I just stuck them under there for a minute if it would blow most of the water off without cooking them?” And so I did. I just stuck that open box of blueberries right under the hand-dryer. Yup. The hand-dryer that I had failed to notice was an XL-erator. Mm, hmm.

So, as the wind-tunnel-like jet of air came down instantaneously on my blueberries, I realized an important fact. Blueberries don’t weigh anything. Nope. And they fly quickly. In fact, they shot like little blue missiles all across the Target bathroom. A woman and her little daughter were opening the bathroom door just as I did this and I shot them in the face with blueberries. I shot Crystal with blueberries. They ran under the stall doors so the women in there could wonder, “Hmm, why are there are suddenly a hundred little blueberry landmines for me to try not to step on as I use the Target restroom?” And I was the one crawling on the floor frantically grabbing blueberries. And Crystal, bless her heart, acted like that happens to everyone, sure, all the time! And she just helped me pick them up.

I’m sure that someday I will figure out the awesome sermon illustration that story will turn into. But for now, I just want you to know, the half of the box that didn’t fly were, indeed, dry.

8 Responses to “Circleville, OH and Omaha, NE”

  1. Danielle Wright says:

    That blueberry story. I’ve thought of it multiple times today and laugh hysterically every time. I’m just picturing it…in slow motion.

  2. jennifer says:

    Lol, Danielle, I relived it in slow motion for several days afterward! 🙂

  3. Leatha says:

    I was at the Women’s Retreat in Omaha and I was so blessed by your music and your messages!! The blueberries story is hysterical and can just imagine blueberries flying in the air and rolling on the floor…too funny!

  4. Nancy Lund says:

    Great story Jennifer!! Wish I could have seen it!! I have been thinking about you all a lot in the last week, remembering how good God was to have you in Florida for Ralph’s Memorial Service a year ago! And how kind you all were to come and to celebrate his life with us…including singing beautifully! We were all thrilled and very grateful!! Thank you again!!!

  5. jennifer says:

    Thanks, Leatha, I had such a wonderful time with you all! You were a blessing and I hope I get to see you all again!!

  6. jennifer says:

    Thanks, Nancy, I have been thinking about you all too! I was wishing we could get down there this summer, but we’ve had to leave everything so up in the air without knowing a date for Noah’s surgery. I’m hoping we can get him there sooner than later and let us know whenever you are up this way! Love you!

  7. Tim says:

    Thanks for sharing the story. Xcelerators are a big hit with our family, but never thought about using them to decorate a bathroom! Thinking of y’all and praying for all to go well with Noah.

  8. jennifer says:

    Thanks, Tim! We so appreciate the prayers!!

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