What an experience.

We visited our son in college this past weekend. It was family weekend. It was so much fun. We walked along the campus sidewalks to view his classrooms and pathways to a new life, a new stage. Tennessee hills are not easy to climb on foot, but they sure do make a beautiful campus. We toured the social spots, talked with friends and ate barbecue while the band played and a gospel group sang. Well, three of us ate barbecue, our daughter thinks it isn't to eaten by humans. As we made our way to the stadium for the ballgame our son took us to the gate we have been going to since he was 4 months old. I smiled to think how times have changed. His body has gone from a chub of heaviness on my hip that day to a tall, lean, handsome fellow with his trademark hat on top his head. He explained he must enter through the student gate and he would see us later. We settled into our seats, our daughter inquired about the menu available at the concession stand. We even spotted our son across the field as he had worn a different color than UT orange. The game wasn't exciting. Vandy beating Auburn was...I love their coach. We made small talk, sent a few text messages across the field....then it was time to walk back to our car. We said goodnight to our oldest, spoke a few words to his friends, inquired about what we would do in the morning and he said we might go to his church. HIS CHURCH. He said he would call later to let us know. We decided on attending the early service so we could get back home and he could do some studying. Just an ordinary church, a Baptist church, red brick, nothing out of the ordinary. As we entered the building I immediately liked the big windows, the welcoming center and the friendly greeters. We found our seats and started our worship experience with our son. The music was overwhelming. With a symphony background, a choir of 300 voices it simply resonated through my skin and flooded my soul. I sat there speechless. As the service continued the worship leader started a solo and people lined the pulpit with pieces of cardboard. On one side was their fault, their problem, their hurt, their disease, their failure....on the other side was God's grace and mercy shown in their life. Example, married 25 years, separated......reconciled today....forgiven....together. My tears flowed down my face as I read each person's piece of cardboard. I wasn't expecting to feel this much worship in my heart at a church I never even attended before. As I wiped tears, I saw my daughter and husband doing the same. The simple goodness of knowing Jesus who can change anyone, any circumstance, anything. We enjoyed the message on the importance of Believing in God. We ate lunch at Old Charley's and headed back home. I am not the same today. That 45 minutes in our son's college church did more for me than I could ever have expected. I have always told people that they must attend a UT football game just to experience the atmosphere and I still do. But, I won't forget those pieces of cardboard with life stories written in black magic marker. That was an experience I wasn't expecting.