Stories to Tell.

Studying abroad in Italy or maybe working at a Young Life camp. That would have been the answer for my ideal summer. But I can 1000% guarantee you that eating a subpar Zoe's salad with an 83-year-old lady from church would be nowhere NEAR my summer plans. Not even in the same proximity. I would have been trying really hard to tan somewhere on a beach in Italy in my ideal summer plans. It's funny the way God doesn't abide by what we have planned and boy am I glad.

One afternoon lunch with this precious lady from church has altered the way I go about life.

Marcie. Last week Mrs. Marcie May invited my mother, my aunt and I to lunch at her home. This woman is 83 and made me laugh harder than any Chris Farley SNL skit. (...when SNL was good) Also she was just plain cute. Picture the little old wife from UP and then add like 5 golden retriever puppies sitting around her and that is how cute Mrs. Marcie is. It just doesn't get much cuter.

She became a Christian when she was in her 40s and since then has woken up every morning saying, "Abba, what are we doing today?" Every. Single. Morning. She looks forward to waking up every morning and listening to Jesus' instructions for her day. She told me how she has had the most FUN days of her life by just waking up and walking daily with Jesus. And she has stories. She has SO many stories about her encounters with the same people me and you encounter daily, but in her stories... she shares Jesus with them.

I think we make Jesus boring in our minds. Okay fine, I make Jesus boring in my mind. Maybe not good to admit, but it's true. I put Him in a box. But after talking to Mrs. Marcie I could feel the walls beginning to fall. I walked away so incredibly PUMPED about Jesus! I want to be a funny, spunky, Jesus-loving 83 year-old lady sharing Christ with the bakers at Publix.

I was sitting next to her eating lunch and I felt like a sponge. I felt like Jesus' love was literally pouring out of her and strait onto me. At one point I got so excited/inspired by Mrs. Marcie that I wanted to pick her fragile little body up and squeeze her as tight as possible...but she is on blood thinners so I opted not to.

My mom asked Mrs. Marcie what was the biggest regret she has. Her answer? She wishes she wouldn't have been so stubborn towards God.

So no, I didn't go to Italy or get the chance to go to a Young Life camp, but I consider myself honored to have gotten to enjoy one afternoon with Mrs. Marcie May. What a humbling reminder that it doesn't matter how old I am, I should be waking up daily saying, "Abba, what are we going to do today?" Oh how glad I am that Mrs. Marcie has helped break down the boring box I put Jesus in and shown my the FUN I get to have by waking up with Him each morning. I can only pray when I'm 83 I will have had endless encounters with Jesus and dozens of stories to tell.

"They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, "The Lord is UPRIGHT; he is my rock, and there is no wickedness in him."

Psalm 92:14