We returned last night from Houston, Texas. It was a first-time visit for Joan and me. We never had a reason to go before, but we went to help our daughter celebrate her birthday. It was the first time in four years we have spent time with her on her birthday. The last time was her senior year in High School, and then I am sure it was not very much time during that phase of her life.
Houston is an amazing place. There all kinds of places to visit, like Herman Park, where we went to an outside amphitheatre to watch a dance presentation about things that live "Under the Sea.” We attended a concert at her church, Ecclesia, in downtown Houston. We worked out at the fitness center where she is a member, including an opportunity for me to take a Zumba dance class. Well, let’s just say I sweated a lot and learned to turn in a circle in both directions, while trying to move my arms and hips all at the same time.
We also ate at some great restaurants. Pita Café is a Bosnian restaurant we went to the second night we were there. It is featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.” You can view it on YouTube under “Pita Café.” We ate at a great Mexican place the first night we were there, and had our final meal in Houston, at lunchtime, at Aladdin’s, a Mediterranean restaurant.
It was fun to explore the city and experience the restaurants with Emily, but most of all I enjoyed meeting her co-workers and the kids for whom she is a house parent. She works in a foster care intake house. There are six kids and they all under the age of six. They really long for attention, but they seem to have adapted to this loving, stable environment. It warms my heart that Emily has decided to give at least one year to this endeavor. The hardest part in her job is allowing the kids to leave this place, where they are valued and cared for 24/7, and then praying their home life will continue to help them blossom.
I appreciated the time we had to spend with Emily and the time we had to spend with these great kids. I hope and pray they will always know they are valued and loved by their creator, no matter what happens to them in life. I also pray that the crew at the house we be able to maintain their energy to keep up with these children; it seemed in some ways like a Zumba marathon.
It is wonderful to celebrate the accomplishments and marvel at the things our children are doing. It is also wonderful to realize that we no longer have to wonder if we were able to give them wings, for they are definitely soaring on their own.
I give thanks to God for this past week in Houston and hope you, too, are experiencing some of God’s wonders as you walk with your friends and children as they seek to minister to God’s world.
Happy dancing,
Pastor Randy
