Lubbock, Texas is our new home. My husband and I have lived here two months and seven days. Our lives have seen changes like buying our first home, having our first child and leaving our friends and family for the second time following where we believe God is leading us. However, that is not what this blog is about.
Lubbock is home of the Texas Tech Raiders although there are around four other colleges in town. But this week has been a crazy crazy week. #1- A terrorist was arrested this week that was living in apartments right off the TT campus. #2- I have seen weather alerts for blizzards, tornados, bad thunderstorms or hail, but today was my first time seeing the weather portion of the news broadcasting and warning of fire storms. #3- The pastor of the church we have been attending the last month and a half shook my hand for the first time today. Let's review...
#1- A terrorist, I guess, can reside anywhere. This twenty-something, Iraqi college student was followed for the last several weeks by the FBI out of Dallas and arrested this past Wednesday or Thursday for planning a terrorist attach within the US and the state of TX. He was one chemical away from having his bombs ready. He was found by a specific chemical being shipped to him and it came through North Carolina or somewhere and the FBI was contacted due to that being an odd chemical going to someONE. So they started following him and such and when they raded his apartment, they found plans to used child baby dolls to hide his explosive devices. He also had a plan to bomb the 2nd George Bush's past estate. CCCRRRAAAZZZYY! So, that was an eye opener although God tells us not to live in Fear- he foretold of things like this.
#2- Texas as a whole is dry but the area around Lubbock is EXTREMELY dry. We are and have been on a no outdoor burning status. However, that doesn't stop drivers that smoke from through out their cigarettes. Today, we had a wind storm and the wind was steady at 50 MPH. Lubbock is ALL cotton fields, therefore, dry, fine, red dirt and with the wind, it became a free, pellet slinging facial and eye scratcher. There were 3 to 5 huge fires in and around Lubbock. In town, two high line wires sparked together and caused a fire in a residential area that burned two homes and destroyed some surrounding property. However, there is a town, I believe east of Lubbock, that had an evacuation warning issued from the mayor. A nursing home and hospital had to be evacuated due to a grass fire that was moving in on the city and destroying everything in its path. Currently at 11pm, the town is still under the evacuation warning. How was the weather department involved? They used their radar to show the smoke plums to demonstrate how big the fire was and where the wind was pushing it. Huge areas were covered by smoke. Feel sorry for anyone there not only for any loss that might occur, but also those with smoke allergies. I remember the Wyoming forest fire on Red Grade. The mountain was on fire the day we were moving our stuff to Sheridan. We couldn't see the mountains in front of us due to the smoke and it made your eyes burn. The haze even changed the color of the sun.
#3- This has been a thorn in my side so, please don't think this is a terrible church or pastor. People don't know things need fixed if they don't know it's broke....
So we have been attending a church that greatly resembles our awesome church we left. Great praise and worship, great preaching but there is just one thing that has been missing that has bothered me way way more than Joe: the pastor nor any leaders have shaken our hand or introduced themselves to us. Have they been rude- absolutely not. They will wave at you but not introduce themselves, ask about you, give you their name, tell you where things are in the church, etc. We are not late to the service so that is not a reason for not meeting anyone. However, due to having my first experience dressing myself and preparing a newborn for a 2 hour service, I was late by about 15 minutes. He was in the lobby and shook my hand and made small talk but again, didn't ask my name, if it was my first time, nothing. Why does this bother me? You could ask my friend Traci from my old church, I could tell you where people sat, if they were present or not that Sunday and sought out new people to make them feel, well, opposite of this! People need to know they are wanted and missed to feel the need to belong, come back and get involved. Now those of you who know me, I can hear you saying, this might be why you are there. I agree. However, I wish that I got to experience this so I could feel wanted versus seeing a need that needs filled, fill it, and make others feel wanted. You see, it's all about me it's all about me. Just kidding, kinda. Every church can't have everything or there would not be a need to fill for each of us. But what I heard at church today from a Tanzanian missionary: We don't need more faith or to ask God to show us He REALLY is talking and wanting us to do something. We need more obedience.
So that is what is crazy about this week in Lubbock. We shall see what next week brings.
