Arrived

I hopped a 6:00 AM flight out this morning to Springfield, Missouri via Chicago O’Hare. One of my great friends Kevin Short who is the lead pastor at Christ Community Church, picked me up and took me to my favorite eating establishment and then it was off to Dad and Mom’s house. I arrived about 2:30 at the same time Buddy and Kristin arrived. Most of us were going on very little sleep so after a few pleasantries we hit the sack. Dad has had a good week as far as pain management. He was even able to go out to dinner with us on Valentine’s Day. While we all missed our better half’s company, we had a great dinner together. It is very rare that we get the original Cremeans 5 back together. My dad sits higher in his seat for times like these as the great patriarch of it all. As my kids get older I am starting to get some of that myself. We came home and visited some more and then Mom and Dad headed off to bed.

What followed next was one of those rare sibling/God moments that are difficult to explain. We talked for hours. We shared burdens, fears, frustrations, dreams, and successes. As we were talking we knew implicitly that God was doing something very special. He was marrying our hearts together like only family understands. You see, the best part of our lives is right in front of us. We all serve in different ministries in different parts of the world. We know God has us teaming up in some way. Right now we are teaming up to support our parents. Soon we will be teaming up to support our Master’s call.

My sister Kristin is an amazing woman…let me tell you! It is not easy being the only sister but she does it with such grace and beauty that makes it seem natural. She has been one of my heroes my entire life. I always wanted to be her, (the male version) to be like her. In school she was great at all she did. She got straight A’s and was number one in her senior class. She goes off to college and does the same thing all over again. She can tear up a keyboard. I have noticed a passing of the guard that I really appreciate. You see now Buddy and I get to be the “big brothers”. She is learning to lean on us…to let us take care of her for a change. Jerry, her husband is perfect for her. He is like our third brother.

Tonight she was able to let us see into her heart and share some burdens she is working through. Wow. It was powerful. We joined hands and had a very powerful time of prayer together. We are all scared about Dad’s surgery tomorrow. We have to be at the hospital at 10:00 and the surgery is scheduled for 3:00 (it is a 3 hour surgery) All three of us plan to spend the next several days praying and fasting for my Dad. Please pray for him. We are not ready for him to leave. We know that he is in God’s loving hands.