10 lbs....

Last week, I had dinner with a couple of girlfriends I grew up with in Albemarle. Sushi and ice cream always makes for a good time, but the laughter and conversation made it a GREAT time! Sometimes, things like that help to align me...remind me of who I am and what I'm about. I was so blessed by these girls, and the beautiful women they have turned into. They've got good heads on their shoulders, they're sweet as peach ice cream, and they're just REAL. I love real people! Really, because I can feel free to just be real right back, you know? I'm sort of over putting on airs...it's so 5 years ago for me. ;) It takes some confidence, though. Not in me...in my Lord. I know that. Anyway, one of them asked me about the blog...what it was about...where the emails that I often start with originated...just wanted clarification on the story and how it all went down. It occurred to me that there may be a lot of you who need that, so I'm going to spend the next few posts sharing my testimony.

As I've shared before, my childhood was as close to perfect as this old world can offer. There were hiccups, but no major drama. My mom and my dad did their very best to honor God's model of a family, and we were just flat out better for it. My brother's and I are not perfect...but we know Truth. Because we were taught. At home, and at...

Sunday School.

I can remember...one of my earliest memories, actually...sitting in 5 year old Sunday School and, while I was supposed to be praying with my eyes closed, I was staring down at my white patent leather Mary Jane's. They were hot. (My obsession with footwear came at a very young age.) However, even though I was staring at my shoes, I was talking to Jesus. I can remember the prayer of that sweet baby girl almost word for word. I told God that I wanted a baby...right then. I knew I was too little to be pregnant, but I was sure I could handle it and people wouldn't think it so strange once they saw what a good mother I was. I promise you...I'm making none of this up. Pinkie swear! Well...as you can imagine...I didn't have a baby. BUT, less than a year later...my mother did. Yes she did. Alexander Tyler Sullivan. Born May 14, 1983 and weighing in at over 10 lbs. They all called him a "surprise," but he was no surprise to me at all. That was my baby. And at 26 years old...he still is.

I think back on that now, and I get a lump in my throat and tears fill my eyes. Even in 1982, God knew what my future held. I imagine Him looking down on that little child praying that naive little prayer, and weeping for the heartbreak He knew she would face in 25 short years...when she lost the only brother she had...and He had mercy on me. On my family. That little brother...my baby...put his arms around me and carried me out of the hospital room where our older brother lost his battle with cancer on October 1, 2006. He is an instrument of healing to me straight from God. And that prayer that I remember from all those years ago...a testimony of the never-ending faithfulness of my God.

Next week...we'll talk about MY unfaithfulness...

Ugh.

But, God...

"...if we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown himself." - 2 Timothy 2:13

This is my story of Ephraim.