Free Lunch

Yesterday after our church services, we went out to eat, as a family. This is something we have budgeted into our week. My day starts early at 4:00AM, as I rise and prepare my heart, mind, and soul, for the morning worship services.

I very rarely plan anything for Saturday nights, as I use this evening to prepare my heart for Sunday morning. This has been a staple of my life since I have been a pastor. My family knows that we don't go out much at all Saturday nights, so that we can come Sunday morning refreshed, and ready to give our best to Jesus.

So by the time I am finished preaching on Sunday, after the second service, and leave the parking lot, it has been a full day. I love Sundays, and love the time we take to eat together as a family. Yesterday, we chose IHOP as our place to eat. Everyone ordered and eventually our food came. And the food was awesome!

Two things happened next that really impacted me. First, the waitress Dana, stated that she loves our church (my daughter had a blue GCC hooded sweatshirt on) because one time when she was in the hospital, someone came and sat with her daughters, when she needed help. By the way, she doesn't come to Grace, she has a friend, that had placed her need on our info line. I was so proud of my church. By the way, I never told her I was the pastor, I just told her how awesome that was for our church.

The next thing really caught me off-guard. She delivered our food, and told us that someone in the restaurant had paid our bill, and wanted to remain anonymous. I wasn't prepared with the impact it had on me. I began to weep out of appreciation, for that FREE LUNCH. It really impacted me. It also gave me a deeper appreciation for all the times that Grace has given something free to others, with no strings attached. To whomever did that yesterday, you deeply impacted my life, and I say thanks!