Out and About Town

Anymore when Larry and Susan go out and about town, they never know who they are going to meet. Sometimes the person is from the jail, sometimes from a supporting church, and sometimes the juvenile center. On some trips to Super K, they see so many people they know that they often wonder if they should run for office…too bad most of their acquaintances aren't registered voters.

At “Family Affair” this year, it was great to see a former inmate out with his little children. He proudly showed Susan pictures of the ones that were still at home. It had been a year without incarceration for “John.”

In early May, Susan saw a former juvenile center church participant working at a grocery store. He'd grown a lot in the past year and a half, but that same mischievous smile still peeked out from the almost-adult face. He said that he was doing really well now…staying out of trouble.

With summer just around the corner, Larry and Susan were out shopping for mulch for their flower bed. Larry pulled the little white pickup into the loading area and out moseyed a fellow that had a big smile for Larry. “Hey Pastor, I bet you don't recognize me, do ya?” Larry smiled and shook his head. “Well, I'm _______ and I haven't forgotten some of your preaching.” When Larry asked how he was getting along, the man just shrugged and said, “Well, I don't make near as much money as I did sellin' drugs…but hey! It's a living!”

Then there was a guy Susan spotted at Buehler's … one of her old favorites. He hasn't been back to jail for four years. Praise the Lord! He always credited Susan with enlarging his vocabulary up from 4 letter words.

Larry was meeting the topsoil delivery man at Margaret House in the middle of May. The delivery guy hopped out of his truck and waved, “Hey Pastor Larry, how's it going?' It turned out that this man had been out for a couple years as well and was doing very well. It was nice too, because he gave Larry a 50% discount right there on the spot. The guy whacked Larry on the back and said that all those sermons had made a difference.

And last but not least, a woman Susan and Debbie had both worked with on and off for years called from Marysville to ask advice on how to disciple two women she had led to the Lord. She seems to be putting some important pieces of her life together and God has begun to use her in a wonderful way.

Yup! Larry and Susan just never know who they'll see or hear from “out and about town.”