Lima, Ohio

Lima (pronounced /ˈlaɪmə/), Ohio is where I lived from age 3-10.  That makes it the longest place I've ever live, but I hadn't been back there for about a decade.  My cousin's wedding last weekend was in a town about 2 hours away from Lima, so Sunday morning my mom, Jake, Kim, and I decided to swing by there to see our old houses and go to church.

It was crazy to see our old houses.  The look smaller than I remembered... As we drove past shopping centers, banks, grocery stores, the old BP refinery, houses, hospitals, the public library, and restaurants, so many memories came flooding back to me. 

We went to Lima Community Church (of the Nazarene, when I went there).  It was the strangest thing to be there again!  While we went there in the '90's they added a gym and new sanctuary, but even though the population grew a lot during that time, now there are even more people attending.  There is even a separate building for high schoolers.  As some of our old friends, including my former dance teacher, led us around, I felt like I was in a dream.  Some things had changed, but a lot of it was as I remembered.  I spent so much time at this church as a child.  I was in countless plays and productions, VBS, Bible quizzing, kids church, and "Impact" in 5th grade.  I knew all the secret staircases and rooms.  It seemed like the church is thriving and involved in some exciting ministry.  As Jake said, it's always nice to go back to somewhere and see that it's doing better, as opposed to worse. 

In the sermon, the pastor referenced this passage to emphasis how important it is to teach the next generation about the Lord. 

Psalm 78:4-7:

    ⁴ We will not hide these truths from our children;
      we will tell the next generation
   about the glorious deeds of the Lord,
      about his power and his mighty wonders.
    ⁵ For he issued his laws to Jacob;
      he gave his instructions to Israel.
   He commanded our ancestors
      to teach them to their children,
    ⁶ so the next generation might know them—
      even the children not yet born—
      and they in turn will teach their own children.
    ⁷ So each generation should set its hope anew on God,
      not forgetting his glorious miracles
      and obeying his commands.

As I sat there, I felt it was very fitting to be hearing this teaching at the place that basically gave me all my early Christian education.  I felt very thankful to have had grown up in that community.  I don't remember the exact lessons or the names or my teachers, but I know their impact on my life.  As cheesy as it is to say, I am who I am because of this church.  I am so thankful for everything I learned and those who poured into my life at a young age.