Harvest (Not the Holloween Festival)

This years Harvest Crusade topped the charts, if I may be so BOLD as to say. I have attended the crusades with my family since I was five. Every year I'm touched by the mass amount of people that flood the field to receive the gift of salvation, through Christ Jesus. This year I attended both Saturday and Sunday night(I was not planning on either one). It totally slipped my mind that we were taking the High School kids to the youth event on Saturday night, and I was charmed into going with Carrie on Sunday night. Anyway, Saturday night was really great. Not because of the bands, although P.O.D and Kutless (My two favorite bands--;) totally rocked, but because of the lives that were changed all over the stadium. It is an amazing thing to watch the packed stadium empty out as people flood the field.

However, the second night was, for me, the most touching. I ended up having to go with Carrie onto the field for follow up counseling, even though I didn't have a badge. So...yes, as Carrie stated--people thought I was getting saved as well. But whatever, it was seriously worth it. I have never been on the field during the alter call, and I was so astounded by the sudden change in atmosphere. When you are looking up at the stands and watching the rows of broken hearted, humbled people, stumbling onto the lawn in a daze of tears and emotion: it is a completely different scene from the one witnessed in the bleachers. As Pastor Greg gave the alter call on Sunday night he stated that those who's hearts were softened should do what over 7 THOUSAND PEOPLE, had done in the first two nights and make a commitment to Christ. As I stood there, I realized the power of the gospel message. The power of the name above all names, that can shake the hearts of thousands of people and draw them to himself instantaneously. This verse came up on my DBV and it seemed to be the most appropriate verse to include in this post:


"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."

Philippians 2:9-11

Just to make things clear, the statement in the first line of this post was simply a personal observation. And the event did not "top the charts" because the Harvest team did anything different, or because the bands were any better, or the message any clearer...it simply impacted my life this year, more than any other year that I have attended. It was my own personal perception of this year's crusade, and it was truly an amazing gift to be a part of it.

Laurie Peters

This evening was like most Tuesday evenings, slow and boring.
Until a lone "customer" made it an evening to remember.

I was doin' my thang...sizing and colorizing the sale rounders, when I see a woman with a handful of items rush by. She has a few pairs of True Religion jeans and other items stacked over her arm. When I ask if she needs a room, she declines my offer. I thought this odd, since it looked as if her arm would fall off if she were to add anything else to her pile. Then without warning about 15 minutes later I see a rush of activity coming from the lingerie department, I see the same woman at the register dumping her items on the cash-rap. Out of the corner of my eye I see a woman on a walkie talkie running down the back isle, yelling "GO TO PETITES!" to the person on the opposite end. Before I know it I see the sketchy female "customer" running out the door with a pair of jeans in her arms. She runs out onto the bridge that connects the second story with the parking structure. I hear screaming and I, as well as various other employees, run to the middle isle to get a clear view of the events as they unfold. I see two people from Loss Preventions tackling the lady, she's screaming and crying. One of the guys had literally jumped on top of her and was wrestling her down to the ground. She was struggling and screaming at the top of her lungs. Apparently, The person who was waiting in the car for her just outside the door, booked it as soon as he saw her being captured. Bummer. I guess that is one way to find out who your true friends are.

Anyway...thank you sketchy shop-lifting lady for making my Tuesday night pass a little quicker than usual.

*We at Nordstrom take designer jeans very serious, so don't try to lift a pair on your way out. You will be caught and brutally wrestled to the ground.