ether - more often than not it is a crap shoot if it is real because we are all such a mix of wounds and needs, joys and questions - but today... Let's just say that it was a sweet celebration of the blessings God shares with us in our broken humanity if we are able to discern them.+ These blessings are almost always there, but we are not always awake to receive them.
+ Or else we don't feel safe enough to let our defenses down long enough for the Spirit to blow in our direction.
But today... today we were blessed - and everyone knew that "Jesus was in the house." There was truly GREAT music and congregational singing, gifts galore (from a retired teacher's children song based on a collection of "knock, knock" jokes to my wife playing recorder while a dear friend sweetly sang, "Lone Wild Bird) as well as laugh
ter, tears and deep prayer, too.A dear man shared a testimony about how he was overwhelmed by the love and encouragement he had received from the community during his recovery from prostate cancer surgery - and quoted St. Joni Mitchell, too, noting, "don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone!" And before worship another saint gave us a bag of old Minolta cameras for the "kids with cameras" project. "I don't use them any more and they are just getting in the way." Incredible. (Check out my friend Stephen's take on today's worship at: The Night Sea Journey @ http://thenightseajourney.blogspot.com/)
To me it felt like Jorma playing one of my favorite tunes - Embryonic Journey - and getting it right...
After worship, Di and I had the chance to work in our garden, too, adding tomato and pepper plants, lots of herbs as well as finding some beautiful hanging flower baskets. Then we sat on the back porch, sipped a little red wine and read the NY Times. It was pure grace upon grace.
As this new week opens, there will be church problems - count on it - there will be hurts and we will celebrate our birthdays, too. I just wanted to return thanks while it is still fresh in my heart because I really am grateful.
To me it felt like Jorma playing one of my favorite tunes - Embryonic Journey - and getting it right...
After worship, Di and I had the chance to work in our garden, too, adding tomato and pepper plants, lots of herbs as well as finding some beautiful hanging flower baskets. Then we sat on the back porch, sipped a little red wine and read the NY Times. It was pure grace upon grace.
As this new week opens, there will be church problems - count on it - there will be hurts and we will celebrate our birthdays, too. I just wanted to return thanks while it is still fresh in my heart because I really am grateful.
credits: stock photo used as per license agreement; Van Gogh in indianartview.blogspotcom
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