The Times They Are A Changin'

Its such a strange time. I've not posted about it because 1, its not for me to say. I don't like to post other people's business. And 2. its not about me. Not even a little bit. Often on post like this people will be kind and supportive and offer comforting sentiments and that is nice but its not about me. Not at all.

Many of you are aware that our Senior Pastor has been suffering failing health for a long, long time. By all appearances, he is now in the home stretch. It is unlikely that he will be back at church.

That brings about changes. Lots of changes. None of which are unexpected or have not been prepared for, as least as much as you can prepare for something like that.

Today my husband brought a message about "how to prepare for the final goodbye". Obviously it related to our congregation but I like to think that the message would be applied to others ho are also facing the loss of a loved one too. . Did I mention Howard has been the pastor there for decades. He was my pastor when I moved here when I was 14 years old. That gives you an idea of the depth of loss the congregation is experiencing.

It was a strange service today. Completely unknown to us and unplanned for was the presence of several who had attended our church years ago. The District pastor was also there - something I don't recall ever occurring in the 30+ years that we have been here. Strange. God planned? They had absolutely no way of knowing what the service would be today or even who would be bringing the message.

Church feels "different" now too. I feel us coming together and being closer, more kind, and more gentle than we have been in a while. I hope Howard feels that too. I'm almost certain that he does. People who rarely speak to me have offered hugs.

Is it stressful? Yes, but maybe not in the way you might think... it has been stressful, and unpredictable, and uncertain for a long, long, long time. Sometimes it has felt like the stress would eat us alive - but that is how we have learned to engage life for the past 15 years or so. Just to take things as they come. Trust God. Know that whatever happens, it will be ok because for most of that time there was no way to know what would happen in the next hour or week or month. Its really like that for all of us but it was just a little more apparent to us. So we will continue on as we have. When you get mad, be mad, and then move on. When sadness hits, feel it, and then get up and carry on. And never, ever stop laughing. We are all going to be just fine.