I was absolutely exhausted during the sermon. I admit it. I'll have to ask the guy sitting next to me if I was nodding off... seriously, it's a problem. I don't really know if I'm awake or asleep when I'm so tired... I'll have to work on that. Anyway, we sang a bunch of songs this morning. The congregation was so appreciative. It's always really nice when the people are so blessed by the music. The music is pretty old style, and was very appropriate for the services I thought.
Something memorable this morning was communion. I've never been to an Episcopalian church service in the morning, and I had to pay attention to make sure I did everything right. The choir took communion second service. If we did not want to receive communion, we had to kneel and put our arms crossed over our chests. And so, gluten abounds... I had to cross my arms and kneel. The priest would pray a blessing over you instead if you did not choose to take communion. So I went up there, and tried not to get stuck in the skirt of my dress as I knelt with my arms crossed. The priest was at the person next to me as I knelt down. And then his hand came on my head, and he prayed, "The Lord bless you! In all you do, from your head down to the bottom of your toes..." I don't remember what he said after that. I was really moved by the action. Obviously, when they told us what would happen during communion, we were told that the priest would pray a blessing over us if we didn't take communion. It shouldn't have been a shock to hear him pray a blessing over me. But it was so beautiful. I wasn't expecting it to be a moving moment... I had such a sense of the Lord in that moment.
The passion in his voice was moving in itself. Sometimes when I hear people pray, it just blesses me a lot. It makes me so genuinely happy to hear a heartfelt prayer. It's freeing to be desperate for the Lord when others can hear the desperation themselves, and join in with their own hearts.
Anyway, I thought it was really beautiful. And it kept me thinking of the word "blessing" today afterwards. in the choir, our "blessing" and benediction song is "The Lord Bless You and Keep You." I always love singing the "blessing" over the congregations and audiences. It's so special. And it's a beautiful prayer. Growing up, that song was the song to sing in our household. We all (meaning the "williams kids" as we used to be called... we grew out of that one quickly....) sang it so many times. We sang it for our younger siblings for their dedications at church. We've sung it for anniversaries and birthdays, and funerals. We'd visit sick friends and sing it over them. I guess it kind of became the thing to sing. It was a sung prayer.
Sometimes I say "You don't mean it unless you sing it!" For me it basically reflects how I haven't really felt something fully until it has overflown into a song I write. But then again, this is my music obsession too. Something sung, is something beautiful and meaningful. Not always, but I appreciate it when it is:)
In my family, the word "blessing" is a common one. We don't have "roll call" when we're all traveling. We do a "blessing count." We pray for God's blessing on the things we do, and the people we know. It has such deep meaning to me now after growing up with the word "blessing" constantly prayed and spoken. Maybe that's why it affects me the way it does.
After the church services, we ate lunch from the church, and sang our "The food we have eaten has hit the spot" song, and loaded up and hit the road. We crossed into Indiana, thus losing yet another hour. We later arrived in Warsaw, and unloaded and set up at the Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church where we sang our evening service concert.
Right before going on, Doc told me he wanted to see me after the concert. That of course made me slightly nervous. I had to sing through our whole concert wondering what it was he needed to talk to me about. I made up my mind it couldn't be anything bad because other people were around when he told me he needed to see me. He's usually very conscious about things like that... he doesn't embarrass anyone, or draw attention to anyone when it has the potential to be uncomfortable. So I tried to stick to my story... the story that it was all good stuff:) And good stuff it was. After the concert Doc gave me a "gift" from some nameless person. I can't exactly get into detail, but what I can say, is it was a huge blessing. I felt like crying... and soon after, nearly five minutes after this first "gift," someone came up to me and asked if I was the "gluten intolerant one." She was hosting some of the other girls in the choir. So I told her I was. She gave me a bag of peanut butter cookies and gluten free granola bars and a banana. I was thrilled. Gluten free food! Praise the Lord (all ye Gentiles... anyone reading this knows by now I've a chronic case of lyric quoting....)! Free gluten free food! I just felt so blessed. It was amazing.
So I guess today could be called a "blessed day!" It really was.
Tonight Trina and I are staying with a woman... we can't remember her name, much to our shame. But she has 11 grandchildren, and 3 great grandchildren. And her father built the house we are staying in right now. The house is absolutely precious. Trina and I agreed we would love an adorable little homey house just like this. Each room has a lovely welcoming scent that seems to say, "Relax. And let the calming aromas lift your spirits!" Like only a grandma's house can.
Tomorrow we ship out at 7:30 a.m.... which will likely feel like 5:30 a.m.... so tonight shall be over soon, lost in the land of lambs hopping over a fence, counted as sleep descends upon the seeking eyelids, bowed in supplication of rest.
And I end this blog saying, The Egg is Forever. This is a new discovery Trina and I have found. Maybe I'll explain that one later... May the lambs rest far after you all do this lovely evening!
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