Finding What I Need

I woke up on Friday with a bad attitude.

Overnight, the governor of our state had stretched the Stay in Place orders to the end of May, with no relief in sight. A few alterations had been made (we can now shop in garden centers and use landscaping services), but for the most part, things are looking the same. And how it looks is not good...for the economy, for mental health, for everything.

As I cut my husband's hair in the kitchen, he sensed the growing dark cloud over my head.

An hour later, I heard him talking to someone on the telephone. A short while later, he joined me in the basement and said " Hey Hon, I'm on the phone with Pastor Tom, and he says we can come in to church for communion this morning. Can you be ready in an hour?"

YES!

We went as a family...Ed, Sam and I. Just walking in to the church, I teared up! It was good to be in the house of the LORD!

Pastor was masked, we were all masked, and we used the Purell hand sanitizing station before following him into the sanctuary.

We followed the comforting words of the Divine service. I so badly needed the words of confession and absolution that day! And yes, I cried...again!

Pastor had set the communion elements at the altar rail, where we partook of Christ's body and blood, given and shed for me for the forgiveness of my sins, of which there are many.

Pastor delivered a wonderful homily to our family about the Good Shepherd, and told us of his time tending hundreds of sheep at the family farm growing up.

We prayed together, we received the blessing and the peace. Oh, the beautiful peace!

It changed my mood for the entire weekend.

The devotions for the weekend (above photo) were so well timed. I knew they were meant for me.

I'm so thankful that my husband sensed what I so desperately needed, and that our wonderful Pastor Tom was there when we needed him.

It will be a beautiful day when we can all gather together in this place! I am praying for that day to come soon.