A Family Affair
Yesterday was one of those days that just seems to shimmer with light and happiness. It was Sunday, and the day that Mack and I had decided to join the First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth. We have just moved to Fort Worth to be near the grand kids, and had visited a couple of places before making our final decision.
Having recently gone through confirmation classes at the Episcopal church in Galveston (LOVING the rector there and planning to stay FOREVER!) before making the plunge and moving to the town where our grand babies will be raised, we started at the Episcopal church. It is a beautiful and interesting place, within walking distance of our downtown loft, but it just didn’t fit. I had hesitated about getting involved in FUMC, though it is within walking distance as well, because I didn’t want to “horn in” on the lives of our son and daughter-in-law.
But, they encouraged us to visit, and we fell in love! I immediately joined the choir (selling point: NO AUDITION required!…yikes!). So, we visited a couple of times and decided that we would join on June 2.
As luck (? no such thing, in my book) would have it…it was “Children First” Sunday. The kids and their families took over the big sanctuary and the old folks (or those without kids) moved over to the small chapel. We knew that we would go to the Children’s service, and join up then, since children are the reason that we are here in town!
Even though our precious daughter-in-law is just weeks from delivering our identical twin grandsons, she, our son, and adorable 2 year old grandson joined us in the service, to support our decision to join.
As I sat in that beautiful sanctuary, flanked by my husband of 38 years on one side and my precious youngest son on the other – looking down the pew at Stephanie, “full of people” (as Mack says) and wrestling that darling 2 year old, tears came to my eyes.
Talk about Grace…I SO don’t deserve this beautiful life. That moment, as the kids’ choir led one of my favorite hymns, “Pass it On,” I knew that my cup runneth over. Grace and love and family and possibility.
I thank you, Lord, for it all.
