The house was quiet and
felt empty as I wandered through the kitchen to let the dog out this
morning. Honestly, if I didn’t have the
dog I think I may have just stayed in bed feeling … I think the best word to
describe it is ‘hollow’. I tried to go
back to sleep but couldn’t shut my brain off, so I decided that staying in bed
wasn’t in the cards for me this Christmas morning.
I had planned to attend
the Presbyterian Church on Christmas Eve instead, but the same whisper that
guided me to Celebrate Church (my church home) last night guided me to my “adopted”
church home this morning. Even at
Celebrate I try to sit away from other people – (see my entry Relationships,
Fishing Tips and the Extroverted Introvert) – so I found an empty row and
sat down.
I stopped attending
services at the Presbyterian Church back in 2005 because I no longer felt like
I belonged there – a story for another time.
As I sat, watching the pews fill up, a familiar woman approached
me. I remembered her from those earlier
days – she was one of the only members that always made me feel welcome there. She gave me a hug and told me she was
glad I was there – time had not changed her warmth!
I have been a fan of
Cloverton’s “A ‘Hallelujah’ Christmas” since the first time I heard it and there have been times that I have just looped
it on my playlist. For as many times as I have heard it, I have never been
moved to tears … until hearing it covered live today while the offering was
being collected. The power and raw
emotion it was performed with wove its way through the rubble of the walls
around my heart that I have been working on deconstructing for some time now
and the tears that were left over from the previous evening found their way
down my cheeks. I had seen a preview of
this cover in a Facebook video – but it paled in comparison to hearing it
performed live.
When I attend a different
church, after service is over, I usually try to make a quiet exit. Today,
however, I stayed and chatted with one of my good friends and her family for a
while … I even went into their Fellowship Hall, though not for very long. As I stepped out of the church doors it
started to rain. It seemed strangely
fitting since it really doesn’t “feel” like Christmas to me, even after two
church services and singing my favorite Christmas songs. I slowly walked to my car, cogitating on the rhythm
of the rain drops and began to think about church families. As a follower of Christ, having a church home
is important, however we are all part of a much larger family. Being part of a church family is not limited
to just those who attend the same church or belong to the same denomination. Matthew 18:20 tells us that “where two or
more are gathered in my name, there I am also”.
I love my church home and am thankful for everyone there as well as
those from my “adopted” church home.
Not feeling alone when you
physically are alone is an awesome Christmas gift … it was my Christmas
Blessing today!
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