Sunday, October 26, 2008
Sometimes I find myself complaining about the church. Sometimes I find myself profoundly grateful for our church family. Tonight was a night for gratitude.
We just got home from Big Church's Annual Spaghetti Dinner and Talent Show. The acts were all very good -- mostly teen and preteen rock stars, along with my favorite 80ish woman who played some old ragtime piano music and the Budweiser Beer song. She must have been a fun gal when she was younger. Heck, she's a fun gal right now.
One little girl got up to sing, but quickly became too nervous. Her dad was emceeing the show, so she hid behind his back and cried. She left the stage. Her father announced that she would try again later in the show. After the other acts had gone, she tried again. Half laughing, half crying, no sound came out as she tried to sing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". Slowly, the two hundred voices gathered around banquet tables in the church gym began to sing. We all sang. Slowly, our little singer found her voice and two hundred and one voices finished, "If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why, oh why can't I?" I couldn't help but cry with joy. I wasn't the only one.
We had fun tonight. Thomas ate about two pounds of spaghetti. Lily danced around the edges of the church gym. David received kisses and hugs from his many aunties. I am so grateful that my kids are growing up in this congregation.
The other night, I went to a presentation by Youssif al-Saka, General Secretary of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Mosul, Iraq, who is itinerating in 19 US presbyteries. He showed us a slideshow of the Presbyterian church in Bagdhad, which looked so beautiful and dear and human Body-of-Christ-like that I, who am not given all that easily to tears, was given to tears. All he asked of us is that we pray for Christians in Iraq. He explained that when he leaves his home for the day, he says goodbye to his family as if for the last time, just in case. He said he is waiting to understand what God is doing. I couldn't bear to get up in the morning if I didn't believe that God is every bit as present in the churches of Mosul and Bagdhad as in your church of 200 people singing "Over the Rainbow" with a shy little girl.
Shalom
Lambsoup, I cried at your story, too. It is so humbling.I will pray for those Christians in Iraq.