Gosple Sing

Beloved:

     No doubt the English teachers sigh heavily and the good spellers giggle when they see this sign posted near the high school.  I passed it this morning and stopped for a closer look and a picture.  The work invested is evident in its hand lettering, and careful construction. It’s wrapped in plastic with heavy tape reinforcement at the corners.   It will take a very big wind to pull it off the stop sign to which it is bound. 

The sign makes me smile, thinking about church members’ conversation, should we change it or leave it alone?  and the decision to leave it ~ because they love their sign maker more than they care about the giggles and sighs.  

That’s church on our very best day - taking good care of everyone, especially the household of faith.  I’ve never been to a church that didn’t have at least one member in need of extra patience, extra gentleness and extra encouragement.  Usually, church was their primary community, their main source of human connection.  They are often our best teachers of Christ-likeness.

In other news, a robin is building a nest outside my kitchen window, not an arm’s length from my spot at the table.  She’s using strands of a dead spider plant I dumped a few weeks ago. I can’t cut anymore lilacs without disturbing her but the show is worth the loss.    The creeping phlox, giant allium, bleeding heart, columbine, forget-me-nots, solomon’s seal bluebells and lily-of-the-valley are all opening wildly and lots more is pushing through.  For this I sigh with great joy - at the visible sign of the Creator’s presence.

peace & prayers, pastor annette