Life in the Way

Time to Contemplate.

It was a weekend like no other.  I was pushed to the extremes emotionally and spiritually.  So far, in my ministry I have not experienced anything like the past 4 days.  On Thursday night, I had a wedding rehearsal for a young woman who I confirmed about 7 years ago.  She has now graduated college and got married last night to a really nice guy.  Friday, I had the committal for my uncle’s ashes at a veteran’s cemetary.  Saturday was the memorial service for my uncle.  Sunday evening was the wedding.

Some background, typically I don’t preform religious services for people outside my church, unless they are a friend of a family or extended family.  So, I am not doing funerals and wedding all that often.

The bride is a member of our church and we had shared some sad times together when her father passed away several years ago.  After her Dad’s death, she moved about an hour away.  We haven’t seen each other for several years when she asked me to perform her wedding ceremony. She made the whole experience of preforming the ceremony so special for me.  It felt like I was preforming a marriage for one of my own kids.  I cherish her kind words and thank God for allowing me to be part of her spiritual journey.

My uncle’s committal and memorial service were so hard and emotionally in the other direction.  Spiritually, both the wedding and the memorial service were uplifting (celebrating my uncle’s life and his birth into heaven - celebrating the joining of two people in loving martrimony).

Likewise, I was honored to lead my family during part of their spiritual journey through life.  The circumstances were sad and raw at times, but it was great to see my uncle’s family rally around them and it was awesome to see how many people came to his memorial service.  There was standing room only (and probably as many standing as seated).  I will miss him.  For me, when we saw each other at family events he was alway approachable and accessible.  Often he would start his conversations with me. I knew when he looked at me a certain way and began his sentence with, “Joey,…” in a certain tone, I knew that he was about to give me some tidbit of loving wisdom he’d learned that I could apply to my life and current situation. Anyway…

(Aside, I had abnormal church related responsibilities as well.  The church plant had its largest outreach event of the year at precisely the same time as the memorial service.  Sunday night our District came together to celebrate the ministry of our district superintendent at the same time as the wedding.  Sunday morning the church plant was displaced out of the gym because of  a graduation ceremony, so we held an open-air worship in the field behind the school. And at 11:00am worship, we had conformation.)

So, since I couldn’t clone myself, I set my priorities and began to pray.  By Thursday I was determined to get everything done to the best of my abilities to honor and glorify God.  Everything seemed to go well.  I felt good about honoring and glorifying God.  Three distinct messages, one normal message for worship, two messages celebrating two of life’s most significant events.  But, now…

with all the responsibilities of leading the different groups of people in their own respective arena of life, the tragitdy that occurred with my uncle’s death is beginning to set in.  So, I need to take some time to just be and mourn his lose.

It was a great weekend filled with emotional extremes and deep spiritual meaning.  Thanks be to God for the opportunity to serve Him.