This is a Facebook memory I have decided to save and share here.
Mark & I "high fived" at the end of the church service, not because it was perfect, but because we had survived.
All five of us were in church to light the first candle of advent ( the candle of Hope, loving the irony yet?) & seconds before we were to go up as a family, Teale started melting down. Mark stayed with her at our seats while Beau, Gwenn & I went to the alter. Teale continued to be angry, but everyone just continued. With the singing of the anthem, she seemed to start to be more at peace. Music is healing & we were again reminded as a family that we are welcome, in good & in bad. So maybe it going perfectly would have been nice, but would the lesson had been the same? The following statement we read shortly after her outburst, puts much in perspective.
"Living each moment with gratitude and receiving each person as a precious gift, may we walk in the way of Christ. Amen."
My husband’s perspective;
I love how unwittingly Teale has been so powerful in delivering Christ's message of acceptance and love over the years. Especially at Mt. Mountain Rise United Church of Christ. We have had a couple of "mottos" in our church over the years; "God is still speaking" and "Wherever you are on life's journey, you are welcome here." A hundred thoughts have gone through my head since this morning's service. I'm so glad that God works through her, but must admit that sometimes it takes me off guard and wears on me. And I wonder how Beau and Gwennie deal with it. I mean Teale was screaming in the sanctuary, but I couldn't get her out of there. I thought at the end of the service I was going to have to help Beau get up out of his chair. But, in the end, we all left smiling!
Mark & I "high fived" at the end of the church service, not because it was perfect, but because we had survived.
All five of us were in church to light the first candle of advent ( the candle of Hope, loving the irony yet?) & seconds before we were to go up as a family, Teale started melting down. Mark stayed with her at our seats while Beau, Gwenn & I went to the alter. Teale continued to be angry, but everyone just continued. With the singing of the anthem, she seemed to start to be more at peace. Music is healing & we were again reminded as a family that we are welcome, in good & in bad. So maybe it going perfectly would have been nice, but would the lesson had been the same? The following statement we read shortly after her outburst, puts much in perspective.
"Living each moment with gratitude and receiving each person as a precious gift, may we walk in the way of Christ. Amen."
My husband’s perspective;
I love how unwittingly Teale has been so powerful in delivering Christ's message of acceptance and love over the years. Especially at Mt. Mountain Rise United Church of Christ. We have had a couple of "mottos" in our church over the years; "God is still speaking" and "Wherever you are on life's journey, you are welcome here." A hundred thoughts have gone through my head since this morning's service. I'm so glad that God works through her, but must admit that sometimes it takes me off guard and wears on me. And I wonder how Beau and Gwennie deal with it. I mean Teale was screaming in the sanctuary, but I couldn't get her out of there. I thought at the end of the service I was going to have to help Beau get up out of his chair. But, in the end, we all left smiling!
