"that was good!"

my favorite moment of the week is when everyone gathers around the communion rail.

i love having the moment with each person to say that God is for them. it is so wonderful to share that moment with each person.

i love getting to bless the little ones. i look at them and say, "can i bless you?" sometimes they look to their parents, but usually they nod their heads very seriously.

one little red headed girl came to the rail with a sibling and woman that i am guessing was her mom. i asked if she took communion. that was a no. but a blessing was just fine. i said those good words...

may the Lord bless you and keep you in the covenant of ALL God's promises now and forever. amen, amen, amen.

as soon as i took my hand off her head, she turned to her mom and loudly said, "that was good!" the mom laughed, i laughed, my communion assistant laughed. i looked at the little girl and said, "that is good stuff, isn't it?"

the delight of the child was wonderful. i wish i could bless every person that came to communion. not just the kids. so all that good stuff could just get spread all around. so that we could wallow in goodness. roll in the goodness. revel in the goodness.

isn't it wonderful how we don't teach the little ones God? they teach us God. then...they get all the culturally rules put on them, so they forget how to see God. then they become the grown-ups that need help. i suppose that is why we all need each other.

this morning was the hanging of the greens at church. this sounds very fancy, but it was simply everyone gathering together to decorate for christmas. i was amazed that they made the wreathes themselves! now, i am an odditity in having made it out of northern minnesota without having made a christmas wreath before. i don't really know how that happened. i think it is because i never participated in youth group or girl scouts.

i told people that this is a normal activity for families and confirmation kids in minnesota. since the woods are...well, in the backyard.

one intrepid 9 year old decided to chat with me. my goodness she is a talker! i had a moment when i realized that i was probably like her when i was her age. chatty cathy.

i asked what she wanted to be when she grows up...she wants to be some sort of scientist. she really likes disecting things. i took the moment to say...ahh, i was very interested in studying neuropsych (brains), but then went to seminary. i told her i really want to disect a brain. this kid thought this was just the coolest thing. and proceded to tell everyone that the vicar wants to dissect brains. oops.


then...
she asked about the nose rings. inevitably happens. i made the mistake of telling her the very funny story about my brief flirtation with a lip piercing. the entire 5 day period. between amsterdam and berlin that my lower lip was pierced. she laughed at me and thought i was a little crazy. then...told her MOM! i tried to work the "it was not the best idea i have every had" angle. which it wasn't the best idea. it was cute though...briefly.

at least they like me!! their oddball vicar, but they like me. there are a fair amount of science people in the congregation, so i am very thankful for my psychology/research background. i may not get the same excitement from the type of science some folks do, but i get the fascination with wanting to understand.

i enjoy the congregation. they are sweet. they make me laugh. i like the energy of the kids. i like watching the families care for one another.