I SUVIVED

another Lent, Holy Week and Easter! Yay!!!
   We had a good turn out for our Maundy Thursday Upper Room and stripping of the altar. Good Friday could have been better if the person working on dimming the lights had put them all out at the end instead of leaving the chancel lights on. I was ticked about that even after explaining that at the end all the lights should be off.
   I spent Holy Saturday making bread dough, coloring eggs, making pico de gallo for the week, mixing ground beef and making burgers for LH to put on the grill, gathering all the items needed for Easter Sunday - stole, foamie butterfly stickers, tulle butterflies to put on the pulpit and lectern which didn't really stick and then someone made off with one of them, since I was one short after the service. (Heck, they could've gone to the Dollar Tree and purchased their own!!). Then, I had a sinkful of dirty dishes to wash - all the mixing bowls (oh, and I made chocolate mousse for Easter dessert) and stuff that doesn't go in the dishwasher. It was a very busy Holy Saturday as they usually are.
  Easter Sunday it was 70 degrees and sunny - a beautiful day and morning! The service went very well and of course, folks we haven't seen in ages or at least, since Christmas Eve!!! There was a short coffee hour after worship although most everyone left except for a few folks. I hung around to lock up and then drove the hour home for a well deserved nap.
  An individual showed up looking for a handout. I explained that I would be with him shortly and although we don't give out money, that I could gather some food for him (after
gathering my worship things and shaking hands.). He said he needed food. Well, we don't have a pantry and don't give out cash. However, we did collect food for a local food pantry and I was going to raid it and put together items for him. When I got downstairs, he had left. Which, of course, means, that had he really been hungry, he would have stayed and accepted a bag of food. He really was just looking for a cash handout. Apparently, a parishioner gave him a couple bucks and off he went.
What kills me, is these people seem to know just when the most inopportune time is to panhandle from the church - a wedding, Christmas Eve, Easter Sunday - when pastors are likely to just hand over a few bucks because they are so busy and pressed for time.
   At any rate, aside from that, it was a beautiful day, a beautiful Easter day - one of the nicest I can remember.
   And here it is Easter Monday, a holiday in other parts of the world and a work day for me, as I get things together for the pulpit supply pastor next Sunday, load up the van with the donated food and deliver it, load up the van with several Easter flowers and deliver them to a homebound member and make a visit.
  Then, I can go home. Then I can start my vacation. Which will mean doing lots of laundry tomorrow and packing on Wednesday for my trip long weekend in Colorado. Most everyone goes some place warm and I will be packing sweaters!!!! I am excited to see my niece who spent so many months in Ethiopia and my sister who I haven't seen since Thanksgiving, and my nephew and his wife who is expecting their first child in June, and who I haven't seen since last June. I'm hoping the Baby Shower will be fun with all the cute little baby items.
   I am praying that it won't be snowing!!!!
   I hope you all have enjoyed a most wonderful, glorious Easter celebration and that you will savor some much deserved rest in this coming week.
   He lives! Alleluia! And that makes everything worthwhile!