“Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone”
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim
When I was boy, I never wanted to go to bed. Today, they would call it FOMO—Fear of Missing Out. I wanted to stay up late. My siblings were all older. They had a later bedtime and I did not like it. I was not especially fond of the little rug that I took to kindergarten, either. At the appointed time we were supposed to roll out that little rug and take a nap. I wanted nothing to do with it. Finger painting was fun. Story time was good. There were lots of things I liked about kindergarten, but I had no use for naptime.
The exception to this rule was in church. My family worshiped at Trinity Lutheran Church on Seventh Street in DeKalb, Illinois. My extended family was there as well. A Norwegian family church made up of farmers and blue-collar workers.
My Aunt Alice was there to greet us each week for the Sunday School opening. I liked Sunday School. My teacher, Mrs. Eike, challenged us to memorize the books of the Bible in order. There was a prize for everyone who could accomplish this feat. I do not remember what the prize was; remember, my best subject was recess. I still do not have those books memorized.
My mother was a Sunday School teacher or superintendent every year. When class was over my mom would round up her three kids and go upstairs to see if my dad had arrived yet. Once he got to church, we all moved toward our family pew. My grandparents’ assigned seats were up front, but with little kids in tow, my parents sat back right.
Church was boring. We began with the same opening hymn most every week. Three lessons, everything predictable, no jokes, no Smarties, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. It did not take long for me to be asleep. I would just lay down in the pew, put my head in my mother’s lap, she would run her fingers through my hair, and I was out. Wake me up when it is time for breakfast.
“Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.”
I would love to go back for a Sunday and be a boy again. I would love to sit in that pew with my now deceased parents and my older siblings. But I guess what I am really missing right now, is you. I miss our hugs on Sunday morning. I miss greeting each of you. I miss the teasing, touching, and praying. I have a greater appreciation now for the beautiful way that we share the journey together on Sunday mornings.
This Sunday at 8 a.m. we will post the worship service at the following locations:
Trinity’s Website: www.trinitylutheranfreeland.org
Facebook: facebook.com/trinitylutheranchurchfreeland
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/channels/tlcfreelandwa
Join me please. Karl will be singing, I will be preaching from an empty sanctuary to homes that are filled with cabin-fever people. I am hopeful that we will be together again very soon. Until then, be safe, stay positive, give thanks, isolate yourselves, and keep smiling! I need to see those smiles.
Much love, my quarantined friends!
Pastor Jim
