Arrive to two bags of garbage that the mice have been enjoying for their Easter weekend dinner, front window that had been egged and a great fear that we had run out of whitener but with a very quick and inappropriate prayer we found some.
Quickly set up the coffee, Hannah fills the water, open the door and let George in so he can turn the closed sign to open and inspect the doughnuts. Write on our sandwich board sign "He has Risen! Happy Easter!" and get George to place it out front so as he says "so people know what the hell your doin in here!"
Watch Sandy come from Marion's car across the street with a home made quiche in her hands so excited to share another one of her Sunday morning creations with us." Its too hot right now just took it out the oven but get me a knife and we can cut it so everyone can try" Marion is back from Africa so we try to quickly get an update but decide later would be better.
Murray rides by on his bike -we pray he parks - and he does and comes in .
Two friends we haven't seen in a while come with two neighborhood girls they mentor from their city kids route, excited to celebrate Easter.
Lorna is late I run around the corner to her apartment and knock on the door to her husband John half a sleep saying I let her know its church. They show up later together (his first time celebrating with her and all of us on a Sunday)
Jessica comes too-nice to see her I love connecting with her at bible study Wednesday mornings. Anne and our mascot Riley brought some deviled eggs to share.
We pray together sitting in our circle of friends and begin. Worship God through singing , scripture reading, communion, lots of broken conversations around the room about the bread and body and juice ( George saying he will never get drunk on this much), many heads peeking in from the street curious to see what we are doing and enjoying the coffee and quiche (Bobby bringing in one of the "girls" off the corner to eat for a moment before she heads back out) silence together in reflection interrupted by giggles and gas and God, sharing around the room about what Easter is for each of us or the impact of the cross. An idea Sandy wanted to implement from Alpha about filling in a blank cheque signed by God for all our sins paid in full an idea that got all of us involved together-even George carefully folded his and gently placed it into his t-shirt pocket as delicately as I have ever seen him touch something-it struck him in a way that he couldn't verbalize but I could clearly see forced him to see the sacredness of that blank cheque that had been paid for him.
more music, group prayer, going over first the list of answered prayers from the previous Sundays as we celebrated Gods answers and also continued prayer for His will and for new prayer for one another.
I love the excitement of following our prayer list week after week and being able to reflect on the journey God has all of us on. I love that every week George prays for Sandy to continue to do well and to be well. I simply love the personal prayer time for each other, I soak in that I love it.
With everyone decided we were finished-there is no set time except for starting and I guess Easter is as good as any to go "longer" a few hours together, Marion shares her pictures of her Africa missions trip, answering many questions from our friends, Sandy finally getting to see our daughters wedding pictures, More music requests from those who still want to dance and worship so we play more while George goes on coffee clean up since all the food is gone. He complains under his breathe that if they don't come to church they shouldn't be able to eat and then looks up at me and says " I know Mrs.Graham (his affectionate name for me) God loves all of them" I smile because this was a messy, interrupted, loud, inappropriate at times, crazy , wonderful, blessed morning to celebrate Easter, The resurrection of our Saviour, with all of us who need to remember that its in the mess that the miracles come. Oh what a miracle morning that was. Praise you Lord. Thank-you R.A.W (Real people awesome God worship) you have restored my spirit.
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