Snow Blech!

After eighteen inches of snow in less than one week, my tolerance for winter has crashed to a conclusion.  I am done with winter!

The snow is in my way, impeding my travel, work, life and errands!  Melting is not happening fast enough!

My kid needs to get back in school.  Our family needs a routine.  Piano lessons need to resume so that there is some different music in the house.

Spring cannot get here fast enough.

Hurry up and melt, already!

Epiphany- A Homemade Worship Service

Yesterday, while the winter storm of 2014 raged our little family huddled together in the living room for our makeshift worship service.  Worship and Sunday School had already been canceled for the morning, but, my kiddo came up with the idea of "home church'.  Haven't told her yet that home church has been around for centuries.

We exercised great trust because our dog served as the usher and he usually eats paper products. A variety of stuffed animals were in attendance (not sure if I can consider them in my overall worship attendance numbers...).

My husband agreed to be our liturgist while my daughter was our worship musician.  She provided a Prelude, Special Music, and Closing Hymn.  Delightfully her closing hymn matched what we would have sung had we been able to attend worship at Calvary. "Go Tell It on the Mountain" was how we were sent forth from our little service.

I led the prayers and, of course, gave a brief homily on the Matthew 2 passage about the wise men traveling to follow the star. Not my best sermon, but not my worst impromptu message either.  Needless to say the point for us was to worship, share in the story of the Magi, and honor the 12th day of the Christmas season as we entered into Epiphany.

Mostly we prayed for all those who had to be out in the weather: police, fire fighters, EMT's, workers who were and are still repairing electrical lines, city and state officials, etc.  And we gave thanks for our warmth, food, and shelter.

The humility and simplicity of our worship buoyed up my heart and provided me with great inner warmth. Now my soul sings, "Glorious now behold him arise; King and God and sacrifice; Alleluia Alleluia, sounds through the earth and skies..."

Christmas #4

Another 397 joined us to welcome the Babe of  Bethlehem...

WOW- everything again was excellent and meaningful and personal and wow!

My favorite moment was the reading from Isaiah by a 6th grader!  She nailed it.

Bless you Calvary musicians, ushers, greeters, Live Nativity characters, communion stewards, choirs of all sizes and ages... staff!

1327 adored HIM!

AMEN!

(Going home to take off my shoes!)

Merry Christmas and good night.

Christmas Blog #3

Phenomenal worship experience!  Music, lights, strings, voices, people, old friends, new friends, family and WOW!  The best CHRISTMAS Service Ever!!

538- over a hundred more than last year!

WHOOPEE!

Cried, not because of my allergies and the amazing poinsettias, but because my heart was so very, very full.

Christmas Blog- #2

It is the noisiest and busiest service!  We had 402 and it felt like... thousands!

Lovely holy family with the cutest little angel.  And baby Jesus did not even cry.  Bonus.

Super terrific music by the Attwoods in the narathex!

Amazing Holy Family plus Angels and Shepherds!  Here is a photo from earlier this evening...

Christmas Eve Pre-Blog

My annual tradition of blogging throughout the long night of Christmas joy begins!  I have already been here for over an hour doing some behind the scenes stuff!

I am very excited about our worship services tonight!  They will be lovely!  Guest musicians are joining us.  A Live Nativity will be presented outside, even with a donkey!  Caroling music will greet folks before and after our first two worship services!

I am ready to puddle up with tears and the night has not even begun.  Just feeling very full of the Holy Spirit and the Joy of what Jesus' birth means!

Before I dash off to prepare Holy Communion for the 5pm service- be joyful because Our HOPE HAS COME!

See you in worship!

Family Christmas- What's in a Name?

Saturday evening the Lowe family gathered around these lovely tables for the festivities of Christmas!  we had a delightful time telling stories, eating great food, laughing over our gifts and antics of our pets. The only problem- er hiccup- with our tradition is that no one in the family has the last name Lowe anymore!

Yep.

That sort of thing is bound to happen with two generations of girls.  We had Lawlers, Grays, Monhollens, and Knights.  But no Lowes.  Two sisters, my mother and my aunt, each had one daughter.  Hence, it was a gathering of the Lowe family without any namesakes.  (Don't worry there are plenty to carry on the family name from other cousins!)

Our names may be a patchwork quilt now, but our love, generosity, and joy in Christmas remain steadfast!