Pieced and Pierced

I felt like Meg (from A Wrinkle In Time). Felt that I could touch the words of the Psalmist, if I just reached out my hand.

Sing unto the Lord a new song, and His praise from the end of the earth... let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory unto the Lord!

It was a glorious Sunday afternoon. Our wonderfully diverse church family had gathered at our pastor's house for lunch. David and Ian (20 something year-olds) jumped on the trampoline with Steven and Leo (nine and eleven year-olds). Pastor John taught MichaelAngelo how to play basketball. Dad talked about the Army, Aunty Debbie served cookies. And the September sun shone down on us.

The week had left its marks on me. My two best friends began college, and I was now officially left behind. Harsh and lonely thoughts imprinted my soul. I didn't have an entirely bleak outlook, but combine circumstances with my naturally melodramatic mind, and I was in pieces. I spent most of Saturday looking at the broken bits on the floor and wondering what could happen next.

But then Sunday came. Pastor/Uncle Pete talked about loving one another and living in light of God's mercy. And those words took on flesh as I looked around this Sunday afternoon. For a moment, Time slipped out the back door. Left us suspended in one another-ing with sun rays and the sweaty faces of laughing children. And as we shared our imperfections and our joys, I felt... whole, pieced together by the love I saw and felt. And joy pierced me.

Let us shout from the top of the mountains. Let us give glory unto the Lord.