A brilliant Easter was enjoyed by all at Baptist and Main. Wondering where 1/2 of our Bible Study students were yesterday, someone made an odd statement.
“Well, it IS Easter.”
Exactly. EASTER!!! Wouldn’t the sanctuary be overflowing? As Pastor said quietly, it was a day for CEO’s to attend (Christmas and Easter Only). If you’ve never attended a little country church, give it a try. At times it is most entertaining.
Anyway, the crowds did come and fill the church with not a seat left to spare. In the Christian faith, Easter symbolizes new beginnings. Appropriately, there were two baptisms along with a fine message. Excited children raced to the classrooms when it was time for Children’s Bible Study, right after the time we sing praises. The service and message couldn’t have been nicer.
My friend, Willow, was having a pretty rough day. It was her first holiday without her husband, who passed away on 2/2/22. Although ill, no one was expecting him to get Covid and die a few days later. Still in deep shock, she is lost. Watching her takes me back to Easter 2020 when I was the widow who hadn’t expected things to go so badly. I was the woman in shock that thought everything was FINE, FINE, FINE. I was the widow in the fog.
Watching her now, I realize just how much my life has healed over time. I also see that decades will need to pass before memories don’t haunt me on a lonely nights here at Winterpast. A different type of memory now, they’re often the type that I would love to share with someone that could remember a certain time or day. The feeling of baking sun when raisins had to be boxed and shipped because rain was on the way. The excitement a family of seven crowded into a Volkswagen Van going to Santa Cruz for the weekend to see The Monkey’s play a free concert at the beach. Weekends at the Delta enjoying the ocean breezes on the deck of Club 19. Memories stored and waiting, all bright and shiny like they happened just yesterday.
Willow is having trouble remembering the day and time with everything so new and overwhelming. Tasks she never thought of doing continue to need attention. A woman that never asked for help with anything needs help with everything. Swimming in the deep end without a life preserver, she’s treading water as fast as she can. Doing really well, she just needs to get to the place where she believes in herself. That takes time.
Sneaking out a little early, I raced back to Winterpast. Decked out in Easter-Pink, the tables were set for twenty. A guess, as it was an open call to a morning worship service of 90 people. “Come on Over if you have no where else to go. Joy’s house is open.” During the service, I quietly envisioned all 90 people and their kids coming to clog the streets and my plumbing for a free lunch.
Fresh ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, green salad, macaroni salad, and fresh rolls, with freshly made Carrot Cake for dessert. There was a lot of food, but for 90? We could always order some pizza, if needed.
Slowly, all SEVEN guests arrived. None of them had been to Winterpast. It was fun to see what people asked questions about. The pictures of my grandparents. Our wedding pictures. A bauble here. A gewgaw (now, THERE’s a great word) there. Things taken for granted because I see them every day, and yet each one holding a really great story. Everyone’s homes are like that.
The difference in a widow’s home is that you could pick up a bent nail sitting quietly on a shelf, and it could be the most precious thing she owns. It could be from the very day her sweet husband was installing solid oak hardwood floors just for her. Looking up to see her paint smudged face, the need to kiss her overwhelming, a stray nail was bent. Like I mentioned. The things most precious to a widow are sometimes entirely worthless to the rest of the world.
The seven of us sat in a room waiting for 20 guests. We enjoyed the food, all eating way too much. This little country church has helped me find my way. These wonderful new friends brought different sounds to Winterpast. Sounds she has missed since her family of long ago met for Easter inside these same walls. Winterpast and I have some parties to throw. We need to get our game on.
That was my Easter. A usual church day with unusually happy people. Friendly new faces I hope to see again somewhere in this dusty little wide spot in the road that I call home.
Have a wonderful Monday.
More tomorrow.