Life Blesses You Back

an unexpected gift

Like many of you, I’m a regular reader of Heather Cox Richardson’s substack, Letters from an American. Her reflections are always interesting, illuminating, and exhaustive, weaving together snippets of American history with our current perils and predicaments. About once a week, she takes a break from lengthy letters, instead sharing an image from nature, and it always reminds me to breathe. 

It’s Thursday evening, and I’d planned to write my Friday post while waiting for Robert’s plane to land in DC, but he’s getting in early from San Diego. So this week’s reflection is in the spirit of Heather Cox Richardson’s simple photo posts. 

Two Sundays ago, I performed my first baptism since October of 2014. (Free-range pastors don’t get this honor very often.) Baptisms are always special, but this one was especially so. This sweet little toddler has been attending with his family for several months, and has a special place in our hearts because he likes to call out “Yay!” at random moments in the service. 

Before worship began, I’d shown him the font and pitcher of water and talked through what would happen. After I put the water on his forehead, this happened:

Sometimes, when you least expect it, life blesses you back.

~

What I’m Up To

• Any preachers heading to the Festival of Homiletics in two weeks? I’m a late addition to the roster and will be offering a lecture on Wednesday, May 17 at 10 a.m. CDT. Lecture is entitled HopePunk and the Gospel: Narrating Hope When All Seems Lost. Not too late to register for the virtual conference!

• I’ve got two Ted Lasso posts to share: last week’s guest Ted Talk from my friend Jason Cashing while I was away, and this week’s emotional gut punch, especially for us COD’s (children of divorce).  

• I really loved how last Sunday’s worship service turned out, particularly the turn from the sermon into a meaningful ritual of letting go of stuff that needs to be transformed. Here’s where the sermon begins, but why not start from the beginning? The whole service was lovely. The theme was compost! (Why does MaryAnn have a bandaid on her forehead? That’s a post for another time, but not when my husband is even now making his descent into Dulles Airport)

• And if you just can’t make it through a Friday without a lengthy Blue Room missive, I’ve decided to remove the paywall from this week’s dive into AI/ChatGPT, and how spiritual communities might learn and respond to these galactic changes in culture. If you’d like to have access to bonus content like this twice every month, you can upgrade your subscription. Members and friends of Trinity Presbyterian in Herndon are eligible for complimentary gift subscriptions; just ask.

Steady on.