Hooray


 

As the spring season melts into the heat of summer, another school year draws to a close. I do not understand where the time goes; it seems as if we were only months ago welcoming kids and their families into our preschool. But graduation day arrived this week with all the laughter and tears that come with realizing our little ones are not so little any longer.
In preparation for the ceremony, a backdrop was placed on the chancel and this magnificent display of balloons was put into place. Balloons shaped like stars and suns and apples. Balloons in every color, striped and solid. They picked up the colors in the stained glass windows and lit up the room. It was both fun and beautiful.
But my favorite thing about the display was the balloon at the top with the word “HOORAY” in bold black letters. It seemed to capture the essence of the day. Hooray, we completed another year of preschool! Hooray, we are going to kindergarten next year! Hooray, our parents and grandparents are here! Hooray, it is summertime!
A part of me could not help but wish that this one balloon could stay in the sanctuary for Sunday worship. Shouldn’t we come together with “Hooray” in our hearts? Hooray, we get to be in community with those who know and love us! Hooray, we get to pause for time in a safe place of acceptance! Hooray, we get to sing songs that lift our spirits! Hooray, we get to hear words of scripture that point us to things of eternal value! Hooray, we get to pray together and be reminded we are not alone! Hooray, we get to hear of love and grace and forgiveness!
The Psalmist writes, “Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.”
Perhaps it is the “Hooray” we express in worship that fuels the abundant life in all our other days. We have much to be thankful for, we are blessed. Hooray!
Peace.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

God is at Work

Image
In the early morning I was struck with this image. It seems to have it all. Green leaves. Red leaves. Clouds. Blue sky. The cross high and lifted up to the sky. It seemed to me that there was the stuff of several good photos in this one place and at one time. So I took the picture. Life is like that more often than not, isn't it? Good and bad. Happy and sad. Calm and chaos. Peace and turmoil. The season of Advent and the celebration of Christmas acknowledges this reality. The people of old resigned to their fate, yet hoping in the future. John the Baptist bringing the good news that the time had come, yet thundering away at one and all. Mary afraid, yet faithful. A baby is born that changes everything, yet the world remains still weary and violent. But, in the midst of all this, in the midst of the whiplash of everyday life, God is at work. God is present. God is calling. In all of it. In every bit of it. Through it all, God is with us. During these holidays, when joy can be mixed
Read more

Quiet Surprises

Image
This little friend decided to pause and stare at me as long as I was willing to pause and stare at him. It was a beautiful moment of silence and calm and peace. I'm not sure how long we enjoyed each other's presence, but it seemed like quite a good while. I sensed no fear at all in this deer. Of course, I was on his turf and was armed with only my phone. I was driving when I spotted him, so I pulled over and parked. I thought he would rush back into the woods before I could take a photograph. What a pleasant surprise it was. Sometimes surprises burst into our life loud and big, like a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday" at a surprise party or in a humming crowd at some huge event. But at other times, surprises slip into our consciousness, subtle and understated. A deer at the edge of the woods. A card with words of love when you need it most. The smile of a friend long missed. A feeling of peace when life is anything but peaceful. In fact, it may be that those quiet
Read more

Live Out Loud

Image
This is one big Woodpecker! I was visiting some friends who live in the mountains and saw this bird right outside the window as I sat in my chair and read. It is a Pileated Woodpecker, a bird that grows to be up to 19 inches long with a wing span of 30 inches, weighing 14 pounds. I still feel the same excitement when I see one today as I did as a boy. They are spectacular creatures. I'm sure that one reason I like them so much is that they remind me of Woody Woodpecker, a favorite cartoon of my boyhood. But another reason they catch my eye is they seem so strong and self-assured. They carry themselves with a sense of confidence. When they go to work on a tree, they are loud and proud. When they swoop in and out through the woods, they own the airspace. These beautiful birds live out loud. I have a feeling that when we live out loud, we might exude that same kind of confidence. When we know who we are, and more importantly, who we want to be, it shows. Not in bravado or arrogance, b
Read more