We Got to go to Church!

Today was the first day our family got to go back to church. We were all so very excited to be back in our house of worship, because though we have been able to watch our services via all the ways technologically: tv/Facebook/the internet, it just doesn’t compare to being there.

Of course, remarkably enough, a familiar song started playing just a few blocks from our turning into the church parking lot:

Take me back
To the place that feels like home
To the people I can depend on
To the faith that’s in my bones
Take me back
To a preacher and a verse
Where they’ve seen me at my worst
To the love I had at first
Oh, I want to go to church

I turned the dial up and sang it out loud! We were getting to go to church!!! This called for windows down, head hanging out the window screaming at the top of my lungs {no, I didn’t…but I wanted to. I had, after-all, washed and straightened my hair AND put on makeup!}. How many weeks and days had passed when I had heard that song and lamented that we couldn’t go to church…and how great it would be to sing that song and be able to go back. Well, we sang and we went!

Thank you Lord.

For the place that feels like home

For seeing the beautiful faces of the people that we have come to depend on {for an encouraging word, a prayer, a laugh, all the things}

For our preacher, Wes, whom you have gifted to bring Your Word each and every Sunday

For the love I had at first – for my Savior, Jesus Christ.

Oh, yes. Thank you so very much that we got to go to church today.

How was it? you may ask… It was everything wonderful and more. Two of my absolute favorite songs were sung – I could have cried if I hadn’t been so completely overjoyed. Pastor Wes even said that it sounded like our whole choir was there today, when it was only a fraction of the singers. I imagine Heaven sounds a lot like our church when we get our worship on 🙂

The kids were mostly well behaved – many thanks to crayons and coloring pages. Today was even Emory’s very first Sunday morning in ‘big church’ and he did quite well.

We did wear masks until we sat in our pew…everyone was socially distanced.

To say we’ve missed being in the building…the place where I know without a doubt the Holy Spirit shows up every Sunday is an understatement. To worship with other believers, the ones with hands and heads lifted high, praising the Lord with everything they have, it was glorious.

Many friends from church have been posting this verse and when I read it again today I couldn’t help but shake my head and smile, indeed.
Very much indeed, “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.'”

God, may we not take for granted the fellowship we have with other believers, especially in Your house.