Special Day

Today, we got to go watch our Dear Megan celebrate her First Communion. She looked so beautiful, and it was really wonderful.

It brought back memories for me - sitting in her church this morning. Smelling that mildewy smell of old hymnals. The organ music that was just slightly offkey, but the wonderful way the last verse always gets louder and a bit more elaborate. The beautiful stain glass windows. All of it reminded me of when I was little in Michigan. Half my family was Catholic and half was Lutheran. While there are things that were different, a lot of it was the same. I remember my own First Communion. I remember how happy I was that when I went up to kneel at the altar, the minister would no longer just put his hand on my head and say "Jesus loves you, Jill". I would actually get to participate - and my little sisters wouldn't. Ha! (Not very spiritual, I know, but I was young - give me a break.) And, I can clearly remember traveling to aunts and uncles houses to celebrate First Communions and Confirmations and Christenings. There was always plenty of food and adult beverages. (Ahh - the good old days when people would drink and smoke in front of their kids during a religious celebration and no one cared.)

When we moved here, we joined a Methodist church, and while I love my Pastor, and I have made some very special friends there, it just isn't quite the same. There is something very comforting about being in a service that hasn't really changed much over the years. And, I could go on and on about how much I hate powerpoint in a church service, and how these new churches don't have any character. A few weeks ago I was at a church in Farmville, VA visiting a MOPS group. The church is old, and as I walked by the staff offices, the floor squeaked. I loved that. And, the linoleum in the multipurpose room was ugly - as it should be.

I guess I'm just feeling nostalgic. That happens when you're on the wrong side of 40.

Anyways, today was really a very special day.