My Dad Was in Church Today!

Last Sunday I had my first outing since coming home from the hospital.  It was to go to church.  I was glad to be in church.  I found myself singing the hymns, reciting the Creed, listening to the sermon all a bit differently; changed by recent experiences.

At some point in this corporate worship experience on the first day of the week, when Christ rose from the dead and the first since Dad died, tears began to flow as I found myself captured by a deeply moving and profoundly joyful thought . . . my Dad was in church today too!

Joyful heart water leaked out of my eyes and heart as I thought about Dad being being known and loved by a lot of people who now finally “got it all right.”  He is singing with his wonderful voice at the top of his lungs, the “song of the redeemed.”  There is no trace of performance for this opera singer, just pure, unadulterated worship.  He is enjoying a quality of relationship with his God and Savior and the family of God that is perfect and overwhelms him with endless delight.  I’m so glad my Dad is in “church” today.  I’m so happy knowing he finally couldn’t be happier!

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Less than 2 weeks later Mom left behind Alzheimer's and this life to be "in her right mind" and join that worship service with her husband.  More thoughts to come...

A Tethering that Binds and Frees 

The pole stood tall and erect; at attention maybe even, ready for service.  Three infusion pumps were clamped on, bags hung and lines that ran from the bags into me!  We had been joined and would spend a 24-7 time together.  It soon was clear that I was tethered to this pole.  I didn’t go anywhere without it.  When it moved, I could move because when the plugs came out and I hung them carefully on the handles of the clamps, batteries continued to pump the fluids.  We could be mobile together at times but make no mistake, I was tethered to my IV pole.   That tethering became more and more unpleasant as the lines seemed to wear out my veins and spirit.  

It was, I suppose, both the unpleasantness and length of time that added to my intense satisfaction when lines were removed and I was able to push the pole as I had done so many times day and night as we padded along the floor, to the side of the room and then . . .  walk away from it.  It again just stood there, tall, erect; at attention maybe even.  But the tethering that bound us together had ended.  I was free!  I didn’t miss the sound of the wheels.   I didn’t miss the unplugging and plugging in.  I certainly didn’t miss the lines that bound us . . . I relished my freedom!

There is more to the metaphor for me.  That IV pole tethering produced seemingly inescapable bonds and made me long for freedom.  There is a tethering that brings freedom that I at times would seek to foolishly “unhook.”  Because of grace, I am tethered to an Immoveable Object . . . not a pole but a Person.  I move.  I move at times thinking, hoping that I might pull or push Him where I want to go, when I want to go.  It seems the “lines of steadfast love” are long enough so I do a lot of “moving” but the lines go from me to the One Who cannot be moved.  I have a Rock, a Fortress, a Defense.  This tethering, though I foolishly might at times confuse with bondage is in fact the only way to be free.  I am free to own my wanderlust; to realize that I wish at times I might be free of my “tether lines” but oh the joy and freedom of knowing the One at the end of my lines!  What a liberating bondage!  And one day I won’t need any lines but will just rest and see eternally His unseen lines that connected me, tethered me, to Himself.  I will enter the glorious freedom of a forever bondage . . . now that is a tethering to get excited about!