Sighing

It was a wonderful day at Saint Middle School, where we used Presbyterian communion wine trays effectively to ward off flu germs, once again used the "elbow-bump of Peace" for the same reason, and welcomed five newcomers/visitors to church. The dear parishioner who lost his wife to the flu two weeks ago was in church for the first time, and hung in there admirably. After church I brought communion to the family of the man who had had surgery this past week, and he was looking much improved, and his wife much relieved. There is something about communion with a family sitting around the kitchen table that just warms my heart to the core.

Then I changed into jeans and my official Saint Middle School polo shirt, on an absolutely glorious fall afternoon with 62 degree temperature and a riot of color in the fall foliage, and went to our parish picnic at a nearby farm/park with a corn maze. I passed on the massive and somewhat intimidating corn maze, but loved the delicious food. The men of the parish barbequed vast quantities of meat, everyone else made side dishes and desserts, and we all ate more than we should have. We watched an air cannon shoot pumpkins and corn into a field, wandered around and saw all the animals (peacocks, a llama, pigs, goats, various cows and bulls, guinea fowl, sheep, chickens, turkeys) and chatted amiably while some of the kids partook of the maze and the other kid-oriented activities. We got home about an hour ago, after a long drive on a sunny Sunday full of cars on the road, folks leaf-peeping, I presume.

A message awaited on our answering machine.

R, a dear friend from my sponsoring parish, died last night. No word yet on how this happened - we had seen her a few weeks ago looking hale and hearty - but a real shock and a great loss to that parish. She was a gifted singer who helped coordinate the music programs and stage-managed the semi-annual musical productions. Now she will truly sing with the heavenly host. May her soul and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.