Holy Week Happy






Let me tell you what happened at my church today.

  • The front of the worship center was filled by kids and youth working on creative projects.
  • While a 2-year-old was dancing up and down the middle aisle, the lead pastor stopped his sermon to tell all the parents in the room that it was their job to relax, sit back, and enjoy worship without worry.
  • During a musical meditation, in front of everyone, a 4-year-old felt the freedom to run across the room, up to the choir loft in order to show her mom the project she made.    
  • During the last song, a seven-year-old, took it upon herself to walk up and down the aisles, passing out the creative masterpieces she had made.  
People, this is my place.  I’m watching all this today and thinking to myself:  Oh my gosh, I lead this community of faith. I lead this church, where children feel total freedom to be themselves and share themselves with others.

During Holy Week, I often blog about atonement, dealing with the harder stuff in our faith.  See here and here and here.  (Side note: If you are interested in hearing some of this in sermon-version, come to Good Friday service at 7:30pm. I would love to see you there.)

But I have to tell you, this year I’m having a hard time going to the dark place.  

Most of you know that I love/d my career in education.  I loved working in the public schools.  I love teaching.  I love learning.  And for most of my career in education, I’ve woken up excited to go to work.

But over the last six months, there is something completely new going on in me.  It’s more than just being excited to get up for work.  I couldn't pinpoint it exactly before, but after watching the children in worship today, I figured it out: In the last six months, I've been able to be more and more myself--my quirky, geeky, random, in charge, mismatched, opinionated, forward-thinking self who loves God.  And just like the children in worship, I get to share love, every single week with hundreds of people.

People, do you get how exhilarating this is?!  Who the heck gets to make a living by spreading God’s love all over the place by being yourself?   

So for a Holy Week blog post, I’ll I got is this lesson from the children in my church:  You are an amazing creation.  Just as you are.  Live out loud.  Be who you are.  Because you are loved.  You are enough.  And it feels good to share it with others.

Not dark enough?  I’ll get there before preaching Friday.  Maybe.

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