Installation Bullets

Highlights of the service and the day:

~ The way a big group of Presbyterians will sing: full-throated, joyful almost! "Shall We Gather at the River" was particularly wonderful, not to mention my seminary hymn.

~ Petra singing "Songs of the Wayfarer" with the Youth Choir, and looking both beautiful and happy.

~ People saying really nice stuff about me (I've asked for copies).

~ The presence of travelers MoreCows and hubby K, and Little Mary, and another seminary friend who showed up quite unexpectedly.

~ Little Mary's sermon. Oh, friends. The gospel. Challenge. Hope. It was breathtaking.

~ Being told that people from other churches and presbyteries were praying for my congregation and for me at their Sunday worship services (including people at the church that was the worst work experience of my life, everything to do with the pastor and nothing to do with the people).

~ Always, communion.

~ Non-churched friends who love me enough to endure churchly weirdness for a few hours.

~ The cake, which made me cry. On it was written this.

~ Dinner (even after the fabulous, over-the-top reception) at my favorite red lightning Italian restaurant, with daughter and other assorted loved ones, a nice, round, biblical dozen of us.

~ Five of us piling into my playroom to watch the TiVo of "Desperate Housewives."

~ Overnight guests. We don't have enough of them.

It's over, thanks be to God. And it's begun, thanks be to God.

Stole... my actual stole, by Jan Laurie.