I joined the church I've been attending a few weeks ago. As I was being greeted by people after the service, several members of the choir came up, shook my hand and asked if I sang. I responded I didn't really but I'd seen the handbells and that I played in the past. I said I'd love to join if they needed me.
I got an e-mail invitation from the choir director to join and last week went to my first practice.
We played this morning. Talk about getting thrown into the deep end.
I'm playing the larger bass bells and the song we played today was pretty light on notes for me .
It was kind of a big day at church. We celebrated All Saints Day. All Saints Day is when we remember those who have gone before us, leaving their legacy here and entrusting us to create our own legacy. In the sermon, our pastor used an illustration that went like this.
A friend of his got his daughter a new dog. This dog was a smaller one but he built it this huge doghouse. The little dog was terrified of the big, dark, scary house and wouldn't go in until the daughter went in. The dog followed her in and immediately went to sleep becuase someone the dog loved and trusted had gone first in the dark, scary place.
He then went on to not only follow those who had created this legacy for us now, but to lead others into the future. He then came up with some specific areas at the church that needed help--and they're good problems to have. But it's how we respond to them and take a step foward in our faith that will define who we are and what our legacy will be.
It was a powerful word to me. Made a bit more powerful because I got to hear it twice . (The bells played after the sermon both times today). And a challenge that I needed to hear. I started to think about my heroes in the faith and the difference they've made to me . And then I wondered--am I making the diference I should be?
And it could even be something as simple as making sure that every day people see Christ through me. A few weeks ago, we were asked that if poeple saw us, intereacted with us, knew us would they have to use Google to find out more about God or could we be the search engines for the world. To me, that is just one small, good step on the way toward leaving my legacy and using my present to create a future for those who will come after me as we build God's kingdom here on Earth.
posted by Michael Hickerson at 11/05/2006 05:36:00 PM |
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