BeWoW

As I write this I am merely hours from the monumental task of completing my income taxes. And even less time from having them accepted and officially completed! I knew we would owe so I wasn’t in a hurry to file early, just starting really yesterday. But I didn’t realize how much I had to do; I’d been really lax in my preparation this year and I paid for it in stress the last 48 hours.

I took one short break this afternoon from my drudgery to check my email and look at comments left on the blog. This break turned out to be the saving grace of the day for me.

I had “likes” and comments from newly made friends that greatly lifted my spirits. Since I’ve started writing again, the last few weeks, I feel like I’ve made several new friends through reading and interacting with other writers. I feel like a part of a new little community, one that shares, helps, and encourages each other. Being brand new to it I probably feel closer to and more a part of it than I really am – but that’s good; it shows what kind folks these people are I’m getting to know. And I really look forward to getting to know them better, knowing more of them, and learning from and being further inspired by them all.

I’m still amazed at how quickly you, or at least I, can feel like you’ve made a new friend via the World Wide Web, someone you’ve never met and may never meet. And it gives me such joy to see the kindness of folks from all walks of life, all over the globe who are really still strangers to me be so helpful and encouraging. My hat is off to you guys and gals: You made a “taxing” day into a real joy for me today.

The #BeWoW post series is one I’ve been meaning to take part in for weeks and today I’m finally getting to it. The idea is to post something positive or inspiring and stands for Be Wonderful on Wednesday; this series was started by Ronovan Writes and you can find more on the #BeWoW challenge here.

Since our kids are adults now we celebrate Easter a little differently than we have in the past. Every other year we have our grandson on Easter and on those years we do the Easter Bunny and basket, hide eggs, and all that jazz for him; we also have a big, home-cooked meal when he is here – ham – to pass on our family tradition, like we did with our children when they were young. The years we don’t have him with us we skip all of the “activities” and have dinner out someplace. No matter the year though there is one constant: We celebrate our Lord’s resurrection in church.

This year was a “without-year” but we had something special planned: a long time friend and co-worker of my wife was being baptized and we were invited to the baptism. We were filled with joy for her to take this commitment and to have invited us to be a part of it. She attends a church that we had never been to so there was another “new” thing to look forward to as well. It is a funny thing but I find when I am in the Lord’s house, among His people, I always feel at home, even if I’ve never been in that particular building before.

The baptism turned out to be a two-for-one event; not only was our friend being baptized but a baby was also being dedicated (some would call it infant baptism). The joy of being a part of these events was truly abundant! Add in the wonderful celebration of Resurrection Day and I was sure my “joy-tank” was full …. but it was to be topped off a bit more I would soon find out!

At the end of the service the choir sang a beautiful rendition of The Hallelujah Chorus. As they were singing I observed a petite, elderly lady in the choir: she was a cute little lady, adorned in what I figure might have been a new Easter dress, in the middle-left on the top row, probably in the 70-year old range. But what I noticed, what topped off, if you will, my “joy-tank” was her attitude: She was clutching her hymnal to her body, eyes closed, and singing with everything in her, praising the Lord, her small frame almost dancing as she sang. Getting to be a part of all I had experienced that day was wonderful but seeing this senior Sister overflowing with joy as she worshiped, well, it made this younger Brother of her’s day complete.

God is good, all the time.