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Worship in unexpected places

Monday, July 26th, 2010

I have struggled in worship at church lately, for various reasons. It seems the littlest things will tear me out of the mode of worship. A typo on the powerpoint slide (Really? Could no one take a moment out of their crazy, insane Sunday morning and change that your to you’re?), the babbling child behind me (We do have a nursery, y’know), even the person a few rows up with their hands raised to the heavens (Down in front! You’re blocking the powerpoint typos!). It’s truly frustrating, as worship through music has always been a powerful thing for me. I’m sure some would say something spiritual like Satan is trying to stand between me and Jesus. I think it’s just me, really.

I went to a wedding this past weekend, and was pleasantly surprised to find Jesus waiting there for me. The ceremony was a true worship service. It was largely an Anglican service (with some Presbyterian intermixed) which meant it was long. I think some were shifting uncomfortably in their seats with each passing minute (especially the teenager sitting next to me), but I loved every minute. I love wedding ceremonies that are packed with meaning. Not just aimless words or painful vows written by the bride and groom, but real meaning. This one had meaning all throughout. It had all the traditional wedding ceremony elements (“Dearly beloved…” “…in sickness and in health…”) but it was also laced with Scripture (and NOT 1 Corinthians 13! Woo hoo!), hymns, and meaningful prayers. I know that many people are not hymn fans,but I really do have a love for them. Maybe it’s because it’s what I grew up with. Before powerpoint slides and big projectors, we actually used the hymnals in the pews. I used to open the book and wonder what all the black markings meant, and marveled at the fact that everyone else around me seemed to know how to read these strange markings. As I began to devote a large part of my life to learning these strange markings, hymns became very special. At the wedding, the bride walked down the aisle to Be Thou My Vision (very cool) and later we sang And Can It Be, Holy Holy Holy, and It is Well With My Soul. As we sang, I just relaxed and worshipped.

One thing that caught me by surprise was that we were singing hymns during communion. What caught me by surprise was the fact that I didn’t mind it. One of my biggest worship pet peeves has become singing during communion. Mainly because I’m trying to pray and prepare myself for this holy sacrament. When vocals begin, I can now only focus on the words being sung and not the words I was trying to pray through in my head. There have been many times where I have thrown up my hands in frustration and not taken communion, because I can’t focus, and I don’t feel ready to accept the elements. And I don’t take that lightly. If I am not in the right place, it is not my place to take communion. For some reason at this wedding, the singing didn’t bother me. I think it’s because there was plenty of quiet time before that, as the minister prepared the elements. In the bulletin, it even says: “The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread. A period of silence is kept.” I had some quiet time and time to prepare myself, so the singing while the 200 people there came forward for communion wasn’t nearly as distracting.

I was also blessed by the prayers throughout the service as well. There was a series of prayers that was prayed over the newly married couple. I was touched by them.

Give them wisdom and devotion in the ordering of their common life, that each may be to the other a strength in need, a counselor in perplexity, a comfort in sorrow, and a companion in joy. Amen.

Give them grace, when they hurt each other, to recognize and acknowledge their fault, and to seek each other’s forgiveness and yours. Amen.

Give them such fulfillment of their mutual affection that they may reach out in love and concern for others. Amen.

Grant that all married persons who have witnessed these vows may find their lives strengthened and their loyalties confirmed. Amen.

Throughout all my worship struggles, I’m thankful that God will still meet me, even when I’m not expecting it.

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I could (maybe) get used to this

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

Drew and I enjoyed our anniversary weekend last weekend. It was exactly the weekend I had been hoping for. Relaxing with my hubby in a nice hotel room, with a little bit of fun (racing around in our rented convertible)…

I think the picture's foggy from the humidity

…and some dressing up for nice dinners. The weekend showed me a glimpse of a lifestyle I am unaccustomed to.

We walked into the big beautiful lobby of Hotel Duval, with chandeliers dangling over the front desk. With the check in girl kissing up to us (“Anything else you need, Mr. Kocur?”) we were soon checked in. We pulled around to the mandatory valet parking, and were met by an over zealous bellhop. We walked into our trendy room on the 4th floor. There was a nice window with a good view.

It even doubles as a window seat!

Oh, and with Starbucks in the room. Who can ask for more?

Even my very own Starbucks cups. Oh, the luxury...

At dinner in the fancy steakhouse, we were yet again greeted by name (“Good evening Mr. Kocur!”) and when they brought Drew’s steak to the table, they shined a little flashlight onto it to make sure it was cooked to his liking. Wow.

When we went to breakfast one morning, I received jam for my whole wheat toast. I didn’t just get the little plastic single serving of jam. Oh no. I got my very own mini jar.

Isn't it cute???

I soon discovered how “out of our league” I felt. At first, when Drew said he had rented a Mustang convertible for the weekend, I thought it was kind of frivolous, since we weren’t going out of town. However, with the mandatory valet parking, it all of a sudden seemed like a great idea. Rather than pulling up in one of our clunker vehicles, the valet zoomed around the corner in our Mustang. “Why yes,” I’d seem to say as I strutted toward the vehicle. “That is my car. And oh yes, you can get the door for me.”

Once, as we were pulling in, a valet walked toward my door to open it for me. Now, I am totally capable of opening the door myself, but I was starting to get used to this treatment, so I thought, “Sure, I’ll let him get the door for me!” I sat back and relaxed. He tugged on the handle, but the door was still locked. Drew was already halfway out of the car, so I went to unlock the door. I hit the window instead, and the window shot up and down while I fumbled with the buttons. Feeling like an idiot, I finally discovered the unlock button. The valet was very nice as he smiled kindly, and said, “You found the window!” I laughed nervously and said, “It’s a rental!” totally giving away the fact that I was a faker. Drew asked me as we walked inside, “Did you get his number?” to which I muttered, “Shut up.”

So maybe I’m not quite used to the rich lifestyle, but that’s okay. Drew commented, “You can take the girl out of the trailer park, but you can’t take the trailer park out of the girl!” That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but I did tell Drew I often feel like a country hick when I’m in big fancy hotels. I showed proof of that when we went up to the top floor for drinks one afternoon. I got the bartender’s new invention: The Raspberry Smash. It was fruity and yummy, great for a hot afternoon.

Isn't it pretty?

Of course, I had to show my ghetto roots by digging out the raspberries from the bottom of the glass with a fork.

You can't waste good raspberries!!!

*sigh* Oh well. At least it was fun while it lasted.

Pretty view from the roof

Monroe and Tennessee

Monroe Street

In case you can't read it, the thermometer reads 109. It was hot, but I don't think it was quite that hot...

Two wonderful years. And he didn't even try to throw me off the roof.

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Two years

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

Drew and I are quickly approaching our second anniversary. It seems as if the time has just flown by. Friends are commenting, “Are you sure it’s two years? It’s got to be just one…” Drew will usually respond, sounding absolutely exhausted, “No, it feels like FIVE.” To which he usually gets a stink eye or a playful shove from me.

The past couple weeks I’ve been gearing up for the 21st of June, planning little surprises and gifts for my hubby. We decided months ago that we were going to take our anniversary off and give ourselves a long weekend. To make sure we weren’t distracted by house chores and clutter, we booked a hotel room. We’re not even going out of town, but just getting out of the house will feel like a retreat. We’re looking forward to a weekend of rest and time together. Sleeping in and cuddling together, having drinks in the afternoon, and just enjoying each other. Drew even rented a convertible, so we can cruise around town in the 100 degree heat in style. Sweet.

A friend last week commented, “I still think of you two as newlyweds!” I responded, “I still feel like a newlywed.” I really do. Sometimes I look at Drew and get the little giddy, butterfly feeling. This week, every time I’ve thought about him, I’ve just smiled to myself, thinking about how totally in love with him I am. That’s a great feeling.

Those who know Drew and I know that we have an odd little love story. We’re not the couple you’d expect to see together. Despite the foot difference in height, there are some other aspects that make us seem like the odd couple. Our personalities are quite different. When we first met each other, we didn’t like each other. I thought to myself, “What a profane heathen,” as he made his crude jokes and drank beer Sunday afternoon after church. He looked at me and thought, “What a stuck up, prissy little church girl,” as I prayed for our Sunday afternoon meal and God to bless our conversation. Despite the fact that he was married at the time and we were obviously not looking to each other for any sort of romantic interest, we were not going to be pursuing each other.

Fast forward about five years. I had been on tour with the African Children’s Choir; he had been through a divorce and some major life changes. We had sort of kept in touch, so when I returned home, I got a friendly hug and a welcome back, and a lunch invite. I went to lunch with him and a good friend of his (who has since become like a big brother to me) and his friend’s son. At the end of the lunch, I cracked open my fortune cookie to read, “The time is right for a friendly chat to lead to romance.” I laughed about it, slipped it into my wallet and forgot about it until over a year later, when Drew and I were dating. We might not have been dating had that good friend not told Drew, “She’s totally into you!” (I wasn’t) “You should follow up with that!” (he did).

Long story short, this odd couple decided to give us a shot, and were pleasantly surprised at how well we worked. We often have “What the hell moments,” where we look at each other and wonder how in the hell we ended up together. However it happened, this church girl and heathen man are glad it did.

Happy Anniversary, baby. Here’s to many, many more.

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Blessings

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

Drew and I received a unique wedding gift. It was given to us by a friend, who is now my boss. It’s a glass container filled with tiny scrolls wrapped in orange ribbon. When we opened it, Drew said, “Oh yeah, I think this is a Jewish tradition. Jews put a jar of blessings by the door, and when guests leave, they offer them one.” I thought it was such a great idea and one of my favorite gifts received at our wedding. It was on display on our mantle at our cramped duplex, and I think I may have offered one to our one and only houseguest thus far.

Jar o' Blessings

Anyway, I pulled it out of one the few boxes I managed to unpack, and set it on one of our end tables, where it has remained. I did give a few out recently, when I had a girl’s fondue night. Other than that, they sit there, untouched.

I was searching for inspiration for another blog, and my eyes fell on the jar filled with little wrapped scrolls. I have learned since working with my boss that she gives them often as gifts, and she herself buys them and uses them. I think her intent was for US to read them. Oops. Well, I still like the idea of offering people blessings as they leave, but I suppose I could use a couple for myself.

So I pulled one out and gave myself the challenge of writing about whatever was on the scroll.

May you find precious treasures in your beloved. May her lips drip with honey and her garments be sweetly fragranced. May her fruit be luscious to taste.

Song of Songs 4: 11; 2:3

Um, I think I’ll save that one for Drew.

I picked another one.

May you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kind-hearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

1 Peter 3:8-9

Now, I think that we received the “wedding blessings” package of scrolls, as many of them have husband or wife related blessings (I peeked at a few) so I could relate this to marriage. Be kind to my husband, don’t throw stuff back in his face, don’t insult him, etc. Bless him instead. Got it. Luckily, we do pretty well at that. We have rules for fair fighting that we abide by, and I know I can say I am very blessed by my husband. I hope he can say the same.

I can relate this verse to the rest of my life too. I should be kind to people. I think I usually do a good job of this. But what about the second part? Do I bless people? Or am I so wrapped up in myself that I miss out on opportunities to bless others? I know that I have blessed people in the past, but do I do it daily? Do I wake up wondering how I can bless people? I’m ashamed to say that is not often the first thing on my brain. It’s usually coffee… then we can talk about blessings. Maybe.

I would like to live my life more in a way that blesses those around me. Whether it be the way I interact with my residents or coworkers at work, or doing something special to bless my husband, or even letting that person in front of me in traffic who’s been trying to get out of that parking lot for the last 20 minutes, I want to be a blessing.

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