Back in the Saddle Again

Seeing as Wayne accepted the call to Grace the end of March and got installed the end of August, this was a long time coming! 

The last time Wayne was installed (and ordained) into the ministry was 16 years ago. Here's a flashback just for fun:

We were babies. We really were. All I remember about that day was how overwhelmed I felt. I had no idea what I was in for, what the ministry would be like, or how blessed I'd be by the strangers that surrounded me. 

I remember fellow pastor's wife, Karen, approaching me - her husband's own installation and ordination just a year before - offering to guide me on where to find what in this crazy new country of Canada. I should have know then and there as she offered to show me where to find shoes that we'd become the best of friends! 

My in-laws had been in town for the occasion and I also had a two year old running circles around me. All of this to say, I didn't get much out of it 16 years ago.

But this time ...

I soaked it all in. This time I was overwhelmed by emotion and appreciation. This time I held in my heart the verses spoken over Wayne by the 14 different pastors that attended. I was able to listen intently to the sermon words of direction, encouragement and Godly wisdom written for this occasion. This time I had 16years in the trenches of ministry to give context. 

For a few moments I lost control of my emotions as we sang the hymn, "Speak, O Lord" because that's a hymn I didn't even realize until that moment I equated with my Divine Word family. How I missed them (and Our Shepherd) but in serving them for all these years they have helped equip us for the tasks ahead. My naive 28 year old self never imagined how precious those members and fellow called workers would be to us. I had no idea how they would change us, challenge us, and shape us. I didn't know that by serving them would in turn bless us - even in the hard. I could never have foreseen the many moments of sharing life's joys and struggles that bonds would run so deep. 

Speak, O Lord, as we come to you to receive the food of your Holy Word

Take your truth, plant it deep in us; shape and fashion us in your likeness

That the light of Christ might be seen today in our acts of love and our deeds of faith.

Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us all your purposes for your glory.

Now we were surrounded by strangers again, people we were just beginning to get to know. But these are now our people. We're going to get to know each other very well - the good, bad and ugly. It will stretch us, challenge us, and bless the pants off of us. It won't be in the same way, but it will be God's way. 

There's something about the ministry that offers palpable grace - undeserved love. I wore it in the wrist corsage made for me and another kind for Wayne and even Hosanna. I read it in the cards given with Scripture encouragement and words of wisdom. I felt it in the hugs offered to me, still a relative stranger to them. I heard it in the many versions of, "we're so happy you're here".  It's all so very humbling and makes me want to let them know ... yeah, I'm not that great ... don't get your hopes up!! I'm going to disappoint you a million times before we're gone. They'll figure that out on their own soon enough - haha. A family in Christ knows that in spite of each of our weaknesses, Christ still loves us and clothes us in His righteousness. When we look at one another the way He sees us, it gives us a different lens to see each other. I treasure this gift and know we all have a lot to learn about each other. This is our people. 

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek 

to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Prayer for a life of service