My head is yet pounding from crying and that was nearly 10 hours ago! Perhaps it is from trying to hold it in that made my brain hurt. It was “All Saints Day” Sunday at Victory, and since I get a sneak peek at the service folder on Thursday, knew it was going to be a wonderful service. Pastor H. also sends out a ‘tease’ e-mail on Friday which gives a preview of what the sermon theme will be and so on.
When Pastor greeted me at the door, he thanked me for coming and I told him I came to celebrate. Immediately he answered, “Yes, All Saints Day.” Justin was going to church this week as there was no home football game to keep him away. I did not tell him about the closing hymn being “Jerusalem, the Golden” but I should have, since he would have liked for his friend, Sarah, to be there to hear it sung.
The other hymn sung, broken up into various parts of the service was “For All the Saints”---yes, one of my funeral hymns. Justin likes it, too, and I asked him if he would mind very much singing it at my service. Of course, he said he would not mind at all. He also asked me if I had asked Rachel to play for the service but I told him Robbie is planning to do so, and in fact, is already practicing.
Pastor’s sermon was wonderful, with the theme, “You’re just like your Father”. He imagined the angels in heaven, when they greet us, will say this to us---now in perfect glory with the Lord. It is extremely difficult for me to hear or read for myself the portion of Revelation describing the scene around the throne, which culminates with “and He shall wipe every tear from your eye…” It gets me every time.
Before leaving for church, I listened to “Jersusalem…” a couple times to try and get it out of my system beforehand but it was no use. After worship, several people came up to me with hugs and Audrey told me that when she saw the hymn listed in the folder she said a prayer for me. (Last week at GS she joined us around the piano as Robbie and Sterling played it as the choir sang)“…what radiancy of glory, what bliss beyond compare…” Poor Justin! He is already moved by this hymn and then to have his sobbing mama next to him, standing, no less, well……like mother, like son! “You’re just like your mother” and that’s a good thing!
