Good Friday services and social time

I can't sleep! It is nearly time to get up for sunrise worship and I have not slept a wink! This happens any time I have set the alarm clock on my phone, fearing I am going to not hear it and be late for church, or where ever I am going. Ugh! Good thing I am not tired!

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Why fight it? Get up and write something, you big silly girl! So, here I am, ready to fill in the blanks for Friday. After I told Mom I had to hang up, upon arriving at church Saturday a.m., she asked me about our Good Friday worship. I now have time to tell about it! When I arrived at church, the chapel was darkened, no pre-service music playing and barely any speaking. The only talking one would hear is when people came in and did not realize at first that all were quiet---meditative.

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I went back outside to await Pastor Kuske, so I could give him a last moment prayer request, called in as I drove to church. My friend Kelly's (a member) father-in-law was suffering from congestive heart failure and was not long for this world, so she requested prayers for Paul, her hubby, and the extended family as they waited at dad's bedside. Pastor's dad led the entire service so he actually said the prayer on behalf of Paul's dad and family, doing a fine job of it.

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We sang lovely hymns as only Lenten hymns can be, reflective reminders of the pain and suffering our Savior bore for us, so we do not have to. The meditations led us through the words from the cross with the appropriate hymns in between. As always, we left the service in total silence, the total opposite of the great rejoicing and celebration we will enjoy on Easter Sunday. Such jubilation, the music, the singing, the flowers, oh, I cannot wait. And I cannot sleep!

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Anyway, as planned, Judy J., Kathy B. and I went to Aron's after worship and dined el fresco, basking in the warmth as the evening ebbed. The moon was barely visible behind the trees and the traffic a bit noisy at times, but a delightful time nonetheless. Judy and I each had our usual small stromboli, each of us also taking half home! Kathy is a salad eater so that is what she ordered. Joanne and family were invited to join us but Jo's company still had not come back from the beach yet by the time we got to the restaurant, and she was already in her pajamas and working from home. We went ahead without her, obviously!

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As often happens, we talked the hours away and before we knew it, ten o'clock rolled around and we decided to go home. I don't know, but when Kathy and I start yakking, the hours disappear, and add Judy to that mix and, well, you can see why we lost track of time! Jo's family was home when I got here and were all pooped out, too, so we retired for the evening. I had accidently locked Lynx out of my room and she was pestering at the door. Joanne opened it enough for her to come in, and Lynx also retired for the evening!