Sunrise Service

Easter is my turn... I put the basic meal together and host the family. We have brunch, and it's wonderful--baked ham, eggs, fresh fruit salad, sweets of all kind and of course, coffee. I love decorating the table and always include fresh flowers for Easter. Everyone brings something of course and we hold an egg hunt for the kids. There are though a lot of us --about 30, give or take a few.

Hosting a brunch for 30 people kind of puts the kabosh on my regular 10:30 Sunday service. So generally, I go to the sunrise service at another nearby church on Easter. It's a better idea anyway--so symbolic, watching the sun come up, bringing light and life and another new day.

So, about 5:45, I drug myself out of bed threw some clothes on and headed to church. What a beautiful morning! The air was so clear. A glowing moon in an indigo sky was calling me to pull off the highway and get some pictures. The valley along the river was thick with fog. Ahh but I pushed onward. And just before sunrise, I arrived, which is probably why the service had been pushed back to 6:00 instead of 6:30--someone had realized they timed it wrong; but they forgot to change it on the Internet...

I missed it, but I tried, and now the sun was rising over that foggy river bottom. I turned right around. Because of the increasing light, the moon was fading to what seemed a translucent disc. No longer a great object for photos... I took the river road but the fog was so thick there was no mystery just a dull gray mass. Hmmm, I thought I had hit providence with the turn in my direction. I had not fallen into any miracles though, and if I didn't find something soon, the moment would be lost. I decided though come what may, it was going to be okay, and I could worship no matter my situation church or not, moment or not even sitting in my car on some empty parking lot. But I headed back on the highway, anyway.

Just over the bridge hemmed in by big ugly power lines, the sun was rising over the river. I pulled onto the shoulder and walked about half a block to the bridge. Yes, there was a moment God had given to me.

And more would follow.

It was a beautiful, holy Easter morning. Blessings to you--hope, light and love.