Snow

As you can all well imagine, the past few weeks have been... hectic. To say the very, very least. The only other time of year for a pastor that's anything resembling as busy as the Christmas Season is Lent/Easter. On the one hand, Easter is the most important of the Christian Holy Days (incidentally, holy days = holidays) and on the other hand, most pastors also celebrate the secular side of Christmas, too. So in the end, the amount of time and effort put into both seasons kind of evens out.

Which is all a long way of saying, it's been very... hectic. And in about a month it's going to be hectic again! Meanwhile, let's go back in time... it's December 16th, and a disgusting "wintery mix" consisting mostly of snow and freezing rain has descended on the New England seaboard. The word comes down from the top. Church has been cancelled for the day. Radio and television stations are called, a message was left on the answering machine, and this pastor, at least, tried to go back to bed!

And then this appeared in my e-mail from Zoltan Toman, and I just had to share it with you all:

Dear Pastors,

Josh and I, we got up early,
wrapped up in duds, so cozy, burly,
we braved the snow, wind and rain,
defrosted the car and shoveled the plain
surface bare of sidewalk and drive,
came in, warmed up, 'til we felt alive,
watched 61 and 12 to make sure,
then went out in the white stuff, as if we were lured.
To hear the Gospel Word by the Deacon spoken
To hear the holy Cantata sung unbroken
by the FCC heavenly choir of voices,
Meted out by Dr. Joe's particular choices.
We braved swirley snow and pelting rain,
watched the plows unclog the drains,
And we reached Church St., and then, by St. Pete!
we saw a lonely, forbidding, snow covered street!
No church goers plodding up to the doors
crimson red from upper lintel to floors,
No clanging of bell to welcome the faithful,
No greeters or meeting those who are grateful!
Alas! Let down, saddened and chastened,
we returned to Park St., then we hastened
to the piano and parlor, Upper Room and Bible,
and we three gathered 'round read the word of the Disciple
James,and sang Come O Long Expected Jesus.
And didn't let lack of a service grieve us,
'cause Advent is something you hold in your heart...

If only everyone were so willing to not let the lack of a church service grieve them!

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
122707

PS If you share the above poem, please give credit to Zoltan Toman, the poet!