Easter lessons

I think the Lord wants us to learn to be flexible. This morning about 8:30, I happened to be reading email and in my junk mail was a notice that the power was out at the church and services would be held in the ballroom of the TCU new Brown-Lupton University Union. We debated, decided to go and take Jacob with us--and I am so glad we did. As though it were magic, they had transported the choir, the bell choir (and, of course, their bells), hymnals and programs to the BLUU. TCU did a mighty work to make this happen--the room was set up for a dinner and transformed almost instantly into lecture-style seating. There was an orchestra, so the organ wasn't that much missed. The clergy and choir members wore street clothes, not robes, but it was the Easter service we know and love.
When Alan Lobaugh, a senior associate minister, got up to administer communion, he said, "This was not what we had planned." Everyone laughed, but he turned it into a devotional, saying he was sure that was what the disciples said on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday at the empty tomb. The lesson to me was God doesn't want us to be complacent. But a big shout-out to TCU and UCC for pulling this off with such style and grace.
Easter dinner was just a delight, in spite of all my worries, although it was sort of a marathon. Jay and Susan arrived at 1:45, followed shortly by the senior Burtons, and it was close to 6:00 p.m. before we broke up. I had meant to serve at 3:00 but it didn't work that way, and we sat on the porch until almost 4:00--I was getting light-headed from hunger. We sipped wine and ate hors d'oevres, watched Jacob and a friend egg hunt, laughed, told stories, and had a wonderful time. My dinner was a success, and the Burtons brought a delicious brisket. The dinner table was full of conversation, and we lingered over dessert. Jay had made individual bunny cakes--red velvet cake--and I had my ice cream pie. Everyone asked for a small piece of the pie but we ate maybe half, and I sent the rest home with Jordan for her boys,, big and little.
Jordan was an enormous help today, from straightening the house before everyone got here to making sure the dog was fed and the dishes done. Everyone pitched in, and clean-up was not difficult at all. I think I'm getting spoiled.
Last night we had a tremendous show of lightning and thunder but precioius little if any rain. Tonight, distant rumbles tell me we're in for the same thing. God teaching us to be flexible again, except, please Lord, I'd like a little rain. Apparently parts of Possum Kingdom where the fire still burns didn't get rain either, and on Facebook someone said lightning had started two fires in their pasture. Scary times. We don't need that kind of flexibility.
The Easter season--and Passover and other spring festivals--is supposed to bring renewal and rebirth. I hope we can all feel renewed and, uh, flexible!

Hey, it's actually raining. I can hear it!