“Seek God’s will in all that you do each day!”

Chapel Service was at 0830.  Chilly this morning and we were early so we went to the Boondocks and checked email real quickly.

I drove back to the chapel myself and arrived just before the first song (Hymn).  This isn’t a Lutheran service and there isn’t an organ.  The Chaplain is Baptist by faith and he is sharing duties with the BDE Chaplain who is preaching on Joshua 7 (1-13 I think).

There is something going on at this chapel and it has been this way since perhaps….awhile.  It is like God is inviting me and calling for me.  It isn’t scary and it isn’t creepy but for me it is a little unsettling. 

(Caution:  Boring self-reflection below)

I am a sinner and have spent most of my life wondering about God and me and faith and so forth.  My prayer has always been that if I am not called and am not one of the elect I shall at least ensure my children have that opportunity to be trained up in His way to travel His paths.  That is always a little tough when you are still working through the normal concerns of moderately secular people; Christians are so hypocritical (well, actually they are just like you, but they realize that they are sinners) and they are always judging people (God does the final judgment but Christians should help hold other Christians accountable) and they are so annoyingly happy it gets to be a little bit of a annoyance.

Secular man is always trying to get there on their own (wherever “there” is.)  I identified that as pretty empty and meaningless while still in my youth.  The downside is I have the same emotions in many things (“Just Win Baby!” I should get that promotion!, Why do they have that symbol of wealth or power and I don’t?) but have been able to minimize those emotions in many cases.  So I don’t value things the same way as some others.

Self reflection ended

So when the music plays I make a small prayer for God to bless me etc.  And the songs are sung; the sermon is given.

Chaplain St. Fleur is Haitian by birth (meaning French and Creole languages) and learned English later.  We are in the same BOQ and he is a man filled with God, but largely unintelligible much of the time without careful concentration (my goal this year is to imitate him, but so far I mostly sound like the Governator Arnold S.).  Enough comes out that you get the message but without a bible to read in front of me…it is still God’s word working through him.  Normally I am judgmental, but my point is that I just listened and pondered these things; where can I place it in my life.

The band is probably the same one from the 186^th New Year’s party.  They sound like a real church band only better.  A little more youth?  No music director?  A little more soul and emotion?  Hard to tell, but they meshed perfectly.  The final song kept on and on and for some reason my chin quivered (it NEVER quivers) and my eyes kept tearing up for absolutely no reason.  I could hardly tell what he was singing but it was obviously a song of emotion and feeling and spirit.  He was in key and in tune but he wasn’t singing to be “in tune”.

Towards the end he made a few heartfelt comments about saying a prayer every day as simple as it might be.  He said to pray “A prayer to acknowledge God’s role in your life. Every day, at least once because if you don’t God will have the stones do it…” And me with that quivering chin and tearing eyes.

 We had communion in a drive by fashion (everybody goes up and gets their bread and wine and returns to their seat to take as a group) and then we communed together.  The singing continued with the piano doing those little riffs just like at a real concert (I haven’t been to many, but the last one was a song where when the singers speak and talk about faith or Jesus or God the music is right there ever so quietly playing some notes.) 

Then the Baptist Chaplain came out (is it a Baptist thing?  Or just something different then the Lutheran tradition…which is very traditional) and offered an opportunity (like he does at his own church every New Year) to come forward to the altar (we had a few stairs, but no permanent altar) and recommit yourself again.  I joined the whole group (almost everybody I think) and knelt in a corner on one knee for a minute (I pray fast; a man of few prayer words and, in any event, God can speed-read your heart.)

A little more music, the Aaronic Blessing, a little more tear dabbing (I gotta get that looked at!) and it is over.  One hour start to finish, just like a good Presbyterian service of old (raised Presbyterian timeliness is next to Godliness; mostly finishing on time…) 

And so these moments in Church move me each time I attend.  The stone melts, the breath quickens and peace comes upon me and joy stays in my heart still and again. 

May God’s peace, which transcends all human understanding, be with me and also with you today.