It's been two weeks since I wrote anything and I feel the need to write. I just spent the Sabbath in amazing worship and am so glad to live and love in community with God's people. When we first moved to the "BIG" city of Atlanta, I was lonely for the friendship of other likeminded folk. The size of our church blew me away and I was sure it would be awhile before we would connect meaningfully, then God showed up on the scene and wowed me. Words cannot express the love and care of our "small group", nor the depth of love and care of the choir community I am blessed to be a part of. In our time of great loss and grief God has used these and more to hold us up and encourage our family with extravagant love that only God can enable. I feel His grace flow through me like a river and am comforted beyond comprehension. I could have stayed away from social situations and everyone would have understood not attending and participating in the worship service after my brother went to Glory,but -------I needed my "family" around me. I needed to worship. I realized in Steve Brown's words from the Saturday P.M. sermon, "where else would I go?". In the kingdom of God we are interconnected and dependent on one another. There is healing for the sick, rejoicing for the jubilant, weeping for the suffering, and balm for the soul of souls in ministry one to another. To quote the best, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Gal 6:2 I'm glad God created us to need each other. We are all broken vessels, no wonder His spirit fills us daily moment by moment, we leak. I am needy and I am glad God is here to fill the need and ready to use his people as instuments if they will let Him.

It's a sad time in our family. Richard Hardt, my only brother went home to be with God Sept.22nd and left us all missing him and quite stunned. It's all new to us, this grieving thing and I want to do it well. I'm not asking "why" but just wondering what God is up to. We are all on the roller coaster in the grieving cycle and I know in my case, it's touch and go. For those of you who didn't hear, Rich was on his way home from work riding his usual route on the Harley and a truck pulled out and he didn't have a chance. We are christians and my family knows the Savior who has redeemed us and has sealed us and never ever leaves us, it's still hard. I already miss singing with him at holidays and sampling his cullinary masterpieces. Heaven's choir has a new baritone member and I imagined I heard him joining with our church choir voices this morning with the same audience, God on his throne and Jesus sitting to His right, all worshipping, it's still hard. I know it gets easier, this grieving thing, but until then, pray for us as we bear the grief of our loss and are reminded again that this life is a rehearsal for the real thing, we're just-a-passing through. Live well, love well, worship well and some day we will all be in the presence of the One who sought us and bought us with His own blood. It's still hard. Amen

I have finally made the leap, I'm blogging. I don't feel any different, look different or see dead people walking, so I must be normal. Now my family can quit bugging me to blog and just read the boring/random things I have to say. I don't have anything wonderful to say now, so I will come back soon and record what seems poignant. God bless the reader and give you peace. Marsha