our father . . .who art in heaven

Sunday was a very special day for many reasons and I will blog about some of those other reasons later (I want my daughter-in-law to have the opportunity to blog about it first).  Sunday, we worshipped as a family (and extended family and friends) in our Contact Contemporary service. One of the components of worship is that we recite the Lord's Prayer together. You may know it:

Our Father, who art in heaven; hallowed by thy name.  Thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.  And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.  For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory.  Forever.  Amen.

So why was this special?

On one side of me sat my mother-in-law and husband.  On the other side sat my son, daughter-in-law, and  grandbaby girl.

Behind me sat George and Alice and Thomas and Laura and Brooke (some of these special folks are pictured below).

As we recited the ancient words (that are still as applicable today as they were all those years ago!), I could hear their voices (not baby girl's -- YET!) . . .our voices were joined in common prayer.  Our voices were joined together with all those around us - family and friends - but they were also joined with all the saints who have gone before us.  Our voices were joined with the voice of Jesus as he taught the disciples how to pray.

As I was sitting there, I was overcome with the meaning and the beauty of that moment in time.  So often, we (I) recite the Lord's prayer . . .just out of habit . . .we (I) don't think about the words . . .we (I) don't think about the meaning . . .we (I) don't think about what we are praying.

For that brief moment last Sunday, I thought of all those things as I prayed.

Thanks be to God.

Alice, Thomas, Susie (mother-in-law)

Brooke (we feel like she is one of ours)  and Laura (she is ours!!)