Outdoor Worship

I love being outdoors. I love worshiping outdoors, though it is a rare event in my life. This weekend was Hickory Neck's Fall Festival, a huge event to raise money for outreach. The weather was perfect. 75 degrees and low humility and full sun. We had barbecue and brunswick stew and chili. We had horse rides and llamas and a moon bounce. We had live music, attic treasures, and a bake sale you wouldn't believe. We had a silent auction and I won the bid on the massage. It was a glorious day.

But today was better. At least for me. Unfortunately my rector has recurring back problems which had flared up Friday, preventing him from participating in the fall festival. Today he came to the 8:00 and immediately went home, leaving me to fly solo for the first time with an outdoor pet blessing service! I didn't have time to get scared or worried that we had changed Eucharistic prayers and other portions of the service. Never mind that I've only celebrated the Eucharist about 4 times and never doing the whole service by myself. Never mind that I've never blessed a pet. Today I blessed probably 30 dogs, 3 cats, several fish, some stuffed animals, and 3 horses. I loved it. I preached about St. Francis and falling in love with God. I got to worship outside!

Thank you God, for most this amazing day. For the greenly leaping spirits of trees, and the blue true dream of sky...