Scott's Weekly Greeting, March 9, 2021
Author: Rev. Scott W. Cousineau
March 09, 2021
Scott's Weekly Greeting, March 9, 2021 ...
The very first wedding that I performed was to take place on a lovely outcrop of rock on the shore of a beautiful lake. There was a winding path to get down to the location that including a number of stone steps set into the hillside. The rehearsal went smoothly, not a single misstep by anyone coming down that winding, stone path. We were ready for the wedding!
We woke up the next morning ... wedding day ... and it was raining. Not a downpour, not a complete washout, but enough rain to make one nervous about that path down the hill. So, what do we do? Proceed with the wedding outside and hope that the rain stops, or pray that everyone makes it down the steps safely? Or, move it indoors to the reception location?
We did exactly what any new clergy person would do. We deferred to the wishes of the couple. We moved their dream wedding inside.
Most couples spend months planning their wedding days. Some even spend more time than that. You likely know people that began assembling their wedding notebook when they were still years away from the blessed event. Big changes at the very last minute are not welcome guests for the wedding. However, invited or not, those big changes often make an appearance.
The reality is that the wedding was still their dream wedding. Yes, it was moved indoors, but standing by the lake was not what made the wedding a dream. It was the person holding their hand, the person sharing their heart, the people in the room. The dream is not about the trappings of the location or the events. The dream is all about who we share that moment with.
This applies to all of life, not just weddings. We like to plan. We like to determine how things are going to go. But change comes, circumstances interrupt our carefully laid plans. There is an old saying that goes like this, "Do you want to make God laugh? Make plans." Change happens.
Sometimes undesirable changes are thrust upon our lives; changes that can cause us great pain, dismay and discomfort. At those times, we can feel unmoored, cast adrift in a sea of uncertainty. But our feelings may not reflect our reality. We may be more tethered than we realize.
When we find ourselves in troubled waters, we are not alone. God is faithful and true. When change comes, God is our constant, our solid and steadfast ground. When all of our plans are swept away ... look around. See who is standing across from us. See who is holding our hands. We are not alone.
Please join us for worship on Sunday morning at 10:00 AM. Our special Lenten sermon series continues with Rev. Merle Steva preaching. His message, "When All That's Nailed Down Come Loose," will be based upon Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22. Our Sunday school lesson will focus upon the Last Supper. And our music will feature a virtual choir collaboration with five area church choirs.
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