I had a wonderful time at the parish picnic last Sunday. I was worried about the weather, wondering when and if the rain was going to come. Should we move the picnic to Estill House or should we take our chance on the rain holding off until the afternoon? Sadly, as much as we can predict the weather, the weather will do what the weather will do. The forecast changed almost hourly.
I woke up Sunday morning, and as I was enjoying my coffee and prayer time, the sun rose, and the clouds cleared. Ah! I thought, perhaps my worries were for nothing.
We gathered at the picnic site. Food laid out on the table. So.much.food. We started the worship service. The altar looked beautiful. We were all turned toward the view of the lake. The choir led us in song. We were surrounded by changing leaves and the smell of the fall air. Just as we finished communion and were about to begin the post-communion prayer, there was a flurry of activity – folks moving chairs under the shelter, tents being popped up over the grills. The rain had come after all.
Luckily, our picnic site had a shelter over it. We moved from the Lord’s table to our table of fellowship. Cozily gathered around the picnic tables, going back for seconds and thirds. Sampling as many desserts as possible. The kids ran and played in the rain. And a gentle murmur of agreement – “Glad the rain held off for the service.” “Wow, we really need the rain.”
How often do we assume the worst, to find it works out just fine. The answer for our prayers did not come as we wanted, but what we did get was even better than we imagined. Our carefully laid plans might come to something, or it might come to nothing. Through it all, God is present. God is there in the lake, the trees, the kids playing, the food cooked and shared, the body and blood blessed, taken, eaten.
Thanks be to God for the willing hearts that organized the picnic. Thanks be to God for the willing hands that made it all happen. Thanks be to God for the voices lifted in song. Thanks be to God for the rain that brings refreshment to our little corner of the world. Thanks be to God.