I'm mad at my pastor.
Not for the normal reasons like heresy, preaching politics or neglecting to fully recognize the adorableness that is my son.
No, no. It's worse than that.
She made me cry in church. Which I hate to do.
It all started fine. This was her first Sunday back after maternity leave and I was just stoked to have her back. It's always a little sketchy when you have guest preachers. They don't know you; you don't know them. You don't know if they're going to say something off-color or talk for hours. But Beth is predictable. First, you know she's going to speak the word of the Lord without sugar-coating it. She's engaging and sometimes funny, but not in that stand-up club type way. And she never drones on and on.
She was talking about being prepared for Jesus, but not just in that "Jesus is coming tomorrow and he better find you on your knees" way. She talked about being ready to see Him and see Him work daily and about being prepared to be guided by His spirit. So at the end of the sermon, she showed a video. It begins with an elevenish old girl tell her name and saying that her daddy is in Iraq. Then it shows this same girl sitting in school with her very best I'm-paying-attention look on her face. Then you see confusion. Then unabashed joy as she jumps up from her seat and runs screaming into the arms of a bulking G.I. Joe type.
And the tears started to flow.
But it doesn't end there. Oh, no. This video torture goes on for near five minutes with all kinds of unexpected reunions. Husbands, wives, moms, dads, kids. Everyone. Luckily I had Karen sitting behind me and she offered me a Kleenex. I would have been a hot mess otherwise.
The point of the video as it relates to Beth's sermon, aside from making a whole congregation a blubbering mess, was to show that we don't know when our Father will show up. We just need to be ready.
But I saw something else too. There was one scene that particularly turned on the faucets. It was around Christmas and a little tiny girl is sitting on Santa's lap. She can't be more than two or three. I've already figured out the theme to the video and I think to myself, "She's not going to know him. She won't remember that he's her dad."
But then she turns. Her eyes get big and she whispers, "Daddy?" He scoops her up and you hear her mumble through the bear hug, "I missed you."
She knew her dad. She really knew him. Even though she probably hadn't seen him in a long time. Which means that we'll know Him too. Even if we think we haven't seen Him in a long time. Even if we think we haven't see Him move in our lives and use us in a long time.
It was beautiful. And messy and snotty and I still kind of want to smack Beth for showing it with no warning. I mean, really? No warning?
But, wow.
