the (computer) devil ate my blessings

I was just finishing a post about how richly blessed I am. I talked about the beauty of our Ash Wednesday and how powerful it was to pray for the long list of folks that have been part of our prayer chain or prayer group, about how moving it was to see the carino between married couples and care between friends, and of how the retired minister and his wife had silently said goodbye and then shortly come to wait with me so I would not be alone. I was so moved by the care of their gesture that I began to think of the many blessings for which I am grateful and after I had enumerated a long list and got ready to "publish" the damn devil ate my post! There before me disappeared all internet windows and when I got back on and logged back in, my blessings were no where to be found. jerk! So, fully refusing to lose, I will reiterate my blessings, because indeed they are worthy of reiterating, not simply out of spite, but out of true gratitude. Hence, I am grateful:

• for the retired minister and his wife, that he preaches so I can have a reprieve once a month and that she faithfully plays the organ and is always there and is willing to stop and start as needed so we can learn new songs
• for a congregation that is flexible and willing to roll with the punches as we try new things in order to attain a worship service that is more representative of who we want to be
• for a successful youth group discussion about worship and what we are truly called to do for worship, that they truly get it, and only hope the larger church does too before we lose these kids
• for church leadership that is inspired and catching fire and being inventive and creative as they seek to find new life for and in our church
• for church leaders who are spiritual adept and who are looking to grow in their faith walk
• for long talks with friends
• for a senior pastor who does not wish me to run myself into the ground and encourages me to take vacation, study days, and time for myself
• for the opportunity to go to MS and do Katrina relief work, with BOTH of my parents!
• that my congregation(s) love me, and trust me enough to share with me and let me attend to their vulnerable and sacred spaces, and that they (many anyway) will let me be their cheerleader and walk with them into new (and sometimes seemingly risky) territory
• for a young adult group that enjoys the fact that I draw them into the ambiguous and difficult areas of belief and don't give them a pat answer
• for my one young adult who always comes and always reads, which makes my job SO much easier (and my apologies to all of my teachers/professors for whom I did not...)

I could probably go on and on tonight, but I will leave you with those I have mentioned and count my other blessings into slumber!