I Went To A Church

 Today's camellias. 

About three years ago I bought a really lovely dress that was on drastic sale in the Sundance catalog and wore it exactly once to go see Lon and Lis play. I came home, hung it up, Covid happened, and I never wore it again.
Until today.
I wore it to a funeral.

I surprised my husband by telling him this morning that I would go to the funeral of his hunting buddy's wife today. I know he did not expect me to go. Not only were there going to be many people there, it was in a church. An Episcopal church, to be exact.

I think the last church funeral I went to was also an Episcopal service but that was in Monticello. Episcopalians seem to be rather groovy people in that although they do have a lot of ceremony going on and use chalices and wear fancy robes and so forth, they don't appear to me to be very judgmental or hell and brimstoneish. I had a friend who was of that faith and he was funny as hell and a great guy, liberal and empathetic too. I heard him once say that Episcopalian churches didn't have evening services because they're all drunk by that time of the day. 
That is probably a joke. Still- a religion that can joke is a good thing too.

So both Mr. Moon and I got dressed up. I even wore what passes for stockings. They may have been or they may have been tights. I have no idea. And real shoes! And that velvet dress. I put on make-up. It was as good as it can get for me these days. 

We were late getting there, slipping in the door right as the bell-ringing portion of the service started. The church was full and we ended up being directed to sit in the third row from the front and there were no people in the first two rows on that side so we had an unobstructed view of the proceedings. 

It was a long service with many Bible verses and prayers, speaking by the family members, the priest's sermon, and hymns. And they also did communion wherein everyone in the church could walk down the aisle, get bread from the priest, and then walk over to the guy with the chalice of wine to either dip their bread in or sip from. If they wanted. And if you didn't want to do any of those things, you could cross your arms in front of your chest and the priest would just give you a blessing. Also, he assured us that we did not have to be Episcopalian to participate because he believes that Jesus loves us all. That was a nice touch.
Glen and I did not sing, we did not say the Bible verses, we did not make the responses, we did not kneel. And needless to say, we did not get in line for the blood and body of Christ or the blessing. 

But overall, it was a good service, I guess, and I don't think I embarrassed my husband which was my main goal. I even kept the eye-rolling to a minimum because we were directly in front of the priest as he sermonized. And we were there for Glen's friend and the children.

I am so glad that my husband is with me on the religion thing. At one point today during a prayer, I wondered what I would do if he suddenly because a believer. These things do happen. I just don't think I could deal with it if he did. 

Anyway, we're home now, both of us changed out of our fancy clothes and back into our overalls, comfortable and glad to be. The martini glasses are in the freezer, clean sheets are on the bed, greens are cooking on the stove. The frogs are singing with true joy in the swamp behind the house and somehow, I feel closer to whatever the powers that be in the universe are right here on my back porch than I did in that church today. This is not a surprise. 

May reported this morning that they were feeling pretty shitty. Michael's throat was very sore and May had a terrible headache. Rachel asked for a grocery list and May gave her one. Rachel is a jewel. 

And so it has gone today. I did not cause the beautiful old church where the service was held to be struck by lightening by my presence and I did not bust out laughing at the way white people drone their parts in church as if they were robots, even when the words they are flatlining are words of joy and celebration. And don't get me started on the way we sing hymns. Basically, it sounds like, "How many more verses of this can there possibly be?"

Here's the puzzle I just finished last night. 

And now perhaps it is time to move on to making a name blanket or decorating some madonna nightlights. 

Happy Friday, y'all.

Love...Ms. Moon