It is Well

All morning, as I was getting ready for Church, I was thinking about and humming the hymn "It is Well" quietly in the bathroom .. there was a chance that there was going to be a Hymn sing at service today and I was thinking of some of my favorites.

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say

It is well, it is well, with my soul

It is well

With my soul

It is well, it is well with my soul

We got to Church a minute or two after 10 and they had already started announcements. Those first few minutes after our arrival are always a bit hectic - we're settling into our pews,(at least one of my kids sits behind me with our friend Linda), I'm writing my pledge check, filling out my prayer request form, finding collection money for the girls ... it is a process. 

The last week was a bit discombobulated - the girls had 2 days off, I had 2 days off, Paul was on vacation all week, we were anticipating the surgery of a dear family member, Paul had a couple of doctor appointments and this coming week has something scheduled every night. I've been feeling anxiety and uneasiness with that all swirling in my head.

Times when I'm feeling like that are when I appreciate my time at Church the most. The physical building - with the big, old colonial windows and the simple but majestic mahogany cross above the alter brings me peace. Now that the girls are older and off to Sunday School, I really get to be present during the rest of my time in the sanctuary. 

It came to the time in our service when someone from the Congregation reads the scripture lesson. Today, it was from Matthew 17 and while I was fumbling to find the page in my pew bible I heard the liturgist say "it well that we are here" ... my head snapped up and I thought "did I hear that right?' ... I quickly re-read the passage on the pages in front of me ... "Lord, it is good for us to be here" .. now the reader was using the big bible that never leaves the alter and often differs from the pew bible so I chalked it up to that but visibly smiled when I thought  "it is well that we are here"

What's funny is that when I started to write this post I spent 10 -15 minutes looking for the translation that uses that verbiage - "it is well that we are here" .. I cannot find it...most of them say "it is good that we are here", so now I wonder if that is what he said at all. Did I hear what I wanted to hear? I don't know and, frankly, it doesn't matter. I heard the message that was intended for me....

It is well

With my soul