Blessed and puppets

Lately I've just really felt blessed to be living my life. I know I already said that I got to see my niece being baptized, but it was more than that. I got to see a lot of my family that weekend and it just made me feel really good about having a family that is so close. There was a special moment during the baptism when I was holding my two year old nephew trying to keep him quiet and I got him to pray with me and he was so good and quiet while I recited the Lord's Prayer into his ear. I'm uncle Mark now. Then this weekend my mom and my aunt and uncle and cousin came down to hear the choir concert. I didn't get to see them for long, but it was just good to see the faces I don't see enough anymore.

Then last night was our fourth Sunday Night Worship and it was the first time I didn't feel like I was going to throw up the entire time. Ok, so that's probably a little dramatic, but last night was definitely the first time I've truly felt comfortable leading worship. I actually got to experience worship myself while leading which is the place I really wanted to make sure I could get to eventually. One of my friends shared her testimony for the message and it was very powerful and honest. I'm learning so much more and more this year about how true Christianity is a plurality of oneness in which we find ourselves truly ourselves amidst the loving, blessed community. Too often I think I pull away from people and create meaningless relationships, but more and more I'm realizing how blessed I am to have those relationships that I do have whether they're nieces and nephews or good college friends or old friends I haven't spoken to in far too long or even that person I don't know that well but was able to have a great conversation with.

In Intro to Philosophy we talked about how the ancient Greek's idea of the ultimate aim of life was happiness which could be translated better as "blessedness". How could I not feel blessed when I have great friends and Halloween puppets? Life doesn't get better.