Sunday Obsession: Our Community

This wasn't what I had planned to write about today...but I simply must...

I've talked about this before, there are some pitfalls with being in a small town.  Everybody knows everybody's business.  Sometimes news will beat you home....

But sometimes...sometimes, the love of our small community simply overwhelms me.

Yesterday was one of those days.

Yesterday, as I was sitting in the New Prospect Baptist Church, my broken heart beamed with pride at our small community.  You see, when tragedy strikes one of our own, our people show up.  They surround the family with so much love and support.

I had a lump in my throat, and tears in my eyes looking around the church.  In trying to explain this even now, I have tears in my eyes.

My mom and I arrived early, because we knew seating would probably be a problem.  Y'all, we got there 30 minutes early, so we could drop food off in the dining hall, and get a seat.  When we walked into the sanctuary, all of the pews (aside from the reserved family pews) were filled.  We sat in the folding chairs that were up the side aisles.  Those quickly filled up as well.  At 11, as the funeral was about to begin, the Funeral Director went up to the front and asked everyone to squeeze in to make room...that there were about 100 people outside.  They then opened the choir loft up for seating.  People began to line the side aisles, to stand for the service.  After the family walked in, more guests filed in behind them, to stand in the center aisle of the sanctuary.

So, the pews were filled, all of the folding chairs up the side aisles were filled, there were people standing in the side aisles, there were people in the choir loft, and there were people standing in the center aisle of the church.

What an incredible testament of our love for sweet Misty.  What a wonderful testament to the love of our community.  Seeing the church, bursting at the seems with all of the people that loved her, my heart was blessed.

It was also such a sweet blessing that three church had joined in to make sure that the lunch for the family and friends was taken care of.  New Prospect had handled the meat and paper goods; Union had taken care of the desserts; and Pine Grove had taken care of the sides.  This, too, blessed my heart.

Our community always shows up.  And witnessing all of the love from our community yesterday...my heart was so full.