The little brother I never had

Wow. My buddy Mark was ordained yesterday. It was an honor watching someone I treasure take the leap into ordained service. Awhile back I told him he was like the little brother I never had. In true little brother fashion, he replied, "You're like the older sister I never wanted." Ha ha. He's also over a foot taller than me, so the term 'little' seems a bit out of place...

Our boys opted out of the trip as soon as they found out the Awesomes kids weren't going to be at the ordination. The boys stayed in the cul-de-sac at home with the Ks, who I'm going to begin calling the Kindhearteds because they are. I love those guys - it was nice to get away and know the boys were in such great hands. There was only one debacle while we were gone and the details of the story vary greatly depending upon who is telling it. What's consistent is that TT had a stick and in some fashion or another went after his brother, some neighborhood kids were witnesses to it all, and that one of our neighbors, Mrs. Nice, got involved and saved the day as she talked to CH afterward. I love this neighborhood - the Nices are always around and are great people but they seldom attend campfires and the social stuff. Just the same, they were there when someone in the neighborhood needed them. That's what I love about this place.

Anyway, back to the ordination. On the way up there, our car played the movie game with The Awesomes using walkie talkies. We started with "A" and then took turns thinking of movies that begin with A until one team is stumped. Then the other team gets a point. Pastor Awesome told C that he'd never lost at the movie game...until he played our car Friday night. Admittedly, as we came up with movie titles, we kept a running written list. Anyway, during a 6+ hour drive, we only made it to K. That's how many movies there are that begin with the letters A-K.

Once we arrived, we stayed at Mark's parsonage Friday night and got to meet his 3-legged, special needs dog, Frankie, who some decided should be renamed Trinity. Frankie is so obviously taken with Mark. It was really cute to see. And it's kind of a trip watching Frankie run. [Addendum 1:50pm: I just told my 10 year old about the dog. He took in a breath, hinted at rolling his eyes and shook his head, saying "You know, Mom, it's just like Mark to get a dog with 3 legs..."]

The ordination was Saturday afternoon. Pastor Awesome delivered a great sermon about sheep and shepherds and who is who. Afterward, it was so awesome to be there and to see so many classmates. It was like no time had passed and we entered into conversations pretty much where we'd left off the last time we'd seen each other. It was bittersweet - sweet because for a moment in time we were all back in that familiar groove and bitter because we once again had to say goodbye, once again knowing it would be awhile before we could experience such liminal time. I hope when CG and Pastor Awesome said they were saving up for the trip to my ordination they meant it. Wouldn't it be cool if two of the most solid friends I made in seminary could be there? It's such a mixed blessing, my decision to be ordained at my home church so far away. But that's another story for another time.

During Mark's ordination, I'd anticipated that the laying on hands part would be difficult for me. After all, there's 1/2 my class up there and me remaining in the pews. Funny enough, though, it was as holy and wonderful as all the other times I've watched. I think part of that is a God thing and part of it is because I seem to have become the official ordination photographer (this is not a complaint - I love doing it!).

It struck me, though, at two other points: When all the pastors gathered at the chancel for a picture afterward and when I saw one particular classmate all pastored up after the service. The whole "Why not me?" feeling set in. In my mind, I heard the echoes of Mark's words to me months ago, "The speed at which one receives a call is NOT a direct reflection on their quality as a pastor." Just the same, it was yet another experience in not following the normal pattern, not always swimming with the fish in the prescribed current...most of the time that's exactly where I want to be. Sometimes, though, it hurts. Sometimes swimming in the current looks like a great place to swim.