Week of April 24, 2000
Rosemary S.

(Jesus said) "Lo, I am with you always,
even to the ends of the earth."
Matthew: 28:20

Slowly, she descended the stairs, flipping on the light switch as she went, and surveyed the damage. The water was beginning to seep in, covering the grey basement floor. The heavy unrelenting spring rain had finally drenched the still half-frozen soil completely. Now the water was winning the battle over the sump pump and paint-sealed floor.

Packing cartons, filled with items not yet needed, sat on the floor. A little more than a year ago, she and her husband had made the journey to their new home and new life here in North Dakota, a long way from the house in Florida where they had lived for so many years. A "second career" pastor, she had commuted between home and family in Tampa and the seminary in Columbus, Ohio, alternating a quarter of the year in each place. Her time had been filled with studying, doing Internships, spending as much time as possible with her husband and the young adults who had been her children such a short while ago.

Her husband had been understanding when she told him of her plans to go back to school to accomplish the thing that she had felt led to do even before college. In those days, women had not yet begun to imagine that they could become pastors. Her life had progressed to marriage (to a bank accountant) and four children. Now that these children were almost grown, it was time for her to realize her call to the ordained ministry.

One by one, she opened the accumulation of boxes that sat in the small basement store room. Corrugated cardboard bottoms were stained dark brown with the increasing moisture. Forgotten items appeared -- most were undamaged, some already damp. What could be salvaged? What was beyond hope? Certainly, Christmas decorations made by the small loving hands of those now grown children must be preserved if at all possible. Other things could be discarded. After all, if it hadn't been needed in the 18 months of storage, would it likely be needed at all?

One by one, the cartons were opened, the contents examined, their fate determined, the remnants gathered. One by one, she considered pieces of a former life and sorted them out.

The last box was unfamiliar. Things had been packed in a hurry by a variety of people; maybe this one held some of her husband's missing treasures. As she opened the box, she was startled to see a statue of Jesus, with extended arms. The hands were no longer there, a reminder that we must be the hands of Christ in this world. She had never seen it before. Perhaps it had been packed away when one of the churches she was serving was redecorated. In the midst of the water, soggy paper and boxes, the odds and ends of damaged and now useless possessions, she was reminded that JESUS WAS WITH HER.

In the coming years, no matter where she is serving, whatever the circumstances, this will be a reminder to her --

Quite by accident, after I wrote this I learned that ENDS also stands for Eastern North Dakota Synod, where my dear friend, Pr. Annette Campbell Crickenberger serves Zion Lutheran Church in Kulm and Martin Luther Church in Fredonia.

Dear Lord, help us to remember you are always with us,
no matter where we are, or what the circumstances. Amen.
 

Contributed by Rosemary S.
Published Monday April 24, 2000
Week 22 of Liturgical Year B