On the Sundays of my childhood, you would find us in the big church downtown. Taking up most of the pew, and under the watchful eyes of my parents, we learned about faith, love, and the need to sit still and listen. :) At the
end of each sermon,
the pastor would bless the congregation with this scripture:
The Lord bless you and
keep you;
the Lord make his face
shine upon you
and be gracious to
you;
the Lord turn his
face toward you
and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26
I loved this passage, and the words would roll around in my mind
as we were slowly herded down the aisle to the main door. Along the way, the colors
of the stained glass rose window overhead captured my attention every time. I tripped
along as I studied that window, trying to memorize its colors and patterns.
When I hear these verses now, my mind flashes back to that beautiful window, those sermons, and all of the love that surrounded
my childhood. I am grateful for the memories, and only now, after raising my
own children, can I appreciate all that my parents did to raise us and lay a foundation
of faith.
Making those memories and building that foundation isn't easy, but it is the right thing to do, and worth every bump and bruise along the way. May the Lord’s face shine on you and give you peace.
