Moving on

Since Gar died, I've been in a holding pattern, keeping busy, doing things that need to be done.  This week will be different.  I know that I will truly never move on, but this week will be a week that is busy, and a type of busyness that I'm used to, my Women of the ELCA things.  Doing work to give God the glory for God's rich love of us.

This is my fourth convention since coming president of the Minneapolis Area Synod Women of the ELCA.  Through the other three conventions, Gar always supported me.  He would listen to me worry about things to be done, and he would be there when it was over.  He was always my biggest encourager and cheerleader, as I was his.  We were each huge fans of the other's accomplishments.

Getting to this point in this year's convention has been a struggle.  Things were moving on an okay basis, though everyone on the board was grieving the events of the past year, especially me.  We had lost several board members in different ways, so it has been a lot of work and as I look back now, a lot of grieving.  Thankfully, some of the women on our board grieve through action, unfortunately I am not one of them. Even more thankfully, God is always there, meeting our every need.  It seems as though, following the day that Gar died, getting my head around the convention has been difficult.  I am blessed to be working with women who have been picking up the pieces that I have been unable to carry.  Women placed in my life by God.  So, are things exactly as I would like them to be for our convention, no.  Am I confident that our convention will be a success, yes.  Why?  Because God is in control, and will help us get done what needs to be done, and the women who will be there are the women whom God wanted there.

I am a little nervous about next Monday when everything is over.  There is a natural high in this type of event, especially for an extrovert like me.  I know that many things will carry me through the weekend; seeing friends, singing, sharing, listening to amazing speakers, so many fun things.  In the past, one of the other highlights of the Gathering was to come home, be part of of big hug with Gar, and then share every detail of the weekend with Gar.  Even if he was paying closer to football than he was to me, he was there, listening, sharing and smiling with me.  So this year I will come home, thank God for 30 years together with Gar and share the highs and lows of the weekend with my dogs.  They are good listeners too.  I know that there will be the inevitable letdown, but I also know God will hold me through it.  So if anyone reading this has any prayers for the Gathering they will be appreciated.  Our theme is "We Rejoice in God's Love for Us; Live, Laugh, Love.  It will truly be a time of that.  God is good, all the time.