Finally...Thank God

When you work two jobs, spending your days running around with a tv camera and your nights broadcasting weather...and your weekends...marketing and promoting whatever product for whatever company pays the most...you forget about church. Or at least I do.

I shouldn't say I forget about it...it's always in the back of my mind.... a little piece of guilt that I am pushing vacation travel at a fishing show in Rockford rather than praying in the pew alongside others who are trying to start the week with a fresh start.

But what I have forgotten frankly and so pleasantly reminded about everytime I go back...is how wonderful church is. And how relaxing it is. And for a few moments I am not worried about the stock market or recession related violence or layoffs, I am thinking about God.

My rat-race paced life, which after layoffs have happened at my job, seems to have picked up even more. There is minimal time to engage in meaningful conversations with my co-worker friends...minimal time to have coffee before I work on a story...minimal time to make sure I look my best...I only have time...barely...to get it all done. Thank goodness today, one of my assignments sent me to the middle of a cornfield in Indiana to a Catholic Church where they were observing Good Friday.

They were praying and singing in unison...and then the entire congregation kissed a wooden cross that symbolized the cross Jesus died on...on this day.

Then, they held communion, prayed and said the Lord's Prayer.

As the priest walked down the aisle with the cross...I was thinking about the horrible torture Jesus went through....really....he was beaten, whipped and then nailed to a cross...and symbolically speaking it was in exchange for forgiveness of our sins. And whether or not you believe that Jesus died for us...you must agree it was a horrible death. And I here I am...during the Lenten fast...eating sugar...although I alledgedly gave it up for Lent. I really feel bad about that now.

I was also reminded today to forgive those who trespass against us. I have harbored so much anger...I have been angry at those who have treated me poorly in my romantic and social relationships....due to the economy. But more recently, I have been angry at the economic downturn and it's ripple effect on our society. It really is bad if hundreds are laid off and cannot pay their debts and if marriages are falling apart because they cannot withstand the stress of financial catastrophe. Or people killing people...in mass numbers.

As I left the church...I felt calmer...grateful for this brief moment with God even though I was on the clock. Maybe if everyone...impacted by the economy takes a moment to pray, thank God for the blessings we have and forgive those who have hurt us...we will be happier...more at peace and better able to handle the worst that comes our way.

How bad off can we be if we are online...reading and writing....rather than getting whipped and beaten?

Thank God.