I had a spiritual experience today that changed my life – seriously.

Of course, I thought I was going to die yesterday during the tornedoes in Mississippi, so maybe I was ripe for some soulful tweaking.

I went to “The Point” to attend church with my Daddy and hear my former pastor, Steve Davis.   Everything in that service was designed to move me  to another place.  I came away  a changed woman  (we’ll see if it sticks).

First my old friend, Sylvia Barkemeyer’s (sorry Sylvia, don’t don’t how to spell your name), husband sang a song that made me gasp for breath. If was called ‘You were There.”  I began sobbing and thought the ushers were going to come usher me out.

It was beautiful – here’s an abbreviated version:

“Weary from the trials that it seemed I faced alone, wondering why God left me here to struggle on my own. I thought of the verses and the scriptures I had read..

how he promised to be with me.

You were there for Moses, you were there for Joseph.  You were there for David when he didn’t have a prayer.    You were there for Stephen so I believe …in time I’ll see through it all, you were there for me.”

You had to be there, but this man has the most amazing voice and I wanted to stand up and shout “Amen” when he finished. But I remembered that I’m Catholic now and I was in a Presbyterian church where you can’t show emotion of any sort.

And then Steve got up and sealed the deal by reminding us that we cannot “earn our way” to heaven.  We have that redemption if we only take it, misfits though we are.

Sorry for the sermon, but the day was unbelievable – especially the potluck afterwards. Annie Goodson’s meatloaf was superb. The secret is Rotel tomatoes and a sleeve of saltine crackers added to a pound of hamburger and the usual egg and any  seasoning you care to add.

The perfect day.  I’m so glad to be alive.