Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow......

          For nearly six years I've played the piano at church that uses the modern genre of Christian music.  It was a real learning experience for me from Day 1!!  Having been raised and trained in the classical and sacred repertoire, it was a whole new world!   A lot of it I've come to love and enjoy.  Some of it I took a deep breath and jumped into!
          What I enjoyed most though was (and is) the people!  So many of them have become wonderful friends, the best kind of church family!

            A couple of weeks ago I found out that I had been recommended to another church in the area, one that was looking for a Music Director.  Some conversations, an interview and such, and I was asked how I felt about joining them.  They have a lovely, enthusiastic choir, they are very similar to the doctrines that I grew up with...and they have a wonderful (real) grand piano (something that doesn't exist in many churches in the lake area nowadays!!)  Definitely enticing!

          After a lot of soul-searching...especially relating to leaving a congregation I love dearly...I decided that this was a place where I could fill a need and be immersed in the rich music I've loved so much in the past.  I finally realized that all the dear friends I have in the other congregation will still be a part of my life...they will still be as close as the phone or lunch!  Does it get any better than that?

          This past Sunday (my last day) though was a day of many hugs and tears.  The pastor came in before the first service with a beautiful basket of flowers and set them right in front of my piano.   Would you believe that in all the years I was a florist, I never received a bouquet like this!!!!   I did many of them for lots of other people...this time it was my turn to be thrilled!

         After each service there were hugs and tears and best wishes, messages on a card, and more tears.  It was truly an emotional morning.  This has been a remarkable church family...loving, caring, happy, funny, and dedicated.  They have been an inspiration to me in so many ways.
 
         To this remarkable group of friends, you are beautiful people and I love you dearly.  I hope that the music I've played for you touched you as much as you have touched my life.  

         Thank you, God, for sending me to be a part of theirs!