Easter Awesomeness

On with the show!

Members of my family were gathered at my aunt and uncle’s house on Grand Lake in Northeastern Oklahoma (Green Country) for Easter Sunday.

I took off at 6:30 in the morning from Shawnee and headed that way.

I had not been to the house for some years, so I printed out Google Maps instructions to get me to the nearest town. I followed those instructions.

Well, first I ended up in Jay which is not the town I was shooting for. So, I headed for the lake sure that I would see something that sparked my memory and would lead me to the gathering.

Eventually I did see such a thing and I turned and I continued for some time. I turned this way and that. What I was seeing matched exactly with my memory.

When I was getting very near the lake, I was positive that I was just 800 yards away. Just then, I came upon a little church. The side doors were open and I could hear singing. There were some people still out front.

It was Easter (i.e., important), so I decided I should stop for the service. Besides, they sounded great.

I met the people outside and asked if I could attend in my t-shirt and jeans. They invited me in and I went in and sat down.

The church is pretty small by big city standards — there were 85 people inside, but that was fantastic.

When they got around to introducing new people, I was pointed out and so stood up and said quite forcefully, “I don’t believe in God!!”

Then I paused. I could hear a couple of gasps. Everyone else just froze.

Then I smiled and said, “I don’t believe in gravity either!!”

That went over better than the first statement. Shakespeare, I’m not.

Then like nine people picked up instruments and started playing. There were kids in the audience playing guitars! And everyone sang. I sang all out for the first time in public since I was a little kid. It was so excellent.

The pastor came up and asked if anyone had ever been an undertaker or worked in a funeral home. I raised my hand (my family owned a cemetery and funeral home).

The pastor’s sermon was excellent. He displayed plenty of real emotion and every point he made actually made a point. He didn’t waste any words at all. It was really, really great.

I’m thinking I want to put this church’s services on the Internet, but I don’t want the attention to destroy their experience. Perhaps I can convince them to do it anonymously.

Anyway, when the service was over, I stayed for a little lunch they had. The food was good, the company was great. There were little kids and old kids and much older kids.

I told the pastor where I was headed and he said I wasn’t even close. My aunt and uncle live near a little alpaca ranch, so I asked if he knew where a llama farm was (I forgot they were alpacas). He said he did know a lady who raised llamas and said it was so difficult to find that he would lead me there. And he did.

The llama lady was not the right lady. She said I was thinking of alpacas and then informed me that llama people think alpaca people are snobs because alpaca people think their animals are cuter and have better fur. I was informed that llama coats are just as soft.

She said the alpaca ranch was near Ketchum, so I got directions there and headed out on my way.

I got lost a couple more times before I found the place.

Before I left, the pastor introduced me to his wife, Vivian.

The pastor’s name is Lenny.

Goosebumps!!!

By the way, the church was on the wrong side of the lake, about 20 miles from my destination. I arrived at 3:30pm.