Close to Nowhere

I was able to go to church last Sunday for the first time since I’ve been “under the weather.” Free Springs United Methodist Church has a second story sanctuary. Since I haven’t been able to breathe well in awhile, even with the ramp, it was impossible for me to get to the sanctuary.

I’ve been going to Bible study on Wednesday nights for some time now. We do that in the basement.

We have supper at 6 p.m. (y’all are all invited; we have a lovely time), then we have our study. We’re in the Gospels right now and are comparing how Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all wrote about the same events. Luke is by far the kinder, gentler writer.

I’ve gone to Free Springs since we moved to Mississippi in 1986. Usually, whenever the subject of church comes up, someone will invariably say “Oh, my (relative) is buried there.” Our little cemetery is very old and apparently, very friendly.

Free Springs started as a brush arbor in the mid-1860s. It burned and a building was erected in its place. In the 1940s, a tornado struck and leveled that building. And again, it was rebuilt.

Now a stone and brick building, it seems very sturdy to me. It’s a lovely building, small and neat. When the sanctuary was finished, a movie theater in Oxford was closing down. So we have padded leather movie seats (not the stadium seats from now, remember this was in the ’40s). They are very comfortable though.

We’ve been blessed to have our children grow up there and now, some of them are coming back and bringing their children. In my cases, my children were youth there, then my granddaughters grew up in the church and now, Merideth and Tim (oldest granddaughter and husband) are bringing their children there occasionally. They live in Coldwater, so mostly they go to church in their neighborhood, but sometimes they make the drive if I ask them to come.

Sunday was special to me. I was thrilled to discover that I could go up the ramp and across the sanctuary to “my” seat and not pass out from lack of air. We have Eatin’ Meetin’ every second Sunday, so we had lunch after service. It was so wonderful to be among my church family again.

Monday, my lung doctor told me I was doing great and discontinued several medications. In my mind, she was giving me permission to climb that long ramp every Sunday.

I’m beginning to feel normal again. And being among my church family is strong medicine.