I was on my way to work on Monday morning. I turned onto Browns Lane and there in front of me was a man and his little girl riding on a tandem bike. Both had on their helmets and she seemed to be pedaling as fast as she could to do her part. They turned into our church parking lot and up to the back door. Oh my goodness, it was a preschooler being brought to school by her dad! Both then got off the bike with big grins on their faces. He thanked her for helping and opened the front door and in she went!

For me this turned out to be a good start to the first day of Holy Week. It is, after all, a week filled with many emotions. Thursday and Friday will bring deep sadness as we celebrate Maundy Thursday worship and our Tenebrae service on Good Friday. Saturday evening will end with our Easter Vigil and a baptism as a reminder that in the early church this was the night new members joined. Sunday morning we arrive at worship for a joyous celebration when we cry out, "He is Risen!"

For most of the week I feel pretty much like the little girl on the tandem bike pedaling as fast as I can to "keep up." Unfortunately, unlike her I will sometimes forget that my parent is in front of me caring for me and doing all of the real work. I hope if the worship services do their work in me that, like the little girl, I will arrive at my destination filled with a sense of joy. I will realize that God has done for me that which I could not do for myself—I have been freed by forgiveness beyond my imagining.

Happy Easter

John