reverb 10: day three on day four

I am fairly certain that this month will go this way: that I will not get all of my prompts done on their appropriate days. But I will try to at least accomplish a response to each prompt at some point in the month.

Another side note: there is a question on the reverb 10 site that asks via Twitter:

"What's your creativity environment like for responding to #reverb10 prompts?
Do you listen to music? Is it quiet? Are you alone?"

I had to almost snort when I read this, since right now I am preparing to do this blog post with two children rolling around on the floor next to me, repeating each other saying "Ouchie, ouchie." And this while watching the Spiderman movie, which of course is not age-appropriate but which Jack now loves, thanks to my dear husband.


So, with all of that being said, time to revisit the prompt from yesterday, Friday, December 3.

reverb 10

December 3

Moment: Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors).

The moment that first came to mind was during an intense period of ministry at the beginning of last summer. Beginning with Mother's Day, there was a time where we experienced just about 6 deaths in a row at church. On Mother's Day, an otherwise completely healthy woman had a heart attack, which led to a week-long hospitalization before her death on Friday. That was the first funeral of this particular period of illness, death, and funerals.

Then I had a funeral on the Friday before Father's Day, and on Father's Day another dear soul from the church passed away. Her celebration of life was held on the Wednesday after Father's Day.

It so happened that the week after Father's Day was also our Vacation Bible School week at church, and my particular moment happened the night before the funeral. I came outside the church building with my kids with me, into this beautiful dusky night, and in the field in front of me, the kids were playing kickball. They were laughing and running and having a blast, and many of their parents were watching and coaching and intervening when necessary.

Then I turned my head to the left, and there I saw the grave prepared for our dear soul's interment the next day.

The mix of the images and feelings and sounds: the grave prepared in the cemetery, the kids running and playing in the field, my own children at my side, the song "Untitled Hymn" by Chris Rice running through my head, my sense of call to this congregation and gratitude for being at this place -- all of this makes that particular evening experience my Moment for 2010.