Shane will preach on his last two Sundays with us, so yesterday Lois asked me if I'd like to preach on my last Sunday. My last Sunday falls on our bilingual last Sunday of the month when we hold joint worship with Iglesia Betania. That means I get to say farewell to the entire community at the same time. It also means figuring out how to prepare and deliver my sermon in both English and Spanish. Lois said I don't have to, but I feel I should at least make the effort.
I have several options, but each of them means completing the writing process well before the last Saturday in April. Most likely packing a moving van happens that day, so I can't pull one of my last-minute all-nighter revisions.
So this afternoon I looked at the lectionary and discovered that the last Sunday in April is the Fourth Sunday of Easter. Just my luck, I get to preach on Good Shepherd Sunday for my last sermon at Betania/Grace. Ugh.
My last. How many times will I say that over the next month? New lasts seem to crop up every day, but right now I don't find them as daunting as I did a week ago. I have too many firsts to look forward to.
Thirty-two days.
Firsts are good. And the lasts that are REALLY last can be good. And the lasts leading into firsts are good. The door is finally OPEN. Enjoy all the firsts now and remember the lasts with fondness for what they were.
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