Today was launch day, the very first public service of Mosaic Church Albuquerque. And what a glorious day it was! 

  The sunrise on launch day was spectacular, as I was getting ready this morning I looked out my back patio and marveled at how beams of light were shooting down out of the clouds. As I drove to church this morning alone, since my husband had left earlier to help with the setup, I noticed a large amount of balloons in the air, looking out over the city of Albuquerque it was almost like a Balloon Fiesta day. I thought it delightful that so many balloons were joining in on our "launch" day with such a beautiful display of colors.

  I and others have prayed and prayed and prayed some more for this day, for the service, the pastor, his family, the music guys, the setup and tear down guys, the greeting team, the pastoral care team and for everyone involved in launching this new church as well as all those who will be drawn to her doors. As Launch Day dawned this morning  I was excited and optimistic but trying to keep my hopes reasonable, after all this was only day 1 in the life of this brand new church.

  I should have known better, after all how many times in the past has God not only met my expectations but totally exceeded them? I have long since lost count. Today was no different. The sanctuary was filled with people!

  The music was uplifting and what a marvelous thing to hear all those voices singing His praise together as one! I felt such a love for all of these beautiful people that God in His good grace had drawn to this place, this new church. Many of them I knew from the launch team but there were a whole lot that I did not know, but I loved them. Looking across at that sea of faces, it truly was a beautiful mosaic of souls. My heart also filled with love for our great God and His incredible blessings!

 Pastor Adam preached a powerful message, from the gospel of Mark, Chapter 1, verses 14-20, the beginning of what promises to be an exciting and powerful series called The Way of Paradox: Following the Right-Side Up King in an Upside Down World. He spoke of how following Christ demands our all but also changes us completely. The gospel was proclaimed and I am excited to begin this series and eagerly looking forward to the next message.

  We had our first communion together and that too was a beautiful ceremony of grace, watching the various faces as they came up to take the elements was a great blessing. I felt the Lord's love for His people as each one came up to take the bread and the cup.

 The last song was beautiful as we sang a doxology together, but was sad, because I really didn't want to leave. We could easily have went straight in to next weeks service and I would have been fine. Sort of like Peter up on that hill with Jesus, he wanted to just throw up some tents and just stay right there, to bask in the glory of it all. But like Peter we are called to come down off the hill and walk out our faith right here in the world. I can honestly say that after this beautiful and uplifting service I feel well equipped to do just that.

  God has brought a lot of beautiful souls to Mosaic, the ones I have thus far come to know are already dear to me, and I look forward to getting to know everyone. God is making something awesome in bringing all of these people to this place to gather together and worship Him and proclaim Him to our city. What a great start to this wonderful collection of the broken coming together to form something beautiful!

 What an exciting time!

 At the foot of the snow capped mountain,

 By the river along the Bosque

 At a school turned into Sanctuary

 The broken pieces come,

 Some are worn

 Some have sharp edges

 A multitude of colored souls

 Each unique

 Each beautiful to the Creator

 They come together in His hand

 Laid out in rows

 Voices lifted together

 In praise to the King

 A beautiful mosaic

 Broken made beautiful.

 

  I have missed church for the past three weeks, due to various circumstances. It was good to be back today. I find that I need the grace given by attending service. It is both an ending and a beginning. There I find assurance of forgiveness, for my sins of commission and my sins of omission. The things I did or said that I ought not have done or said, and the things that I ought to have done and said but did not. I also find there grace and strength for the coming week, that I might live it as He would have me live it, that I might have less sins when I stand at the altar next week.

 For us, church involves a drive to the other side of town, we live on the far northwest end of the city of Albuquerque, and our church is on the far southeast end. The drive this morning was beautiful with all the golden leaves. The city was surrounded by gold this morning and the bosque was breathtaking.

(Bosque is the name for areas of gallery forest found along the riparian flood plains of stream and river banks in the southwestern United States. It derives its name from the Spanish word for woodlands.)

I did not take this photo, but it displays what I saw today as we drove to church.

 The service was a blessing, and touched my heart, as it almost always does. Our call to worship was from

Psalm 102: 25-27

Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,

and the heavens are the work of your hands.

They will perish, but you will remain;

they will all wear out like a garment.

You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,

but you are the same, and your years have no end.

  The message was on the attributes of God, an important topic, in order to trust God one must know who He is. Today's topic was His immutability, that He is the same today as He was yesterday and He will be the same tomorrow. God does not change, He is consistent in all that He is. In a world where things are ever-changing, this is comforting to know.

 I was also struck with the understanding that the God that I worship is the same God who was in the lion's den with Daniel, the same God who parted the red sea, the same God who walked with David, He is the same, what is there for me to fear? I belong to Him, and no matter what tomorrow holds, He is with me.

 We spent the rest of the day at home, relaxing. As we were driving home something came up in conversation that reminding me of my daughter in law. My husband was speaking a line from the movie "Kingdom of Heaven", and I recalled a day when Mel and I were in the car, I was driving, we had just watched this movie the night before, and she asked me a question, I cannot recall what it was, only that it was a "why" question, and I shouted out the line from the movie "God wills it!" and we laughed and laughed.

 Later on today I was struck by a feeling of regret that hit me out of nowhere. I was not expecting it. I have wrestled with it for most of the day. I am left without an answer, but with the knowledge and assurance that she is okay and all is well with her and I will see her again one day. When next we meet it will be without any burden of sin, we will both be as He meant us to be, and I am looking forward to that. Until then, dance for Him Mel Bell. If I failed you at all Mel I am truly sorry.

 Other things have weighed heavily today, the sound of silence is loud, it screams in my ears and I can hear nothing else. I attempt to distract myself with noise, trying music, television, but the silence screams and drowns out all else. I understand it, I accept it, but I long for the silence to break, even if only for a little while. There are various types of silence, some I treasure, this one I hate. I will say no more on this subject other than I believe God is greater than whatever darkness we fight against. I know this to be true. So I wait and I endure the silence.

 The day is almost over, soon we will retire for the night and if God is willing, arise tomorrow for a new week. We do not know what this coming week holds in store, whether news heard will be good or bad, whether things will go as we want or the opposite, but we do know the One who knows all things and holds them in the palm of His hand. The Immutable God, to Him be all glory, honor and praise.
I leave you with the words from one of the hymns we sang today. May your coming week be blessed.