2020 Hindsight: It's been Forty Weeks

According to Wikipedia: In religion, 40 seems to be shorthand for “a long time.” Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness being tempted by the devil; the great flood lasted 40 days and 40 nights; the Jewish people wandered the desert for 40 years.  Also 40 days was the period from the resurrection of Jesus to the ascension of Jesus and there are theories that Moses' life is divided into three 40-year segments, separated by his growing to adulthood, fleeing from Egypt, and his return to lead his people out.  You may ask why I am so focused on the number 40 on the 348th day of 2020.  Well, as we completed services (on Zoom) for Old First on 12/13/2020, I noted that this is the FORTIETH WEEK we have been worshipping online.  40 weeks, wow.  And that has certainly been "A Long Time!"  My 2020 Hindsight is it's been forty weeks.  40 weeks, wow (I think I said that already!)  The gestation time for a child.  Nine Months (1st Service 3/13/20, today 12/13/20)!  I went to Google to check what date will be 40 weeks from now.  It will be 9/19/21.  9/19 is a palindrome, so I am going to take that as a good omen that, by 40 weeks from now, we will be back together again at 4th and Race.  Until then, I am thankful for the flexibility of our Congregation to stay together, even online.  I am thankful for the creativity and ingenuity of Pastor Michael as he has led us well during these "unprecedented times" and has added so many elements to our spiritual journey (some, dare I say, may continue into the future).  And I am thankful for the Board of Church Leaders who have thought to take a sow's ear and turn it into a silk purse by thinking how we can make physical improvements to our space in advance of our return.  Forty weeks HAS been a long time for me.  But, if we are back together in 40 weeks, that means that this is the halfway mark, and we are on the return leg of our journey.  I cannot wait to be "home" again!