Monday, April 23, 2012

Nor'easter

It seems March and April got themselves mixed up this year. 80 degree temps and sunshine in March, 30's and snow in April. The TV weather report calls for 4 to 9 inches of snow today. The news shows pictures of wet heavy snow blanketing areas east of us...and it's coming our way. Crazy.

Moms, get the sleds out, find the snowsuits, dig for boots, and match up some mittens. As for me, I broke out my long johns a couple of days ago. Why be chilly?  I make light, but there are people without power, broken tree limbs, all manor of havoc....no laughing matter. Crazy.

TV sports shows a clip of Lakers' basketball player, World Peace, clobbering an opponent with his elbow? He cocked the guy in the head, sent him sprawling on the hardwood court. A flagrant foul. Concussion. Not cool. I winced at what looked like a criminal assault. Foul? Ya think? Crazy.

TV news reports violence on so many sides. Sexual misconduct and immoral behavior. TV shows entertain us with the same. Violent acts, sexual humor, dark drama.

The whole world's gone crazy. Politics, sports, education, government, religion, people, all prove over and over again that we live in a fallen world. We need saved from each other, saved from our enemies, saved from ourselves. We need healing and comfort from pain and emotional hurts, from misunderstandings and untruths. It's like the tower of Babel...we may speak the same language, but we sure don't understand one another. Sheesh. Crazy.

And the crazy weather...is it a sign of the times? Who knows? But I'll tell you this, I'm not asking for a sign. I just hope I don't miss it if God sends one.
         
And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.(from Matt. 16)

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Christmas Trees

Who thinks about Christmas trees in April? We do. It's planting time. And that's just what Tom is doing. Planting perfectly straight rows of little evergreen twigs. At least that's what they look like now, but in 7 to 10 years they'll be full grown trees ready to be cut down, dragged home, adorned with lights to grace someone's home in December of, let's say, 2020!?! Wow. Time flies.

Whoa, this is now... and I ought not be rushing the seasons, let alone the years. I think the Gaither's sang, We have this moment to hold in our hands... It was one of those sad songs that can make you happy. And the happiest people I know enjoy the moments, live in the present, and count each day a gift. Sometimes I do too, but I'm one who needs frequent reminders to enjoy, appreciate, and celebrate the gift of life. I would do well to write Philippians 4:4 on the palm of my hand, Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice! Short of that, I could perhaps keep Bobby McFerrin's song Don't Worry, Be Happy looping on my CD player. In fact, I wonder if I could have that set to play as a morning wake up call.

Ah the gimmicks, but really, that's some advice I would do well to heed, don't worry, be happy!  Habakkuk 3:18 says, ...yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Now there's something to rest in, relax, chill...be happy about. Yes, I do believe I'd like to join Habakkuk in his praise.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Resurrection Sunday!


The Angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
Matthew 28:5-6

Jesus Christ is Risen Today...Alleluia!  He is risen. He is risen indeed!


Happy Easter


Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Holy Week

After teaching the children about Palm Sunday -- Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and the crowds cheered and shouted...
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”  Matt. 21:9
***
Days later Jesus was betrayed by one of his own for 30 pieces of silver and turned over to the chief priests. They brought him before the governor, Pilate, and he called upon the crowd to help decide Jesus' fate. 
“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!”  Matt. 27:22
***
The crowd, made up of many of the same who waved palm branches a few days earlier, now shouted,
"Crucify him!" 
***
Above his head they placed the written charge against him:
 THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Matthew 27:37 
***
I'm left to wonder, would I have joined the crowd? Would I have cheered one day and jeered the next? And the only true answer is, I don't know. I feel wretched about that...I honestly don't know.

But this I do know. Love found a way to save a wretch like me.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

April Fool's Day

Today...a long humorous, poignant blog post.  April Fool!

But I will share one of our favorite April fool tricks as kids. Every morning, when we were all much younger, my dad sweetened his coffee with a spoonful of sugar. Every March 31st, for a few years in a row, before going to bed one of us kids would empty the sugar bowl and fill it with salt. Then on April 1st my dad would stir a spoonful of salt into his coffee, take a sip, sputter, gag, and choke out, "I knew that sugar wasn't dissolving right. You darn kids got me again." That was followed by laughing (us) and yelling (him). The aftermath involved threats and accusations (not one of us seven would own up to it), and reminders about the waste of a cup of coffee. My dad has a lot of Scottish blood flowing through his veins. The joke was funny, but the waste of it was almost more than he could bear. Somewhere along the line he quit putting sugar in his coffee and the April Fool joke was no more. I'll bet it was in the 1970's when the price of sugar went sky high. I know that's when I quit adding sugar to my coffee. And the Scottish blood thing? That's why. This apple didn't fall far.

Tom and I didn't play any jokes on each other today...yet. The day's not over though.

We celebrated Palm Sunday in church today. The worship time was uplifting and the fellowship sweet. I had to miss the message though, and instead delivered a message about Palm Sunday to children ages 4-8. I opened our Junior Church time with a question. "Who knows what today is?" I asked the youngsters. And that's when I learned -- today is April Fool's day.  No joke.
Palms

The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!” 
 Matt. 21:9