Today was a hard day. Many tears, tantrums and yelling.
And that was just me.
Seriously.
Very rarely do I ever feel the way I felt today but I was truly at my wits' end.
And then the Lord provided a return phone call from a dear, dear friend that turned my afternoon around. By the end of the phone call I felt sane again and not so alone. I am so grateful today for that friend in particular, but it got me thinking about how the Lord created us to need one another. He never intended any of us to try to "do life" on our own but always in community with others. Don't we serve a loving, wise Father that provides good things for His children?!
Short post today for several reasons (emotionally drained, hubby needs computer and I waited until last minute to try to post - whoops!) so although my words don't seem very eloquent or flow-y tonight (is that even a word?? i'm so tired.) the Lord knows how grateful I am for my friends tonight and I hope you are, too. Give your loved ones a hug tonight (and sorry for the scattered post. this 100 post thing doesn't always - or ever? ha! - result in fabulous thoughts.)!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
17: New Life
Resurrection.
What was dead is now alive.
On the heels of yesterday's celebration of Easter and Christ's resurrection, check out this blog I found that is the very picture of new life.
My jaw still drops when I think of what this couple went through and how Christ redeemed their marriage. Truly astounding. Go read and be encouraged that the Lord who conquered death is still bringing new life.
http://cindybeall.com/
(Go to the Quick Links section on the right side to read their story)
What was dead is now alive.
On the heels of yesterday's celebration of Easter and Christ's resurrection, check out this blog I found that is the very picture of new life.
My jaw still drops when I think of what this couple went through and how Christ redeemed their marriage. Truly astounding. Go read and be encouraged that the Lord who conquered death is still bringing new life.
http://cindybeall.com/
(Go to the Quick Links section on the right side to read their story)
Sunday, April 12, 2009
16: What More Can I Say?
He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.
Matthew 28:6a
The death of death.
The hope of Life.
What more could I add to THAT??!!
Happy Easter!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
15: The Day After
The morning after a very personal tragedy and loss is so indescribable.
I remember waking up the day after we miscarried in a complete fog. Slowly, the images of the day before started rolling through my still-sleepy mind and slowly I started to remember what had just transpired.
It was an awful feeling.
One that makes you want to crawl under the covers, shut your eyes tight and will yourself back to sleep just to forget for a little while again.
I have to wonder if Jesus' followers and friends felt much the same way on this day, the day after the crucifixion. Did they wake up in a fog only to have the bloody images of the prior day start flashing through their mind? Or did they even sleep at all, too traumatized by the sights and filled with too many questions to afford them even a few hours of slumber?
Being on this side of history affords us the luxury of knowing that Sunday indeed comes. That Christ rises to fulfill every promise and prophecy. And while the Lord spoke of these things to his disciples I wonder if they really got it until they saw him on that Sunday.
Saturday must have been indescribably difficult.
I remember waking up the day after we miscarried in a complete fog. Slowly, the images of the day before started rolling through my still-sleepy mind and slowly I started to remember what had just transpired.
It was an awful feeling.
One that makes you want to crawl under the covers, shut your eyes tight and will yourself back to sleep just to forget for a little while again.
I have to wonder if Jesus' followers and friends felt much the same way on this day, the day after the crucifixion. Did they wake up in a fog only to have the bloody images of the prior day start flashing through their mind? Or did they even sleep at all, too traumatized by the sights and filled with too many questions to afford them even a few hours of slumber?
Being on this side of history affords us the luxury of knowing that Sunday indeed comes. That Christ rises to fulfill every promise and prophecy. And while the Lord spoke of these things to his disciples I wonder if they really got it until they saw him on that Sunday.
Saturday must have been indescribably difficult.
Friday, April 10, 2009
14: Not Sunday Yet
It seems fitting that it's raining here today, Good Friday, the day we remember Jesus' gruesome crucifixion on the cross.
I don't know about you but it's an uncomfortable day for me. I'd rather just fast-forward to the celebration of Sunday.
But it's not Sunday yet. And Jesus very much suffered through Friday first. It's easy to say "Jesus died on the cross" without putting much thought into what that really looked like, sounded like, smelled like.
The bruised and bloodied face.
The back that bore the whip so violently that it more closely resembled ground meat than human flesh.
The smell of human blood, constantly present.
The pounding of nails. The scream of agony.
Is your stomach in a knot yet? Mine is.
I remember watching "The Passion of the Christ" several years ago. It is hard, very hard to watch. Not a movie you cuddle up with popcorn for and then slip into an easy slumber. By the end I was sobbing (and grateful for DVDs and the privacy of my own home) because I could not wrap my mind around why.
Why would the Lord endure what I had just seen for us? Were we worth it? Really?
And I know the answer is "yes" not because of our own goodness (no such thing) but because God just genuinely loves us.
However, my human mind wants to implode on itself at such a conclusion because I simply cannot grasp such a selfless and ardent love.
The joy and triumph of Sunday is coming - Hallelujah - but let us not forget the solemnity, the sacrifice, the sorrow of Friday.
I don't know about you but it's an uncomfortable day for me. I'd rather just fast-forward to the celebration of Sunday.
But it's not Sunday yet. And Jesus very much suffered through Friday first. It's easy to say "Jesus died on the cross" without putting much thought into what that really looked like, sounded like, smelled like.
The bruised and bloodied face.
The back that bore the whip so violently that it more closely resembled ground meat than human flesh.
The smell of human blood, constantly present.
The pounding of nails. The scream of agony.
Is your stomach in a knot yet? Mine is.
I remember watching "The Passion of the Christ" several years ago. It is hard, very hard to watch. Not a movie you cuddle up with popcorn for and then slip into an easy slumber. By the end I was sobbing (and grateful for DVDs and the privacy of my own home) because I could not wrap my mind around why.
Why would the Lord endure what I had just seen for us? Were we worth it? Really?
And I know the answer is "yes" not because of our own goodness (no such thing) but because God just genuinely loves us.
However, my human mind wants to implode on itself at such a conclusion because I simply cannot grasp such a selfless and ardent love.
The joy and triumph of Sunday is coming - Hallelujah - but let us not forget the solemnity, the sacrifice, the sorrow of Friday.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
13: Liturgical Calendar
My daughter came out of Sunday School last week holding, among other take-homes, a large green construction-paper leaf. In my confusion I noticed that she had been practicing her cutting skills around the edges, creating a fringe. On one side the teacher had written "Palm Branch" in black crayon.
I wanted to smack my forehead. Of course! It was Palm Sunday! In the business of that morning and, honestly, of just life in general it had completely slipped my mind.
I didn't even know until a year or so ago that some denominations follow a liturgical calendar. Not having been exposed to that either growing up in my particular church or now in our Bible church I wasn't aware of such a thing until I saw it mentioned on another blog.
While I appreciate having the freedom in Christ to worship Him outside a structured system of days and seasons I can also see how following such a calendar year after year would be beneficial - creating discipline and focus. (And perhaps I wouldn't be so prone to forget things like Palm Sunday.)
What do y'all think? Did anyone grow up in a church that followed a liturgical calendar? Opinions? Just curious :-)
I wanted to smack my forehead. Of course! It was Palm Sunday! In the business of that morning and, honestly, of just life in general it had completely slipped my mind.
I didn't even know until a year or so ago that some denominations follow a liturgical calendar. Not having been exposed to that either growing up in my particular church or now in our Bible church I wasn't aware of such a thing until I saw it mentioned on another blog.
While I appreciate having the freedom in Christ to worship Him outside a structured system of days and seasons I can also see how following such a calendar year after year would be beneficial - creating discipline and focus. (And perhaps I wouldn't be so prone to forget things like Palm Sunday.)
What do y'all think? Did anyone grow up in a church that followed a liturgical calendar? Opinions? Just curious :-)
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
12: One Day
I saw her as I rounded the corner of the frozen section in Target and instinctively sucked in my breath.
The same oversized sunglasses.
The same stylish silver hair done perfectly.
It looked just like her.
But it wasn't her. It wasn't my Aunt Sis.
And even though I know Aunt Sis is leaping down the streets of gold, and has been for several years, I had to will my feet to keep walking that linoleum lined grocery aisle rather than envelop this uncanny look-alike in a warm embrace.
With every conflicted step I took in the opposite direction, and with a lump forming in my throat, I became increasingly grateful.
So grateful that one day I will round a corner. And it will be her. And I won't have to walk the other way.
The same oversized sunglasses.
The same stylish silver hair done perfectly.
It looked just like her.
But it wasn't her. It wasn't my Aunt Sis.
And even though I know Aunt Sis is leaping down the streets of gold, and has been for several years, I had to will my feet to keep walking that linoleum lined grocery aisle rather than envelop this uncanny look-alike in a warm embrace.
With every conflicted step I took in the opposite direction, and with a lump forming in my throat, I became increasingly grateful.
So grateful that one day I will round a corner. And it will be her. And I won't have to walk the other way.
But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
2Peter 3:13
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