Month: March 2018

Epic Departures

My niece departed from her wedding in epic fashion. Her reception took place at an old sailing club on one of North Carolina’s barrier islands. A ferocious tropical storm blew through the area the day before the wedding, nearly cutting off the island and jeopardizing the reception plans. But the day of the wedding dawned with sunny blue skies prevailing. After a chapel wedding, a beautiful nautical reception ensued and as the sun began to set, an antique fishing craft pulled up to the dock. The bride and her new husband literally sailed off into the sunset. Epic bests describes the perfect scene!

Billy Graham’s recent funeral was an epic departure too. After a famed life and his extraordinary reputation for genuineness, Billy Graham became one of only four non-statesman to “lie in honor” in the United States Capitol Rotunda. Crowds came to pay respects to a man who boldly yet plainly preached the Gospel, including my husband and me who took an afternoon to attend the Capitol viewing. Two former U.S. presidents paid their respects to Rev. Graham in repose at his North Carolina homestead and the President and Vice President, along with their wives, attended his funeral service. The worldwide attention to his death was remarkable.

I snapped this as we left the Capitol viewing.

Jesus Christ faced an epically gruesome departure from his human life. Crucifixion was a cruel Roman method of torture and execution. Jesus endured tremendous physical pain on the cross but Scripture informs us that his emotional anguish and spiritual pain were more crushing. Even the surroundings reacted to Jesus’ death. The sky turned dark for several hours during the day, there was an earthquake and a massive temple curtain ripped in half! It must have been terrifying.

Departures leave impressions but there is more to consider. Weddings evoke joy and celebration but a solid marriage means so much more. Funerals provide comfort and hope which remind us to live our own lives well. And Jesus is not so much remembered for his suffering and death but for his victory over it. He triumphed over that brutal execution and the burden of our guilt and returned to life, escaping death’s curse. This is the Resurrection; this is Easter. God’s promise to you is that your death too can be “swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54) by complete faith in Jesus’ death for you.

 

 

Distinktive February

Preface – Writing this blog helped me process a discouraging series of annoyances. Not wanting to bring my readers down, I hesitated to publish it. Lately, I’ve seen others struggling (two co-workers in tears) and the weekend storm brought major inconvenience to many. My February logic fails but may this post give you a chuckle and encourage you to persevere!

I often take on heavy subject matter in my blog posts. This time I write with some attitude, a bit tongue-in-cheek, on a lighter topic. I will however, end up where I always do, looking at how God may look at it, through His messages to us.

Last Saturday it rained for the third weekend in a row. While preparing breakfast that morning, a kitchen fuse blew. Around lunchtime, the printer wouldn’t print and after a fix, then became jammed, almost causing us to miss a deadline. Late in the afternoon, a T.V. component randomly disconnected and we went through all kinds of contortions to plug it in on the back of the large, mounted screen.

We all have days like this. Nothing serious but one annoyance after another. Frankly, I think the whole month of February stinks! Within a month’s time a pipe in our house leaked requiring a plumber’s attention, a new computer crashed during an update and we’ve attended two funerals. We have faced piles of forms and paperwork for some insurance issues and a car transaction. And since writing the first draft of this piece, the bathroom overflowed on my way out the door to work! Dreary weather and gray landscapes characterize this month. I’m sure that’s why God made February the shortest month of the year (wink, wink).

Years ago, my washing machine flooded. As I bemoaned the mess in my laundry room to my friend Janice she remarked that at least my floor got cleaned. Her words and perspective jarred me. Indeed my laundry room floor was in great need of a cleaning and the small deluge had done the job! Similarly my co-worker Andrea ordered a personalized license plate that read: AG Lining. She daily reminded herself to look for the best, a cloud’s silver lining, in rough situations and to focus on the bright side.

I noticed this bright spot in the grocery store yesterday.

Perspective, attitude and hope provide options in the daily, or in February’s case, the monthly grind. It turns out that we had a nice time catching up with our plumber friend when he came over to repair the leak. The day the computer crashed I had read a quote about 90% attitude vs. 10% circumstance and I concentrated on this as I spent the better part of a day in the MicroCenter repair department. The rain on one of those Saturdays morphed into snow and my husband and I enjoyed homemade soup by a roaring fire. And as is always the case, funerals bring neighbors and family together in meaningful and compassionate ways. The bright side shines.

We find February-type discouragement frequently in Scripture. For example, David the Psalm writer, shepherd boy, and king, wrote a lot about his doubts and despair. In Psalm 73 David lists the inequities he observed, calling them “oppressive.” Then he described the comfort he experienced when he “entered the sanctuary of God.” David found hope and regained perspective by spending time with God and I believe uplifting fellowship with right-thinking people may be suggested here too. Jesus needed this same encouragement to face His earthly challenges. He retreated to quiet places to commune with His Heavenly Father (Mark 1:35) and he walked daily with a group of twelve committed partners.

If February had you down, thank God that it is over! Whatever month it is, we always need God’s perspective on life and its little and big annoyances. Reading God’s words gives guidance and assurance, and spending time with others who also love His words will encourage you and keep you from succumbing to despair.