thoughts on the news of the day: Easter

hmmm…..

            It’s the day before Easter and the forecast is for rain today and rain tomorrow.  Dark and gloomy is the way it looks outside my window right now and it reminds me of Easter’s past.  When I was growing up, we always celebrated Easter in a big way.  We woke up early to Easter baskets and eggs hidden throughout the house.  Then we had a lovely breakfast with Grandma’s iced Easter breads in full array.   We put on our new Easter dresses and Easter hats and went to church.  After the services, we came home to a big feast of ham and all the goodies that go with it. 

            And then came the highlight of the whole day.  We had a huge Easter egg hunt in our back yard.  Usually we had guests, so there was a fairly large crowd of hunters and a fairly large haul of decorated hardboiled eggs and those awful marshmallow ones – the sweeter than sweet ones. 

            But if it rained, it would ruin everything.  No pictures outside with baskets and Easter outfits, and worst of all, no big Easter egg hunt.  I remember sitting at our living room picture window watching the rain pour down (as it is right now) and feeling forlorn and lost because there would be no egg hunt.  We tried hiding the eggs inside, but it just wasn’t the same.  Easter was spoiled and there was nothing we could do about it.

            Today, I have outgrown the need for Easter egg hunts, but I still wish it wouldn’t rain.  Tomorrow we have a sunrise service planned in our church courtyard.  It is beautiful this time of year, and it’s perfect for an outdoor service – weather permitting.

            One thing for sure, though, rain or shine, the reason we celebrate Easter – the renewal of new life in Christ – will happen.  And that’s reason enough to celebrate!

            hmmm….. 

thoughts on the news of the day: earth day

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            Today marks the anniversary of Earth Day.  It began in 1970 when 20 million people participated all across the United States.  A Billion Acts of Green is the theme this year and chances are that a billion or more people will participate in an Earth Day event somewhere on the planet. 

            I remember my first year to celebrate Earth Day.  I had been in New York City and it was still cold, dreary and gray there.  But I flew out of La Guardia and moved south towards Dallas.  As we circled Love Field, I will never forget seeing the fresh green of the trees and grass as we landed softly on the runway.  Even though I wasn’t very religious at that time of my life, I said a quick prayer of gratitude for new life and the beauty of Mother Earth on that lovely spring day.

            Today is also Good Friday; a day when in many ways, the world ends and a new one begins.  We acknowledge the death of Jesus Christ and await his resurrection which happens in three days.  I suppose that something has to die in order for something to be born.  A seed has to be destroyed in order for a flower to grow.  The safe haven in the womb of its mother has to be birthed in order for a new baby to be born.  And Jesus had to die in order that we may all live.

            So, today is a good day to mourn, a good day to be grateful, and a good day to live.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: good company

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            I received an email this morning that read: “i have been with me all day.  i have not been good company.”  Do you ever have days like that when, wherever you go, there you are?  It’s like we find ourselves having a bad day, but have no one to blame but ourselves. 

            It’s easy to fill our days with busyness and other people.  Most of us lead pretty hectic lives, so that is not much of a problem.  But taking the time to go inward and really spend time just with ourselves is not so easy.

            Today marks the beginning of the Passion story of Jesus Christ.  It is traditionally the day that Jesus shared his last meal with his disciples and the day he predicted that he would be betrayed.  So, today is also a good day to begin to spend some time in quiet meditation about what our lives are like and how we would like them to be.  Being with ourselves for a while can be dangerous – sometimes we are not good company -  we aren’t especially kind to ourselves.  And when we are already lonely, it can be almost painful.

            That’s the time to remember that really, we are never alone.  Our Spirit is always there to guide us, direct us and share with us whatever is causing us discomfort or pain.  So take some time today to spend with that divine spirit that resides in each of us.  Be with yourself – be in good company.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: oil spill

hmmm…..

            Today marks the one year anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion.  Eleven men were killed and oil spewed out for months as the BP oil company struggled to contain the well.  An oily mess covered the Gulf coast and the remains are still evident on the southern shores of our great country.  My guess is that it will probably be years before it is all cleaned up.  And the ecosystem of the Gulf may never be the same. 

            What is the ethical duty of those responsible to clean up the spill?  That question has dominated the news throughout this ordeal; and folks weigh in on many sides of the issue.   What we as a country and as a world community require of the companies is one side of the coin.  But what does God require of them?

            Today in our Wednesday Morning Bible Study, we are looking at the Old Testament Prophet Micah.  He asks that question, “What does the Lord require of you?” And the answer comes back:  “To seek justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with our God.”  Wonder what would happen if big business followed these simple guidelines.  If they sought justice and fairness for all concerned, if they treated those who suffered the loss of so much with kindness and if they walked humbly, honestly acknowledging their part in the mess, would a year out from the spill look like it does today?  I wonder ….

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: last supper

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            Does the date of the Last Supper matter?  In Matthew, Mark and Luke’s gospels, it coincides with the Jewish feast of Passover.  In John’s gospel, it takes place a day earlier.  Professor Colin Humphreys, who is a scientist at the University of Cambridge, says that it is all due to a calendar mix-up and claims that a case can finally be made for a fixed date for Easter. It’s a complicated formula, but when it’s all said and done, Humphreys says that there were two calendars in use at the time of Jesus’ death and this essentially accounts for the difference in time.

            We have lots of these inconsistencies in the Bible.  But I have to ask the question, does it really matter?  Does it make us doubt the gospel as a whole because there are two different dates for Jesus’ last meal with his followers? 

            The part of the Last Supper that is important for me is the meal shared together.  Jesus took the unleavened bread in his hands and he blessed it and he lifted it up and he broke it into pieces.  He said to those gathered around the table, this is just plain old bread, but it has become sacred because we share it together around a table.  Remember me when you break bread together.

            This time of year, I want to remember especially the life story of Jesus.  I want to remember his healing touch, his gentle spirit, his way with people.  I want to remember that he loved everyone.  But most of all I want to be like him: giving, serving, dying to self, and rising again. 

            hmmm….. 

thoughts on the news of the day: roads

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            My internet home page lists a story today about the worst roads in the USA.  Not surprisingly, Arkansas was ranked in the top five.  Anyone who has driven in our beautiful state knows about steep, curvy, mountain roads with no shoulders.  Driving at night in the mountains is especially dangerous because the deer population has gotten so far out of hand. 

            Recently I rode with a friend to Clarksville, AR from Yellville, AR.  We took a narrow, crooked road numbered Hwy. 5.  Just when the roads couldn’t get any steeper or curved, we ran into a bad patch of soupy fog.  It was impossible to see more than a few feet ahead.  We held our breath as we followed a big truck up and down the mountain path, finally arriving safely at the bottom of the mountain.

             The road was beautiful, if terrifying.  But one of the most stunning and scenic passes I have ever been through run between Ft. Smith and Fayetteville.   Interstate 540 wanders through some breathtaking terrain in the Ozark Mountains and because it is an interstate highway, it cuts the driving time almost in half.  Needless to say, I much prefer that road.

            Roads remind us that we have places to go and things to do.  Sometimes those places and things are easy, but sometimes they are not.  Like the bad roads in Arkansas, our travels can lead us through winding, sometimes harrowing adventures.  But the amazing thing is that the toughest, highest mountain roads seem to have the most gorgeous views.  And when we finally get to the top, we find that they were worth it.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: palms

hmmm…..

            One of the coolest things about this time of year, I used to think when I was a kid, was Palm Sunday.  Palm Sunday was when you got to wear last year’s Easter dress and hat one last time, even though it was just a little too small.  And when we went to church, it was all decked out with greenery – mostly palms that got passed out to everyone.  We had this great parade and everyone shouted, “Hosanna!” and waved their palms. 

            This Sunday at our church was a little different -- at least for me.  First of all, the florist we ordered our palms from thought we said 7 palms instead of 7 bundles of palms.  Yes, 7 palms – for a whole church full of people.  We thought about raiding the Christian Education closet and making green construction paper palms for everyone, but there wasn’t time.  Besides, it wouldn’t be the same. 

            It turned out cool, though.  We have this great family in our congregation with 3 kids who are our regular Sunday School.  They volunteered to be the palms bearers for the entire congregation.  They marched into the sanctuary in front of  the choir waving a palm in each hand enthusiastically, and shouting, “Hosanna!, Hosanna!” at the top of their lungs.  It was perfect! I don’t think anyone else missed their palm – the kids were too good at their job!

            Sometimes things don’t turn out quite like we had planned.  Sometimes, they turn out even better!

            hmmm.....