Tomorrow is Good Friday for the Christian world. My guess is that it’s just another day for the rest of humanity. That’s not a condemnation of that segment of the human race…it’s just the way it is. But for those of us who profess, in some way, Christian beliefs, tomorrow is second only to the Sunday following Good Friday in importance.
You see, all of the Christian faith hinges on the belief that Jesus died a certain death at the hands of the Romans, and by the power of God was resurrected from the grave. Without the death and resurrection of Jesus, who is, we believe, the Christ of God, Christianity would be just another religion.
However, Christianity is singularly unique among the world’s major religions in that its crux is the death and resurrection of a man who is not that only, but also is fully God on earth. Just the thought of the truth of that founding principle is astounding, and to wrap one’s mind around it fully is impossible for the mortal. To truly believe it is indeed an act of faith supported by the evidence of the changed lives of those who personally knew him, the written words of some of those same people along with others of that time attesting to the truth of the claim, the archeology of the Holy Land and key finds, and the simple, yet profound logic of the premise itself.
And the age-old question still must be answered by all who breathe…”What will you do with Jesus?” Will you think him a bald-faced liar who’s claim to be God is a pipe dream? Will you laugh him off as a crazy man who didn’t know what he was saying when he made those claims of divinity? Or will you believe him to be what he says he is?
There are no other options. You cannot state that he was a good man and teacher, but only a human. If you do that, you ignore his bald-faced claims to be divine…good men and good teachers don’t lie. You cannot state that he never existed, because there is too much secular evidence to the contrary. Nor can you truthfully say that he was the greatest perpetrator of fraud of his time. The evidence just won’t allow that.
So where do we go from here? Back to the question. “What will you do with Jesus?” You have to make a decision. Even if you ignore him, you’ve made a decision. I challenge you to look at the evidence. Look at the facts. Make up your own mind as clearly and in as much of an unbiased manner as you can muster. Millions of honest, intelligent people have done just that. And they have found something that for them is their reason for living and their hope for all eternity. What about you?
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Saturday, April 09, 2011
Today
I’m sitting here at the computer desk on Saturday morning with an empty coffee cup (just a sec…I’m gonna fill it), the washer and dryer going, music from channel 940 on digital cable (Classical Masterpieces) on the stereo (does saying “stereo” date me to the 1960’s?), having cleaned up from last night’s birthday bash for my niece (it really was in pretty good shape…just needed some touching up), and no one on FB or Messenger (at least no one I care to interact with right now).
I sent off an email this morning to my insurance agent asking about the 18% increase in our homeowners insurance and am THINKING about going outside to do some lawn and yard work so desperately needed.
Oh, and I have the ruglets (I don’t know what you call those little carpets in the bathrooms on the floors in front of the toilet/shower) picked up and ready to go in the washer…and am washing the bed linens as well, including the blanket.
Am I a busy boy, or what? Probably more like “or what”. I need to work on my Sunday school lesson for tomorrow and would like to peruse the hardware store for one of those little tillers that are good for small areas. And I’d like to clean out the garage and cut down the dead pampas grass out by the fish pond. Before you say it, I’ll say it; “I’ll let you know how this all works out for me.”
We had some storms rumble by us last night, but they didn’t drop any rain. So I’m also watering part of my yard that looks especially parched. Yes, we have a sprinkler system and yes, it seems to work fine, but I think that area has some very tough soil and it gets dry rather quickly there. I will make adjustments to my sprinklers later on when it’s warmer, because one always gets soaked when doing that.
We’re looking forward to summer and a little slower pace. The wife doesn’t have as much going on in her work and that’s going to be a nice thing. We plan to go to our family reunion in Kentucky this summer and we also plan to help our church teen group with one or possibly two trips to other communities to help with VBS. One will be in Minnesota and the other in Colorado.
All in all, much to look forward to, both today and in the future. God is good. His mercy endures forever.
I sent off an email this morning to my insurance agent asking about the 18% increase in our homeowners insurance and am THINKING about going outside to do some lawn and yard work so desperately needed.
Oh, and I have the ruglets (I don’t know what you call those little carpets in the bathrooms on the floors in front of the toilet/shower) picked up and ready to go in the washer…and am washing the bed linens as well, including the blanket.
Am I a busy boy, or what? Probably more like “or what”. I need to work on my Sunday school lesson for tomorrow and would like to peruse the hardware store for one of those little tillers that are good for small areas. And I’d like to clean out the garage and cut down the dead pampas grass out by the fish pond. Before you say it, I’ll say it; “I’ll let you know how this all works out for me.”
We had some storms rumble by us last night, but they didn’t drop any rain. So I’m also watering part of my yard that looks especially parched. Yes, we have a sprinkler system and yes, it seems to work fine, but I think that area has some very tough soil and it gets dry rather quickly there. I will make adjustments to my sprinklers later on when it’s warmer, because one always gets soaked when doing that.
We’re looking forward to summer and a little slower pace. The wife doesn’t have as much going on in her work and that’s going to be a nice thing. We plan to go to our family reunion in Kentucky this summer and we also plan to help our church teen group with one or possibly two trips to other communities to help with VBS. One will be in Minnesota and the other in Colorado.
All in all, much to look forward to, both today and in the future. God is good. His mercy endures forever.
Monday, April 04, 2011
We Are Who We Are
It’s interesting to me to see the dynamics of families where I work. I know that most families are (and have been) under stress when they arrive and as they work with their loved one who is there for recovery of some kind. Different people tend to deal with that stress in different ways.
Some work very hard, going beyond what is asked of them regarding exercise, strengthening, conditioning, etc. It’s as if they are saying, “If a little does some good, then a lot will do a lot of good.” These people are relatively small in number, however.
Other residents and families are in some kind of denial. They don’t like to (or refuse to) take part in therapies, question why they are there, and generally are uncooperative. What they don’t always realize is that their insurance will not continue to pay for them to be there if they refuse properly-ordered therapies.
Some residents and families are angry at the world. Everyone is out to get them, and they appear to be alone against all odds. These people struggle mightily, and expend a lot of time and energy in behaviors that are unproductive at best.
There are those who are the manipulative ones. They play one staffer against another or one medical provider against another. They stir up other families and residents with half-truths. And they work the system as much and as long as they can.
And then there are those residents and families who take their situation in relative stride. Or at least they appear to do so. They are mostly cooperative, and seldom gripe or complain. These are the compliant ones and usually cause the least issues.
Come to think of it, as I look at the above, that’s a good description of humanity, isn’t it. Whether we’re in a job situation, a medical crisis, have a family problem, or are in some other environment, these emotions and behaviors tend to come forward and have to be dealt with by the others who are involved. And we all at times exhibit these behaviors in some way, shape, or form as we hurtle through life and living.
People are people. Being human is being human. And although some of the behaviors I’ve listed above are not good, and although we constantly try to eliminate these behaviors from our lives, it is comforting in a way to know that the human race is still human…we are who we are.
Some work very hard, going beyond what is asked of them regarding exercise, strengthening, conditioning, etc. It’s as if they are saying, “If a little does some good, then a lot will do a lot of good.” These people are relatively small in number, however.
Other residents and families are in some kind of denial. They don’t like to (or refuse to) take part in therapies, question why they are there, and generally are uncooperative. What they don’t always realize is that their insurance will not continue to pay for them to be there if they refuse properly-ordered therapies.
Some residents and families are angry at the world. Everyone is out to get them, and they appear to be alone against all odds. These people struggle mightily, and expend a lot of time and energy in behaviors that are unproductive at best.
There are those who are the manipulative ones. They play one staffer against another or one medical provider against another. They stir up other families and residents with half-truths. And they work the system as much and as long as they can.
And then there are those residents and families who take their situation in relative stride. Or at least they appear to do so. They are mostly cooperative, and seldom gripe or complain. These are the compliant ones and usually cause the least issues.
Come to think of it, as I look at the above, that’s a good description of humanity, isn’t it. Whether we’re in a job situation, a medical crisis, have a family problem, or are in some other environment, these emotions and behaviors tend to come forward and have to be dealt with by the others who are involved. And we all at times exhibit these behaviors in some way, shape, or form as we hurtle through life and living.
People are people. Being human is being human. And although some of the behaviors I’ve listed above are not good, and although we constantly try to eliminate these behaviors from our lives, it is comforting in a way to know that the human race is still human…we are who we are.
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