Saturday, April 01, 2006

Spring is here

I am thankful I live in a place that has four seasons. I really love all of the seasons. Everytime a new season begins, I think, this is my favorite season. I think I have finally realized that the seasons so reflect the way I view this journey.

This week started with news of two deaths. One person I only knew from reading his blog, a young man, a father, a church planter, a husband that has lived through losing his first wife to cancer and now losing his own battle with cancer. The other, an older man, my god-father, he was 82 and died unexpectantly and suddenly. He was in great health, still worked 5 days a week...

Death, sadness, despair...then I wake up and it is spring...there is something about coming out of the literal season of winter, death, and waking up and it is spring that reminds me of the story I live in...that there are seasons...that out of death will come new life, that in our relationships and in times of death and despair there is joy in the morning, in the spring, when new life appears...

As I approach the end of the lenten season and follow Jesus as he turns his face toward Jerusalem, death, despair I also have an inner joy that says, I know that's not the end of the story...there is new life, what all that encompasses I have no idea...that's why I follow Jesus, why I want to learn from him...that someday...when all things are put to right...I will see clearly what it all means...but now...mourning and joy...they go hand in hand