Friday Night Blog, March 15, 2013

We are preparing for the most special and precious of Holidays for us Christians, at least that is what most of us remember from our childhood! What's not to like with family, chocolate, dressing up in nice clothes, and the going to church together. I am not sure of the picture I have included is an Easter picture, it could be, because it features my mom, Thelma Flowers, with a green dress, a smile, and a corsage. She is standing between my two beautiful sisters, (Mary who is smiling, and Myla who isn't!) Both of my sisters are beautiful, but only one was smiling. My brother Marty is always handsome, and also is smiling, and so is my Dad with no tie, but a suit coat on for only the third or fourth time i can remember! Marv (me), the guy on the back row, with the "Frankinstein" non- smiling face, and a skinny tie, appears to wish he were somewhere else. 

I am not really sure if there were something wrong,  I wish I could remember! What I do know is that I love my family, and I am so glad my mom and dad loved me. I wish I had appeared happier, but I am O.K. with the observation that I was at least uncomfortable, if not in pain, ha! Family and Holidays can be painful AND beautiful at the same time. Now that our Dad is gone, any picture like this one makes me wish I had been a better son… no guilt, just an observation. For my last birthday, my mom called to wish me the best. I reminded her that she is the one who was willing to give birth to a son who weighed ten pounds! Next time I see mom, she owes me a smack in the face, but probably won't collect!

As Easter gets nearer, my prayer is that we can get our focus more and more specifically on the mind of Christ, on the reason why HE was willing to invade the earth, and on what HE expects from us because of HIS victory over death. I want to finish with a verse of the Bible that is often quoted, more often ignored, but seems one that is misquoted to our shame. What verse am I talking about? Revelation 21:8, (But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”) In this verse near the last of our bibles, we find eight groupings of people for whom the Resurrection is not comforting but an eternally, and personally reminder that some will choose to reject the hope and peace of JESUS by their lifestyles, their character, and their choice. 

I wanted to give you this observation as we finished the half way mark in March, and get closer and closer to Easter Sunday! GOD, please reveal to us what we must do to know for sure that we are with YOU, and that we will be yours because of your love?