There is no ground but holy ground. There is no time but sacred time. In Colossians 3:1216 we read: “ 12 Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body, you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. 16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.”

Losing a loved one not only shatters our whole existence but often leaves us with a ton of questions we want answered. Number one on the list is WHY.

Spring springs forth with a multitude of God’s creation. The trees burst upward and their buds fill each branch. Many varieties of flowers explode into bright rainbows of fragrant beauty. Our lawns turn from a dead brown to a thriving blanket of green. People begin to leave the comforts of home for days to delight in the tranquil peace among God’s amazing and incredible creation.

Many of you have heard the expression: “This church, or that church, is dead!” I want you to know that my prayer—my second greatest desire—right after seeking God’s will in my life, is to pastor a dead church! “Yes. You read that right. I want to pastor a dead and dying church!” If honest, every truly committed Christian would say, “I want to be a member of a dead church.”

It’s the third day since Jesus died by crucifixion, on a cross, like a murdering thief. Buried in a borrowed tomb. It’s the third day. But we are not in Jerusalem or gathered in the Garden of Gethsemane. We do not find the disciples gathered in the upper room for a Sunrise surprise party, there are no banners plastered with gigantic red letters that read, “Welcome back Jesus.”

How can we obtain badly needed rest and sleep when mourning the death of a loved one? The shock of the death sends our physiology into overdrive. Our normal routines are changed. We stay up late, eat little or nothing, and often have to deal with a variety of emotions, especially depression.

I read this again the other day. “I will NEVER quit fighting to win against the enemy in my life. After all my bullets are gone from shooting my gun, then I’ll throw that blasted thing at ‘em. When that doesn’t work, then I’ll use my body to punch, kick and bite my way to freedom. And if I still haven’t won when all my teeth are knocked out in the fight, then I’ll try to gum him to death. BUT I WILL NEVER GIVE UP THE FIGHT!”

Palm Sunday: April 2 nd is the beginning of Holy Week during 2023. It is a time we reflect on the journey into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey by Jesus the Christ. We don’t spend much time thinking about the donkey, but here’s what we know: The donkey was available, he was willing, he had been saved for just this task, and he was ready for the task at hand. If a donkey could do it— what about you and me? Are you available and willing? Are you ready for the task that is at hand? Are you ready to do God’s will in your life?

I get much enjoyment out of watching my one-year old striped gray tabby cat chase the leaves during the fall and winter weather. When we first got him last spring, he chased anything that moved, and learned to catch grasshoppers (and eat them....good protein!), and chase strings, twigs and grass. When fall arrived and the wind blew everything all over the yard, Bucky not only chased leaves, he brought them back to us as if they were his 'kill'. He actually did kill a young snake and several small bugs. During the winter, he jumped up to catch snowflakes. But, the mice we wanted him to catch and dispose of were a problem. He caught the mouse and played with it, so eventually the mouse ran away.

When I was growing up in Church, I was taught that I shouldn't 'dance, drink, curse or go with girls who do!' But in adulthood one of the most important lessons we learn in life is ‘life's a dance'. Sometimes we lead,and sometimes we follow. When we lead, we learn to be gentle, yet firm with a pure heart. When we follow, we do so with complete trust. It is amazing each one of us is involved in many different dances at any one particular point in time: we are the leader in some and the follower in others! Some dances are slow and majestic, others are crazy and frenetic, while still others are somewhere in between.