From the bench?

04.05.21 –Christ Is Risen! – Matthew 28:1-10

My friend, may I ask you a question? I guess when you come down to it, however, is it how we approach Easter in body as much as in spirit that counts?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

I woke up last year on Easter Sunday with an awful cold. I dragged myself from bed but was so preoccupied with my box of Kleenex® I even forgot my usual habit of listening to the Messiah and turning up the volume a bit. Finally, when it was obvious that, despite being dressed and ready to go, I just wasn’t going to be able to make it to Easter services, Holly called a time-out and pointed to the bench. There would be no "Hark The Glad Sound" or "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" for me that day. The rest of the family would go to church and Easter dinner without Dad. Ham and turkey would be chicken noodle soup for me. My company would be the dogs, my box of Kleenex® and a good book.

I guess when you come down to it, however, it isn't how we approach Easter in body as much as in spirit that counts.

Author Joe LoMusia writes: "If I were to ask you to describe Easter with only punctuation marks, which punctuation would you choose to describe Easter? Maybe it's is a comma for you. It makes you stop, pause, think, and listen, but that's about it. Perhaps today is a downer–a big bold period. You thought you'd feel excited, but instead it seems to be more like empty ritual. How about 2,000 years ago? It was Sunday and life felt like a period–for Jesus' disciples. He was dead, an end to expectations. But wait–news of an empty tomb! The period is no longer a period; it's a question mark. That's worse than a period. Now they're beginning to doubt. Where is He? An angel speaks, 'Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen.’ Of course they remembered! The periods are gone. The question marks are removed. There is one massive exclamation point! That's what Easter is all about; an exclamation of gratitude and of praise no matter how we feel or what the circumstances." (Joe LoMusia)

Celebrating Easter with a bad head cold is no picnic; celebrating it with a heartache is worse. Can you imagine how the women who went to the tomb on that Easter morning must have felt? They looked for Christ among the dead, but could not find Him. Then the angel asked them "Why seek the living among the dead?" A good question! Why do we seek the living among the dead? Why do we choose to look for the happiness we feel we so badly need in this life among the dead landscape of sin? Easter dinner and the companionship of family and friends is something each of us should long for. But, dinner and family, even worship, isn't Christ; reflections, yes, but not Him. The Jesus we seek is NOT here; He's in heaven preparing a place for us. If you find yourself sitting on the bench these days, not "in the game," remember this: The happiness you seek isn't here but in heaven. No "time out" can ever take that away from you.

We pray. Heavenly Father, why do we seek the living among the dead? Why do we choose to look for the happiness we feel we so badly need in this life among the dead landscape of sin? Easter dinner and the companionship of family and friends is something each of us should long for. But, dinner and family, even worship, isn't Christ; reflections, yes, but not Him. The Jesus we seek is NOT here; He's in Heaven preparing a place for us. Lord, forgive us when we forget that the happiness we seek isn't here but in heaven. That is where it always will be for a Christian; it can be no other way. That’s where Jesus is. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmai.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.

From the bench?

04.05.21 –Christ Is Risen! – Matthew 28:1-10

My friend, may I ask you a question? I guess when you come down to it, however, is it how we approach Easter in body as much as in spirit that counts?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

I woke up last year on Easter Sunday with an awful cold. I dragged myself from bed but was so preoccupied with my box of Kleenex® I even forgot my usual habit of listening to the Messiah and turning up the volume a bit. Finally, when it was obvious that, despite being dressed and ready to go, I just wasn’t going to be able to make it to Easter services, Holly called a time-out and pointed to the bench. There would be no "Hark The Glad Sound" or "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" for me that day. The rest of the family would go to church and Easter dinner without Dad. Ham and turkey would be chicken noodle soup for me. My company would be the dogs, my box of Kleenex® and a good book.

I guess when you come down to it, however, it isn't how we approach Easter in body as much as in spirit that counts.

Author Joe LoMusia writes: "If I were to ask you to describe Easter with only punctuation marks, which punctuation would you choose to describe Easter? Maybe it's is a comma for you. It makes you stop, pause, think, and listen, but that's about it. Perhaps today is a downer–a big bold period. You thought you'd feel excited, but instead it seems to be more like empty ritual. How about 2,000 years ago? It was Sunday and life felt like a period–for Jesus' disciples. He was dead, an end to expectations. But wait–news of an empty tomb! The period is no longer a period; it's a question mark. That's worse than a period. Now they're beginning to doubt. Where is He? An angel speaks, 'Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen.’ Of course they remembered! The periods are gone. The question marks are removed. There is one massive exclamation point! That's what Easter is all about; an exclamation of gratitude and of praise no matter how we feel or what the circumstances." (Joe LoMusia)

Celebrating Easter with a bad head cold is no picnic; celebrating it with a heartache is worse. Can you imagine how the women who went to the tomb on that Easter morning must have felt? They looked for Christ among the dead, but could not find Him. Then the angel asked them "Why seek the living among the dead?" A good question! Why do we seek the living among the dead? Why do we choose to look for the happiness we feel we so badly need in this life among the dead landscape of sin? Easter dinner and the companionship of family and friends is something each of us should long for. But, dinner and family, even worship, isn't Christ; reflections, yes, but not Him. The Jesus we seek is NOT here; He's in heaven preparing a place for us. If you find yourself sitting on the bench these days, not "in the game," remember this: The happiness you seek isn't here but in heaven. No "time out" can ever take that away from you.

We pray. Heavenly Father, why do we seek the living among the dead? Why do we choose to look for the happiness we feel we so badly need in this life among the dead landscape of sin? Easter dinner and the companionship of family and friends is something each of us should long for. But, dinner and family, even worship, isn't Christ; reflections, yes, but not Him. The Jesus we seek is NOT here; He's in Heaven preparing a place for us. Lord, forgive us when we forget that the happiness we seek isn't here but in heaven. That is where it always will be for a Christian; it can be no other way. That’s where Jesus is. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmai.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.