April 18, 2014

It's Friday and I am Glad

April 18, 2014

The weeks are flying by faster than ever.  This week seemed to be short a day or two.  I was up a little early, but not much.  I  did not try to go to the gym.  Besides losing weight, the main thing I am trying to do is strengthen my arm where I broke the elbow.  I can tell it is already helping, and I plan for right now to at least go to the gym every other day, not every day.

My morning routine was pretty standard: time on the computer, time in the yard, and a little time at the sewing machine, before going to the office.  Shortly after I got to the office our grandson arrived to help out for a while.  I had stuff lined up for him today.  A few days ago I decided I wanted some items from the warehouse moved closer to the front of the warehouse, just outside my office door.  That way when I need to get them during the day it will be quicker and easier.

Our grandson got to move a lot of merchandise and Ron worked with him some.  Ron was out on a job for a while and while he was gone, I had our grandson place a lunch order for us.  He has gotten very good at doing that on the phone.  Since I don't use the phone unless I have to, he has taken over that chore when he can.  In the beginning he was not too eager to do it but he did a great job today and sounded so confident. We did some restocking and cleaning.  We enjoyed our time visiting. 

After our lunch, the mailman came and brought a check I had been waiting for so I took it to the bank.  On the way, I passed Sacred Heart Catholic Church downtown and it was surrounded by a crowd and Police motorcycles with patrolmen directing traffic. 

As I sat at the light I realized they were doing a re-enactment for Easter - probably of Christ carrying the cross surrounded by Roman guards.  As I watched the crowd, I thought of how I might have reacted that day when Christ was carrying His cross, heading to Calvary to die for my sins.  As a by-stander in the crowd, how would I have reacted?

I saw many people who seemed to have come for the event and a few who like me, just happened to be passing by at that time, wondering what was going on. 

My friend AJ posted this today on Facebook:  "I’m sharing this story because of the devotional our choir director, Craig Smith, gave us on Wednesday this week. He talked about how every child knows "That Look" that their parents master.  It [the devotional] was based on Luke 22:61-62, when Peter denies Christ for the third time. It says, “The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, ‘Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times. And he went out and wept bitterly.’” Craig made the point that we will probably never know what kind of “Look” Christ gave Peter: “I told you so”; accusatory; regret; disappointment; judgment; pain… But after that look, Peter certainly was in pain as well. And while we all have known the pain of disappointing a loved one... I believe Christ had the look of “I still love you, Peter,” in his eyes."  I commented on AJ's writing that I thought that look that Christ gave Peter was one of unconditional love.  The guilt that Peter felt was so fresh and raw, and when Christ looked at him with love, he was overwhelmed with his own unworthiness.

Christ is that way.  He loves us with an everlasting love.  Nothing we can do will make Him not love us.  People sometimes say or think that their sin is too great for God to love them.  God loves each of us and went to the cross on Calvary to die for our sins - as He did for Peter's sins.  But we must repent of those sins and accept what Christ did for us on the cross and accept Him as our Lord and Savior.  It is the only path to Heaven and an eternal relationship with the Lord.  Easter is a perfect time to "get right with God".  That is what Easter is all about.  

At Easter there are many festivities aside from the ones taking place in churches across the land.  There are Easter egg hunts, picnics, family gatherings, and many wonderful activities.  We will be going to a picnic Sunday afternoon that includes an egg hunt and even a pinata.  These are all good, fun activities, but the most important part of Easter is what Christ did on the cross to pay for my sins.  I hope your Easter celebrations include time with the Lord.

Back to my day.  I returned to the office and shortly after that our grandson left to go help the choir director (mentioned in AJ's writing) prepare for the Easter Sunday service.  I spent the rest of the afternoon working on designing the graduation invitations for our son Stephen's graduation next month when he will receive his Masters of Divinity degree from Criswell College.  He finished his classes in December, but graduation ceremonies are held once a year, in May.  I have sent him a copy of the invitation to approve.

As we often do on Friday evenings, we met friends for supper.  The room where we sat was a little noisy, but I did OK hearing my friend.  After supper we stood outside and talked for a while and I heard better out there than inside the restaurant.  

From there we came home and I was able to spend time talking to our youngest son on the phone.  He will be moving at the end of the month to another apartment.  Our son has had a roommate, but the roommate needed to move and their lease is up this month, so our son needed to find an apartment he could afford alone.  Both he and the other young man have a lot of packing to do. Our oldest son called briefly.  What a joy to talk to my kids.