Remembering

There will be times of remembering going on this weekend. Some will gather in New York City, some in Washington DC, and still others in rural Pennsylvania. Some will be gathered around a TV and some even coming together in a particular place. All to remember an event that happened twenty years ago.

There will also be another time of remembering going on this weekend. It will be in buildings all around the world. Some could be around the TV, some will be with a family or a few families gathered together in a home. All will be remembering an event that happened not twenty years ago, but over two thousand years ago.

But what does that remembering mean? To those that have a vested interest in what happened, it means a lot. If they are remembering the loss of a friend or a family member, it means a lot. However, to a vast majority that remembers it is about something that happened to them. Their country was attacked. Individuals lost their lives in the attack and those images will stick with them forever. Yes, it will be remembered.

The other solemn remembrance isn’t about a country or a nation, but a kingdom. It’s a memorial to One from Heaven who came to walk on this earth, One who was righteous and sinless in every way, One who could have walked away, could have called angels from Heaven, could have ended the pain. . .but didn’t. There was a kingdom to establish.

With one event, our country closed down. Air travel was shut down for several days. As we did begin to fly again, things were more restrictive. Think about when you used to say your goodbyes as you would walk the traveler down to where they actually got on the plane. Or you could meet them right as they exited the doorway after they deplaned. Now we say our goodbyes at the curb as the door closes and the car drives off. Things changed and we are more closed off.

The other event brought just the opposite. With it, came an opening. It all started with the temple curtain being torn from top to bottom when Jesus died. Get that? From the top down. It was torn not from the earth, but the heavens. Not by man, but for man. The way was now open to all, not restricted to the religious leader who had to go before God on man’s behalf. Anyone, everyone was welcomed into the presence of God. We should never attempt to close up the opening created by a torn curtain that hung between man and the most holy place of the temple where God resided.

So when you are remembering this weekend, don’t forget to remember what life is all about. Life is fragile. We never know when an event is going to end our life on this earth, but life is also eternal—when we do die, Jesus made a way for us to enter the presence of God.

Taking time to remember,

Randy

FIRST DAY

Each year on the first day of school there was a photo taken on the front porch. Books in hand, kids wearing brand new clothes ready to take on a new year. I don’t remember much past that and probably wouldn’t even have remembered this one year if it wasn’t for photos. There I stood in my wide blue and white vertical striped pants. Every year we got a couple of pairs of new pants, some new shirts, and the best ones were picked out for the first day of school. Yeah, looking back at that picture, those were the best? Oooh!

Each year the styles would change, but one thing wouldn’t; the picture. Every year we would stand on that front porch and mom would snap a picture. First with black and white film, then the color film came along. I’m not sure if I liked the pictures each year or not, but that was the tradition. And now, I am kinda glad for that tradition, well at least for the pictures that were taken. I’m still not sure about those pants though. The fall, along with the New Year, seems to be the time of year that traditions are started or restarted as both seem to indicate a new beginning as we go through life.

What traditions does your family have? New clothes? Maybe sending the kids off to school the first day with that traditional first day of school breakfast? Maybe it includes a picture of the kids excited to be going back to school or maybe a little annoyed that they have to pose for a picture? At least it isn’t in front of everyone as mine was. One of the drawbacks of living right across from the school was everyone who went by saw us on the porch. But hey, it was tradition.

In the past couple of years, I have started a new tradition around going back to school. Yes, my daughter is all grown up and married but she still goes back to school each fall, now as a teacher. The new tradition involves breakfast and my daughter. We go out for breakfast a few days before the start of her school year and we pray. Breakfast is good, the company is better, and the prayer is best. Traditions seem to connect us to the past and keep us grounded as we go forward. Make sure that God is a part of that tradition. Take the time to pray the morning before heading off to the new school year, or maybe the night before. Keep that tradition up if you already have it, or start it this year. Then follow it up with a family prayer time each week, as your kids progress through the school year. The foundation you lay today will hold your children’s spiritual lives up for life.

Keeping the Tradition,

Randy

JUST A GLIMPSE

I had a glimpse of Heaven this past Sunday. I hadn’t anticipated it, but it just happened. A few weeks ago Brad, my best friend in High School, mentioned that he had caught some of my lessons online and thought about coming up and catching one live. This past Sunday Beth, his wife, had a Sunday off on a week that corresponded with Brad not needing to be in the sound booth where they attend, so they drove over from Jackson for our service. I know some of you were able to meet them.

Afterward, rather than going out to eat, we invited them over for lunch. Going out is great, but it is harder to visit and it isn’t as comfortable as having someone in your home. They came over and after meeting Ladybug, we had a nice meal together as we visited. And though I hadn’t anticipated it, that is where this glimpse of Heaven started.

We finished eating around 1:00 pm and then suddenly, it was almost 8:00 pm. We had sat there and talked for almost seven hours (hmm, an interesting number of hours). I probably did, but I don’t remember looking down at my watch once during that time. In other words, there was not the usual awareness of time that usually accompanies almost everything I do. Time had just flown by and as it started to turn from evening into night, we said a prayer and they drove off toward their home.

What was interesting were those seven hours. The four of us would be talking at times. At other times Brad and I would be reminiscing about this or that from high school or the years we worked together at Michigan International Speedway. Holly and Beth were involved in their own conversation about, I don’t know, because I was so involved with my own. Now and then the four of us would all be talking together about life, kids, or grandkids. Then again conversation would slide back to Brad and I talking as Holly and Beth carried on their own conversation.

But there was one other aspect of this that wove itself through these conversations. It didn’t matter if it was just two of us talking or the group of four. Discussion surrounding Whose we are was the most prominent aspect of the conversation--talking about how great our Heavenly Father is, what He had done in our lives, and different aspects of His word that He inspired men to record for us almost 2000 years ago. The conversation kept returning to our Heavenly Father.

Now, how was this a glimpse of Heaven? We were with others that loved God and time was, well, nonexistent. Seven hours had passed as we talked about the greatness of our Heavenly Father. We talked about struggles and overcoming them. We shared together not only who we were but also Whose we were.

And isn’t that what Heaven will be like, talking about things that are of a spiritual, non-earthly nature as time has no hold on us. I hope you will get some of these glimpses of Heaven on earth, as we look forward to the conversations that will be one day be timeless!

Grateful for the Glimpse,

Randy