Holy Fool

I don’t often just sit and dump my mind out here.  Mainly because, I just don’t do that period, but secondly because I often don’t want to get too touchy feely out on the internet.  It’s a bit like trying to cozy up to a bear trap (at least in my paranoid thinking) because you never know when something you have shared (or over shared) (I wonder how many parentheses are grammatically correct) will come back to bite you.

Perhaps though today I will be a bit vulnerable.

Life is hard.

I know, profound right?  “Wake me up when life isn’t hard,” is perhaps the response I would sarcastically give.

But I think they are three words that we all need to be a little bit more honest about.

When you have been hospitalized twice in a year.  That’s hard.

When you have two, or three, or more kids (and sometimes even one).  That’s hard.

When you get laid off, and either you can’t get rehired because your not qualified enough, or too qualified.  That’s hard.

When you loose a loved one, no matter how ‘good’ it is that they are at peace.  That’s hard.

When you hit 2:30 in the afternoon and you just can’t do anymore.  That’s hard.

So I want you to do something with me.  Put on your big boy (or girl) pants and repeat after me.  “Life is hard; but I am not alone.”

Next time you meet with your friends and they ask how it’s going, take a brave chance and say, “It’s been hard lately.” It may take them aback a bit, but they are going to know what you mean.  Any friend who is real with you will let you know it’s okay to say it and even might say those most comforting of words, “me too.”

So, call a spade a spade.  If it’s been a crapper of a year it’s okay to admit it.  And if you believe in God, it’s definitely okay to talk to him about it.  God’s work is healing the sick.

In closing, If I know you in any capacity, and you are interested in knowing, my life has been hard these last few months.  However, even in admitting that to you, I find the peace that comes with being honest.  It is that peace (that comes from the Lord) that I know will carry me through to the other side.

If you don’t have that assurance of peace today in your life, if it’s too hard right now, know that no matter how much you might reject even the notion of a God who deeply loves you or that you are deserving of that love, know that I firmly believe he loves you, and so do I.

Today I wrote four blessings.  These were specific blessings written for the four men I am taking a course with in seminary.  It is easy to gloss over the discipline of blessing others.  It's kind of weird in our culture to physically (or in my case virtually) embrace another, look into their lives, and speak into them the Spirit of God in blessing.  Compliments are hard to come by, but blessings are even harder.

There is power in blessing others, and in being blessed.  Not our power, but the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit.  Just as God breathed the breath of life into Adam, we continue that life-giving act today.

If you want to transform the life of another today then take them by the shoulders, look them in the eyes, and bless them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Pray God's guidance on their life, his strength in their limbs, his love on their lips, his mind in their vision.

I pray that the Lord would bless you!  That he would guide your steps, and enter into your heart in a powerful and healing way!  He is not just the Lord of our souls, but the Lord of the universe!  His power is infinite, his love is majestic, and his holiness is dumbfounding.  May you walk today knowing you are blessed and loved, unique in all creation!

O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.