Life At The Well

The day after Easter seems like an appropriate time to start something new, so here I go venturing into the blogosphere. It seems both a little pretentiouos and a lot overwhelming to try and explain why I feel driven to begin this exercise, but be that as it may ... I still am compelled to press on.

As if on cue, the rains came last night and baptized the earth -- and all is fresh and clean and alive. I love that feeling! Being saturated in the liturgy of resurrection this weekend has had profound effects on me -- my smile comes easily, and my tears do as well. Like Mary Magdalene, yesterday I heard Jesus call my name. While His voice was not audible - my heart heard and the only response I am capable of is to worship in wonder and gratitude.

My very-soon-to-be 6 year old taught me something about gratitude last night. She has had her heart set on a pet bunny for months, and yesterday delivered. Twice, in fact. But with so much activity swirling around church yesterday and that followed by the hour and half journey to Grandma's (and a rest-of-the-day visit) --- my little one had a grand total of about 20 minutes to play with her new pets. Late last night, as she lay down to finally go to sleep, she said "I can't wait for tomorrow." My wife reminded her that tomorrow was a school day. "I know," she replied. "But I am going to get to tell all my friends that I have two bunnies."

How little she needed to be overwhelmed with joy and thanks! I am reminded that too many times I allow my thanks and joy to be dependent upon "other stuff." My ever-growing list of books to buy... the plethora of tasks I am to complete... the numerous items to be scratched off the to-do list ... all clamor for my attention as a prelude to "resting" in my blessings. How shallow! The Lenten conviction that I had to simply my life has been carried past -- or maybe through -- the resurrection. The Living One so fills my senses this morning that shuffling priorities and deleting some 'things' from my screen seems not only possible ... but preferable. That is for me this year, the power of Easter. The ability and opportunity to be present at Jesus' re-creation of me. How amazing that through the remembrance, celebration, meditation and participation in the passion, death and finally .. gloriously .. the resurection of Christ ... I can recognize that a change has been wrought. From that beginning, I choose to live with and follow Him, as He continues to form me through and by His life.

In discussing the resuurection, Walter Brueggemann writes:

"[Jesus] manages to invert definitions so that what the world had thought was the way to death is the celebrative gift of life and what the world calls life He showed to be deathly existence." (The Bible Makes Sense p.86)

I am vulnerable to buying into the notion that busyness translates into importance. And I struggle with not letting my "stuff" make me the servant rather than the master. But tonight ... I think I'm going to throw a few things away. Call it an offering if you want. Then I'm going to ask my daughter if I can join her under the apple tree .. and play with some bunnies.

Peace,
Harry