Faith

Take a Seat at the Table

“You should make something.

You should bring something

into the world

that wasn’t in the world before. 

It doesn’t matter what it is. 

It doesn’t matter if it’s a table

or a film

or gardening-

everyone should create. 

You should do something,

then sit back and say,

‘I did that.'”

~ Ricky Gervais

The Beauty in Glass

“That we find a crystal

or a poppy beautiful

means that we are less alone,

that we are more deeply inserted

into existence than

the course of a single life

would lead us to believe.”
~ John Berger

A Feeling of Abandonment 

“Here is the tragedy:

when you are the victim of depression,

not only do you feel

utterly helpless and

abandoned by the world,

you also know that very few people

can understand,

or even begin to believe,

that life can be this painful.”

~ Giles Andreae

March to the Beat of a Different Drummer

“Whether things turn out for the better

depends on what we do. 

We ought not spend our time

masterminding the future,

but recognize our marching orders:

to do the best we can

for history and the planet.”

~ Huston Smith

Don’t Be Left Hanging

“My Friends,

there is one spot on Earth

where the fear of Death,
of Sin,
and of Judgment,
need never trouble us,
the only safe spot on Earth
where the sinner can stand
              —CALVARY.”
~ Dwight L. Moody

The Pageant of Mankind 

An old friend of mine looked me dead in the eye and said, “You know, kiddo, we can only expect to live a good life to 88 or so; beyond that Life is just uncomfortable, and not really very pleasant to live.”  Walt went on to explain to me how, after all these years, he finally understood the Passion of the Christ (from Palm Sunday through Easter) being a “pageant” for mankind.  


Walt, with tears in his eyes, explained how Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, portrayed our role in this world.  Jesus was held accountable for ALL sin, the laws of the land, enduring pain and hardship, physical challenges, and more.  Even when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, the disciples couldn’t remain awake for one hour to share his fears because it wasn’t happening to them. That’s the human side of us. We tend to stand outside looking in. Hanging on the cross, Jesus is still a man… (“My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?”) with two others guilty of their crimes, one on each side—which represents Mankind again.  One robber epitomizes the people of this world, and the other embodies the people of God.  When the robber confesses his sins, he knows he is undeserving of eternal life, and yet believes that Jesus Christ truly is the Son of God.  At that moment he is forgiven and Jesus assures him, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”  That’s all Jesus asks of us:  Believe in Him, that He is the Son of God, and you will be saved. It’s right there in the Bible for us to see.  John 3:16 reads “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.”

I always enjoyed talking with Walt.  He was an inspirational man who directed questions that were thought-provoking; ones that got to the heart of existence.  I cried a lot of tears the day he died. And then I shed a mountain of tears for the sacrifices Jesus made for us, because I finally understood the message that day. 

Jesus is For Real

The back seat windows were covered in a film of fog as the teenage daughter mindlessly scribbled a game of tic-tac-toe on the glass. Holiday music could be heard throughout the car reminding everyone it was Christmas Day, 1967.  This family of seven, ranging in age from six months to 37 years, was embarking on a journey that would change their lives forever.  They decided to do something a little different this year which is why, after opening gifts that morning, they tumbled into the car for their first Christmas dinner at a fancy restaurant thirty miles away.  Unbeknownst to them, Life would never be the same again.  Minutes before they reached their destination, they were struck head-on by a drunk driver who blew through a stop sign at high speed. Both cars slammed together creating a tailspin that released them in opposite directions.  Witnesses from a nearby motel came pouring out to the wreckage dragging the injured bodies of five crying children onto the ground where they were covered in warming blankets until help arrived.  Both parents, in critical condition, were rushed by ambulance to the local hospital in a race against time.  The unharmed middle-aged drunk driver paced back and forth muttering, “What have I done?  In God’s name, what have I done?”


Hours later, once intermittent  x-rays were taken, family members were sporadically admitted into different rooms due to an already overcrowded situation. The 13 year-old daughter was gurneyed  into the hospital Supply Closet across from the third floor Nurses Station due to a shortage of rooms available.  Tears were shed uncontrollably as countless terrified questions went unanswered.  Were her legs broken?  Would she ever walk again?  Where was her family?  Did her parents survive?  And her siblings?  The last image of her father pictured him slumped unconsciously over the steering wheel bleeding profusely from the forehead. And her mother?  Could anyone survive after plunging headlong through the windshield?  What about her six-month old sister?  Was she still alive?  There were no baby car seats or safety belts at that time. 

In the darkness of terror, the depth of pain, and the isolation of doubt, she focused her blurry wet eyes pass the blood-stained bandages covering her crushed kneecaps.  Across the room, through a haze of salty tears, the questions calmly subsided.  The frightened sound of her pounding heartbeat slowly diminished and was replaced with the tranquil words, “Fear Not!”.  In a direct line of vision, nailed to the wall of this rural Catholic Hospital, hung a shiny white crucifix reminding her of Jesus’ eternal love.  At that moment the comforting lyrics of the beloved Sunday School song came pouring from her lips.  Softly and steadily, in a broken fragile voice, she sang, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” over and over again until she fell asleep. 

“What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!”

When God entered her heart this day, she knew He was for real. Four months later, with her entire family in attendance, she confirmed her faith on Palm Sunday and embarked on the spiritual walk of a lifetime.