Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Day 80 - Walking through the Valley

I know that most people think that a week runs from Sunday to Sunday or Saturday to Saturday. Some might even think that Monday starts the week. I normally think like that too. But then there are times that a week runs from whenever you say it starts till whenever you say it ends. This week ended for me tonight. I finished my sixth day of work in a row and officially declared it to be the weekend starting tomorrow. As a pilot, we never got holidays or weekends. We just bid trips and time off, so I have really been operating like this for a long time. It makes perfect sense to me. So although tomorrow is Thursday, my weekend starts then. It goes for four days. I have to be back to work at 5AM on Monday, so I have to enjoy a “modified Easter weekend.” I have a lot of cleaning and running around to do tomorrow, and I leave for Mobile on Friday morning early.

A couple of things happened over the past couple of days that I ought to mention. First, I looked at a very thirsty plant and realized that I hadn’t watered any of them since before I left for Nicaragua. I’ve got to get a better system. I guess I will have to put them in my calendar. I can see it now. April 4 at 3PM – Water Plants. I don’t think so! At any rate, I really do need some system to remember them. Well the good news is that they all seem to have survived. The second thing is much bigger. I didn’t get Easter Cards in the mail to all the girls. I totally forgot until today. It’s too late now. It seems like yesterday I was mailing Valentines Day Cards. I really do feel bad about this because I know that Julia would have not only sent cards, but she would have had presents in the mail as well. Julia and I agreed on most things, but celebrating Easter with cards and gifts was not one o them. Maybe I need a Sozo, but I never liked getting Easter Baskets and dressing up for Easter Service. I guess being the only boy with three sisters had something to do with it. The commotion of getting three sisters ready for Easter was unreal. Then once they all got ready, we had to make pictures with all the Easter baskets. Believe me Easter was never fun for me. I wasn’t like Christmas where you got toys. No, you got chocolate bunnies and eggs that were made of this sickly sweet candy. Then you had to dress up and stay that way almost the whole day. No, I never liked Easter. Yes, I know, maybe I do need a sozo. Anyway when Julia and I had Jennifer and Lisa, I saw the whole thing take place again. I really didn’t want to take any part in it. So Julia always got the candy and gifts, I was just along for the ride. Well now I’m the driver, and I blew it already. Julia is up in heaven telling everybody that I forgot on purpose. I know it. I have to admit that I enjoy Easter with the Grandkids more than I ever did with our girls. Maybe it’s because I don’t have to dress up anymore, or maybe it’s just because they are so cute. I do know I’m looking forward to the Easter egg hunt on Saturday with Anna Roan. Three year olds have a way of making everything exciting.

A friend emailed me today about my blog last night. She had some very interesting insights and great wisdom. There is one thing in particular that hit me. She was talking the difference between Sorrow and a Spirit of Grief. She said “Sorrow gives you the opportunity to mourn and be comforted, to move through this "valley of the shadow of death." I had never thought about the 23rd Psalms in this way. I had always thought the valley of the shadow of death would be my death. But if you read it, it could be the death of someone else. “yea though I walk through the valley of the Shadow of death” It didn’t say death, but Shadow of death. That is what we are doing. We are walking through the valley of the shadow of death and we have been promised comfort. There are promises we need to claim. Things that God wants to do for us, in us and through us as we walk through (go to the other side, wherever that is).

So I need to keep moving. We need to keep moving. We can’t stop and we can’t go back. No, our destiny lies ahead. The answers to our questions and the promises of God lie ahead. We must keep moving. Even when we feel like stopping, we have to go forward. It’s like being at mile 21 in a Marathon. You have hit the wall and there is nothing left. You want to stop, but you have to keep moving. As you keep moving you gain the momentum to finish. So yes, I will finish the race, and I know that Jennifer and Lisa will too. We just have to keep moving.

1 comment:

  1. your childhood easter memories are such a BOYS view!! too true. i doubt any boy wants to stay drssed up all day & yet we give them melting candy & want the clothes to stay clean... and then to have to sit still in church... it's not the freedom of christmas morning in pj's!!

    i do hope you greatly enjoy AnnaRoan's easter egg hunt & your time w/ family!

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