Spring, rabbits and hope

In the writing of "Joe's Story: The Book of a Lifetime" it was surprising to me how my emotions would be affected by the particular season in my life about which I was writing at the time. In winter I could sense the bitter cold and the clean smell of freshly fallen snow. In the fall it was the yellows, reds and browns of the leaves as the trees went to sleep. In the summer the refreshing breeze on a hot afternoon, laying on the beach watching the waves wash ashore in a park somewhere on Lake Michigan. Spring, for many reasons brought the most intense feelings I think. Probably because it brings with it the promise of a new beginning. Dark green blades of grass poke through the crust of winter decay, Robins and other song birds herald their arrival, Crocuses, Daffodils, Hyacinths and other hardy flowers forge through the cold earth and bring living color into the sullen gray and lifeless auburn's of winter hibernation with tulips not far behind. The garden plot slowly readies itself for seeding and fertilizing. Spring brings hope. Hope for a new tomorrow. Ya just gotta love that sorta thing! And, although they can often become voracious, unwelcome pests, my favorite sign of Spring is the annual dance of the rabbits. They gather everywhere, including my garden and the middle of my neighborhood roads, making driving in the predawn hours more than a bit of an obstacle course, as it was this morning. It goes without saying what they are looking for. Rabbits just seem to have fun no matter what they do. So, I say on this day that if you feel just a little under the weather you might want to consider concocting some sort of Spring dance of your own.(RE: Snoopy in the Peanuts Comic Strip) However, I would strongly suggest you not do it in the middle of the road, or in my garden either for that matter. Have a wonderful Spring and may it stretch throughout the entire year for you..............Joe (I have shared a lot of time with three friends the past week. They are not well, two are critically ill. I ask you to help me pray for them. They could sure use some encouragement about now. Thanks!)

Good Friday

Thinking over this whole "Good Friday" thing kind of makes you wonder doesn't it? Considering that Good Friday is the anniversary of the horrible death of a gentle and honorable man.

According to biblical as well as secular history, 2000 or so years ago a group of people grabbed a guy under false accusations with the help of a lying traitor, tried and found innocent, whipped, scourged, forced to carry a huge wooden cross, nailed to that same cross, speared in the chest and died while his mother watched. Not most peoples idea of a "Good Friday" is it? Unless, of course you knew ahead of time what would happen 3 days later. But even then the pain and anguish was real. So why do we call it Good Friday? As unspeakably horrible as it was, Good Friday was the beginning of something better. The world was changed forever. Regardless of your religious convictions I believe Good Friday has something to teach us all.

How often do we face life changing catastrophe? Life is full of such stuff. How do we handle it? When tragedy strikes do we have the courage to do what has to be done? Do we accept the pain of doing the right thing in the hope of a better future? I feel that each of us, at at least one time or another in our lives faces our own Good Friday. A lesson was shown us a few years back when a guy who's arm got stuck in a land slide. He cut that arm off so he could return to civilization and live. he is now without an arm but the rest of him is alive and well. The cost was worth it. Every day, sick people enter operating rooms, enduring surgery and the following recovery period, perhaps chemotherapy so they may live longer healthier lives. Other people sever abusive relationships, sometimes disrupting their own lives and the lives of their children, suffering poverty for years to stop further injury and finally be safe again, maybe in another state or country. None of those things are easy. However, any one of those decisions and thousands of others could be for each of us our own personal Good Friday. Sometimes, what may almost appear hopeless can be overcome, even in the face of tremendous pain and seemingly insurmountable odds.

I know a real crude, rather uncivilized guy that isn't particularly pleasant to be around most of the time. He has a tattoo on his chest saying in huge, bold letters, Good Friday! Accompanied by the sun breaking over the horizon. As crude and uncivilized and smelly as he is, he is known by a select few as a guy that quietly helps people in trouble, any time, any place. I asked him about his rather unique tattoo. He said he found out what it means when he was finally released from captivity back in Vietnam.

To some of us Good Friday means a lot. To some of us Good Friday means nothing. To all of us Good Friday and the resulting Easter Sunday may have a very encouraging message. A free message. But we don't all have to tattoo it to our chest do we now?..........................Joe