Dead

I do hope you don't mind this. This is a re-post from last year's Easter Saturday. It's not that I think  it's the bees knees or anything. It's just that today is important I think. Almost as challenging as Good Friday was for the followers of Christ. And it's important for those waiting for a miracle from God. When God seems distant, when we feel we have lost, when the waiting seems hopeless. That experience is rooted in Easter Saturday

This is Easter Saturday. A Holy Day for many Christians. A day of complicated theology. For me Easter Saturday means something else. It is the day before the miracle. The day when the tomb was still well and truly shut to those outside. A day when Jesus' followers were saying - Well what was all that about then? A day when the promised end seemed impossible. A day when God's power may not have seemed as powerful as they had hoped. The day that followed the darkest day and it showed no improvement - no sign of what was to come. Only cold, dark quiet. No signs from God, no encouragement, no answers.

Easter Saturday resonates with anyone on the journey of faith. A silence from God. A pause in the plan. No clues as to the coming miracle. Just a quiet, waiting game. We know now that Sunday came and with it, the extraordinary. But the Easter Saturday experience is just as important. The faith. The waiting. The unbelief. The expectancy. The confusion. This is where the pattern for faith is set. This is where we learn who God is, as we wait.

Reserving the right to be sad

Today is Good Friday. All over the Interweb Christian friends are putting stuff up saying "It's Friday but Sunday's coming!" or "A lot can happen in three days!!!" or "Don't Worry - Victory is around the corner."

This is all well and good and there is nothing to disagree with, it's just, can I say "Whoa! Slow down there Missy" Sunday will be Sunday and that's amazing but today is Friday - all day. It is a day in its own right. A profound and amazing thing happened today. Jesus decided to lose today. For me. For you. And it was sad and slow and horrible. I'm a bit uncomfortable with moving on too soon. Listen, I'm not going to spend the day in sackcloth and ashes. Life being what it is, this is the only day my family can get together for its Easter Meal and it will be great.

But just for today, just for some of it. Lets' not rush. Let's weep with those who weep. (It's easy to find plenty of those at the moment.)  Take time to think about Friday. Tomorrow will be Saturday with challenges of its own - God was dead and in the grave and Sunday will surely follow but today is Friday, Good Friday; a day of profound gratitude first and foremost.

Mancs Ahoy

So did you like "The Ark"? It was at least good to see a bit of Christianity in the lead up to Easter even if "bit" is the most relevant word in that sentence, Anyway, I really liked it. I thought it was full of warmth and love and at least there was a few references to God which is always helpful in a Biblical story, don't cha think? A few thoughts

• What is it with these fictitious sons that these new films keep giving to Noah? I always thought that he had enough to deal with, with the first three. Apparently the fourth son was from Hollyoaks. I do not know if this is significant. Probably not.
• As with the Russell Crowe version, the world that had to be wiped out seems be underplayed somewhat. In this case, it looks as if God decided to wipe out all humanity because of a particularly drunken student party.
• It could have done with a bit more money thrown at it really. I don't suppose that anyone could afford any CGI for the animals so consequently the march of the animals seems to have been put together by cutting them out of black paper, sticking them onto the back of a lolly stick and playing shadow puppet theatre. Also, I think I coughed and missed the actual flood. One minute everyone was strapping themselves down and the next Noah was doing big stretches on Mount Ararat.
• There has been a lot of moaning about the fact that Noah's family all had Mancunian accents - like this was a bad thing. It worked for me. Northern was good. Northern is always good. That is all.

Strange Times

I think I have been in the middle of a slight but significant nervous breakdown, Life has sat on my head and made a rude noise. First, the good news. All my mum's tests have come back negative since her operation so that is very good and thank you all for the praying. 

The fall downstairs has been slightly problematic. I am not the kind of person who keeps moaning about life and saying "Why God?" but as I plunged down eight stairs - I remember thinking "Why God?" I do not have time for this. I am trying to be a good daughter to Aged Parent. I am trying to get my life in order and do things. My arm hurts. 

I have not blogged because I have felt sulky. Church has been difficult because driving has been nigh on impossible and HOH has been working. I could have walked but I felt so jiggered, I just didn't. (It is quite a long way, when your arm is hurting) I have been to work because I have to. Did I mention that my arm hurts?

Do you think the sainty kinds of people go to bed sometimes and spend time which could be redeemed in a good way, just complaining? Well I am not a sainty kind of person and I have done just that thing.

I have been basically unmoved by how many horrible things have happened in the world. I am a brat. 

I remind me of Jonah who got all arsey when God saved Ninevah and Elijah who behaved like a big girl's blouse when he was scared. (I am not comparing myself to great men of God - at least only when they messed up) 

Hopefully, you are not reading this to get to the bit where God bursts through the curtains with his happy sherbert dip and makes everything ok because that hasn't happened. At least not yet. (Any minute now possibly) So what to do?

Well this is what I am rolling with now. It's a bit abstract and not all of it is working but hopefully you get the idea.

• If my heart is overwhelmed,
  and I cannot hear your voice.
  I hold on to what is true,
  Though I cannot see.
  If the storms of life they come,
  And the road ahead gets steep.
  I will lift these hands in faith,
  I will believe.
  I'll remind myself
  Of all that You've done
  And this life I have
  Because of Your son. (Jeremy Riddle, Brian Mark Johnson, Jenn Louise Johnson, Jeremy David Edwardson, Ian Bruce Mcintosh.)
  
• “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. Matthew 11
  
• And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (KJV)

• Jesus said, “I’ll come and heal him.” Matthew 8

So that is the kind of thing I am writing down. It is supplemented by

1. Chocolate
2. Raised By Wolves (TV Comedy - quite rude - don't say I didn't warn you)
3. Family and Dog
4. Obsessively watching Only Connect

It's just about keeping on really. Keeping on and knowing. Or trying to know that God is who he says he is and he thinks I am ok. I am working very hard at believing him about the second bit. 

Walking Wounded

Number 14 in my "Rules To Live By - Based Only On My Own Rubbish Theories" is never to ask God "What else can go wrong?" - just in case he decides to show me.
Anyway, am in middle of weekend caring for Aged Parent. (She is doing well, thank you for prayers and support. A little too many frank conversations about bowel movements for my personal preference but there you are) She says on Sunday - "Have a day off - my friend is coming round for the afternoon. " So I do and I take the dog out and he promptly pulls me down set of six concrete steps that lead up to (or in my case, down from) our front door. Please note horrific facial scar which I am bearing bravely along with injured arm which is stopping me driving and attractive bruised hand.

Life is very full at the moment