I Must Confess We've Had A LOT of Showers Lately

“April showers bring May flowers.” 

This particular idiom can be traced all the way back to Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales” in the 14^th Century.  And I think that if we search a little more, we’ll find that Chaucer may have gotten inspiration from some other sources.  To be sure, he didn’t copy the words directly.  But he may, just may, have been influenced by the poetic language and ideas in OT scripture among other inspirations.  Looking to the Song of Solomon 2: 10-12 we find that the author writes:

“My beloved speaks and says to me: ‘Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone.  The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.’”

Why does this matter you may ask. 

I Must Confess... I'm Happy/ Sad This Year for Mother's Day

This year marks the first time in 48 years that I won’t be able to call and wish my mother a “Happy Mother's Day!”  But I do take a lot of comfort in knowing that she is having the best Mothers’ Day celebration ever where she is now.  

  

I also realize that God has richly blessed me through my years with some pretty awesome Mom types who still pour into my life in so many ways.  There's not enough room on the whole "interweb-thingy" for me to post all of the pictures of the women who have positively influenced my life.  Teachers, Sunday School teachers, friends, adopted family members, and so many others have had a hand in "raising" me.  Not all have been mothers, but they have in some caring way nurtured my growth.  So if I may, I’m going to take just a moment of personal reflection here:

I Confess... Ultimately, I Believe It’s An Issue of Spiritual Health

Once again, this nation is forced to deal with a very real evil in its midst.  Once again, horrific violence seems to be playing out on an almost constant loop as media and social media outlets are inundated with images and pontifications and opinions about the unbridled hatred unleashed upon 2 communities within 24 hours.  Once again, we are left with a choice as to how we proceed as Americans, and as humans being.  And yes, once again, people who claim Christ as their savior are left with the onerous task of trying to live by the example of that same savior in the face of circumstances and oppositions that feel overwhelming bleak.

Debates are raging as to whether the perpetrators are racist, or mentally ill.  People are divided over whether more gun control laws are needed, or more enforcement of those laws are needed. And it isn’t just strangers fueling the growing fires we’re watching.  Lifelong friends and acquaintances are in virtual shouting matches via FB, Twitter, Snapchat and all the other outlets that they share.  Language that is foul and angry… cusses and curses and epithets… memes and pictures that seek to express or incite even more raw emotion… This has become our steady diet.  We are gorging ourselves on it.  We aren’t forced to swallow it.  But we often do it simply because it’s there.  And it’s killing us all.