Death and Resurrection

Today is Easter, 2013. The Day of Resurrection. Alleluia!

Eleven years ago today, I celebrated this day with my middle child, Russell Grant Collins, who was not feeling very well.  It was only five days before his forty-first birthday and we were concerned that we could not get a diagnosis for his health problems.

The day after his birthday he fell, was taken to Pella Regional Health Center and then flown by helicopter to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines where seven specialists tried to discover the source of his illness. The next day, on April 7, 2002, Russell died. An autopsy revealed he had widespread cancer, probably starting in his lungs and then migrating and completely destroying his liver.

This Easter is especially difficult for me because the date of Easter is the same as in 2002 and the week ahead will contain both Russell's birthday and his day of death. My son-in-law Juan, who was born the same year as Russ, died in January this year, at age 52.

But Easter reminds us that Christ is risen, and because he lives we shall live also. Much as I miss Russ and Juan, I know we will meet again in God's good time.

Easter

Each Lenten season I resolve to "give up" or "add on" something to remind me of the great sacrifice on my behalf that Jesus made.  As in former years, my Lenten journey has been a mixure of trying harder and continuing to fail.

If it were up to me all would be lost.
 Luckily. blessedly, it is not all up to me.

We have a lot of work to do to help bring about the world God wants us to live in.

Tony Compolo told us at one visit to Central College:

It's Friday--but Sunday is coming.

 With the end of Lent, I intend to renew my vows to do a better job of reflecting God's love

My daughter wrote, for a Lenten devotional in her church this thought that I'll try to keep in mind:

"Sometimes God calls us to the heavenly banquet of the Lamb

because someone is needed to wash the dishes."

Best wishes for a joyous Easter.

HE IS RISEN!