A dab will ruin you

I could not believe it. I looked down at my pant leg and saw a rorschach-like splash of white standing out against the black background of the fabric that used to be a part of my favorite pair of dress slacks. I looked again to make sure I was seeing it right.

"How the heck did that happen?" I asked myself. Then it dawned on me. I went into our laundry room and pushed aside a bottle of bleach that was sitting on the floor with my foot. The cap must have been loose and a few drops must have sprayed forth onto the hem of my pants.

It is amazing how an inconsequential act can have such disastrous effects. It struck me that the same is true when it comes to sin. Jesus said there is no such thing as a minor sin. It is always an offense against God. You and I know that sin always comes back to haunt us.

Little lies grow lives of their own. One indiscretion stretches into a web of deception. Take something that doesn't belong to you and it feeds a hunger that calls out to us to do it again. It doesn't take much before a blessed life turns into one of sorrow and regret.

It is better to watch our step and take the time or spend the effort to do things right. If I had picked up the bleach today I would still be wearing my favorite pair of pants. I've learned a lesson the hard way. Let's hope we can all learn from our mistakes.

Cal

A job well done

The sometimes controversial but much loved pastor of the Mystic Union Baptist Church, the Dr. G. Kenneth Carpenter retired yesterday. He marked the conclusion of a twenty five year tenure at the historic church overlooking the village of Mystic. He was an advocate for peace and justice, a friend to the homeless, a voice for the marginalized. Dr. Carpenter was a mentor to clergy of all faiths and a friend to many in the community.

There were many glowing remarks made during his farewell celebration. I came away thinking that I hope that by the time I retire I will have made one tenth of the contributions that he made to the people and community he served. The truth is that the only way that will happen is if I make today matter.

Too often we put off doing good for some later date. We think we have plenty of time. We are too busy right now. We live as if tomorrow will not have its own demands. Dr. G. Kenneth Carpenter, Ken to those who worked along side him to make the world a kinder place, earned his accolades by making today count for something. He saw each day as an opportunity to serve his Lord and he did just that.

I pray that when you and I retire from our labors, the people we served will be able to join the Lord in saying, "Well done good and faithful servant."

God speaks our language

Do you know that God speaks Kituba, Kikongo, Lingala, Kingwana and Tshiluba? I had never even heard of these languages until I went to hear Lynn Nelson talk yesterday. She is a missionary to the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is funny how we are so parochial in our thinking. We like to think of God as a bigger version of ourselves. We give him attributes that reflect who we are. That includes the language He speaks.

The truth is that WE were created in God's image. That means that each of us is a tiny reflection of the totality of God. So it makes sense that He speaks all the languages that are known to humanity. After all the Psalmist says God is acquainted with all our ways. He knows our customs and traditions and understands us no matter where we call home.

Give God the glory today and honor him for His great understanding and love of all creation.

Why can't we all be Toys R Us kids?

A sudden feeling of nostalgia hit me as I pulled into the parking lot. I hadn't been to Toys R Us in a good five years. Going to that toy store was a regular family outing at one point in our lives. We bought our first car seat, the kid's first bicycles and lots of dolls, toys, and video game equipment from that store. I wouldn't have been surprised if the clerks knew our names during the Christmas shopping season.

I used to enjoy walking through the aisles looking at all the merchandise. There were so many great toys that it really did make you feel like a kid again. I had forgotten all of that when I stopped in to pick up a game for our fellowship night at church this weekend.

As I walked through the doors I became that twelve year old kid again. I didn't just go to the games section. I wandered through the aisles in wide eyed wonder. Oh, to be a kid again. Life was so much fun.

The truth is that life can still be fun. Jesus once said "I have come to bring you life, life abundant." In another place he said, "I have come so that my joy may be made complete in you." I don't know why we make life so hard. Maybe we need to spend a little bit more time with the Lord and see life though his eyes.

God is the one who created the dandelion. He also fashioned the zebra, the clown fish and the polliwog. When kids see these things they laugh and stare in wonder. Maybe it is time to grow up and be a kid again. After all, Jesus said "if you want to enter the kingdom of heaven,you must become like a child."

Well I'll write more later. I want to go out and see if I can find some fire flies!

Cal

Where is your gold shovel?

If you drop by my office over the next few days you will catch a glimpse of my latest collectible. I just brought in a gold shovel I received earlier today. I was up at the groundbreaking for the new retirement Cottages at Creamery Brook in Brooklyn, CT. As Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Pierce Baptist Home and Creamery Brook I got to shovel a load of dirt at the ceremony.

Over the years I have participated in several groundbreaking ceremonies. It is always exciting. It marks beginning of new growth and points to great possibilities. I have a couple of gold shovels and a hammer two stored away to remember these occasions.

The thought occurred to me that we should do something similar as we engage life. When was the last time you had a formal celebration to announce that you were breaking ground in new ways? Have you have started a new job recently or entered a new phase in life? What did you do when you retired or sent the last child off to college? Did you celebrate when you moved into a new home or when you started a new exercise program?

Changes and new directions are a part of life. They remind us that we are alive. So why not celebrate and give thanks to God? Invite a few friends over and pass out some golden spoons or silver pens to mark the moment. Have fun and embrace the possibilities that God has put before you.

Cal

Shaped with loving hands

I was visiting Dave Murray last week when his son came in from outside. Phil had been working out in the fields with the evergreen trees. His mother said that in order to get ready for the season, all of the trees had to be pruned and shaped.

This struck me as odd. When Jackie saw the look on my face she said, "You don't think the trees grow like that do you? In order to get that perfect Christmas tree shape they need to be cut, shaped and pruned." Dave nodded his head and said, "they grow wild just like us."

I knew there was a lesson in there. All of us need to be pruned and shaped as well. There is a wild bent in us that can take away from the natural beauty God created us with. The pruning and shaping by God's loving hands can bring it back and allow us to reflect his glory and his love.

cal

Remembering God's presence helps

I was going through some pictures from our Mission Trip to Mexico and I got a warm feeling inside. I was transported right back to last March and the life changing experience I had with the Christians I met there. Most of us could not talk to each other because of the language barrier, yet we could sense the common bond we had in Christ. It was great.

It amazed me that these photos could trigger such a strong response. Memory is a great thing. Our Jewish brothers and sisters often use the stories of the past to help affirm their present faith. As they remember how God delivered them from pain, affliction and trouble it reminds them that God was, is, and always will be with them.

Maybe we need to look back and remember the past when we go through difficulties today. As we recall how God was with us then, it may make the present trouble easier to bear.

Cal

What do you use to till the soil?

Today my theological understanding got stretched. This morning I met with Father Ed from St. Ann's Melkite Catholic Church in Waterford. We had an appointment to meet someone at 10:30 a.m. Before we headed off to the appointment, he gave me a tour of the church and shared a bit of the history and theology of the Melkite Church. It was fascinating and believe it or not, I knew very little of this particular Christian tradition.

At noon the Norwich Clergy Association met. After lunch Rabbi Charles Arian led us in an exploration of how the Jews view Jesus and the Christian movement. It was eye opening and it challenge the classic understanding many of us have. Rabbi also put Judaism in a different light too. Now I have to rethink my own understanding and see if it changes anything.

Theological reflection is good. It forces us to get together with Jesus in prayer and Bible study to think about what we believe. I think every Christian needs to be engaged in these kinds of discussions so that their faith can grow. It is like tilling the soil. It is important if our faith is going to develop roots and carry us forward into life.

So start digging. Grab a friend and talk about what you believe.

Cal

Going to the maker for instructions.

My world came crashing down last week when the screen on my Palm Pilot went dark. I couldn't believe it at first. I kept hitting the on/off button but nothing happened. I plugged it back in hoping it was the battery. No such luck. After twelve hours it still wouldn't go on. I went online to see if I could find a solution for my problem in the help menu. I couldn't locate anything that seemed to point to the cause or a solution to my problem.

I fretted over this problem all weekend. The thought of spending another $100 on a Palm Pilot really got me. This one was less than four months old. I could not justify spending that much money on a new one. What was I to do?

I was chewing on this when my secretary came in this morning. I cried on her shoulder for a few minutes and then she said, "Do you have the warranty card or the paperwork that came with it?" What a silly question. I reached for the box and when I opened the little booklet that came with the unit, the page almost fell open to the answer to my question. After a soft reset, my Palm was up and running again.

It struck me how we do the same thing when we have a problem in life. We run around looking for advice from everyone and every where before we turn to our maker. If only we turned to him and his Word first, I would be willing to bet our problems would seem much smaller and go away much quicker.

Cal

Love in action

When you receive a blessing, the best way to say "thank you" is to pay it forward. When we do something for someone else it is expressing our Christian love in its purest form. Today I witnessed that happening three times.

A woman and her mother came to the Interfaith luncheon today to get something to eat. Both of them were living out of a car. Unlike many of those who dropped in, this woman decided to help serve the rest of the crowd that had come for lunch.

We were shorthanded today so I wanted to do something to show my appreciation. She didn't have to do what she did. I was touched by her action and the way she cared for the men and women at the tables. So when I heard she was low on gas, I offered to fill up her tank. Her eyes filled with tears when I made this simple gesture. She said I don't know how I can ever repay you. I told her she already had.

It didn't end there though. After I filled her tank we were met by a young man who was lost and needed directions. We tried to tell him how to navigate the maze of downtown Norwich but he looked confused. It was then that she smiled and said, "Why don't you follow me? I have a full tank of gas now and I can get you through the city and on your way home."

Paying it forward: That is what Jesus calls us to do. Love one another as I have loved you. I saw it happen today and it was great.

cal

Choose wisely

Yesterday I planned on taking the day off. I was going to check in at church and then go for a walk. At noon I was going to head for an early show at the movies. Needless to say I never managed to do any of it.

It is funny how we get sidetracked. As a parent and a person with a flexible schedule, I often fall into the trap of letting every one else decide what and where I am supposed to be. I am not complaining. That is just the way it is.

I know some people who complain about others running their lives. They talk about demanding family and unappreciative bosses. They rant about those who schedule little league games, dance classes and music lessons having no compassion for the family.

Well here is the truth. We are in control of our time. We make decisions every day and it is based on a set of internal moral guides. For example I put my family near the top of my chart. When one daughter wanted a ride home from UCONN and another needed to be picked up from the bowling alley, their needs rose right to the top of the chart.

I also feel called to my ministry here. Earlier in the day an opportunity arose to visit and deliver communion to a member of the church who is battling terminal cancer. It was a no brainer.

I think what we need to do is own our choices and celebrate them. There are some days when I am blessed by kicking back and going to the movies. It is my sabbatical time. There are some days when I run around with my kids scattering seeds of love. There are times when my work calls my name. The important thing is to pause and thank God for his presence as we walk through our days. Of all the choices we make, including God in all we do will bring us the most satisfaction.

Cal

Dancing for the Lord

This has been an extremely difficult week for me. Nothing seemed to be going my way. Tonight I laid all of it down at the feet of Jesus and took off for my weekly dance class t Luis Pabon's studio. I have to tell you that I love going to class. I know it sounds silly but when I have been in class I have experienced absolute joy.

My youngest daughter once told me she loved dance classes. I asked her what it was she enjoyed. Was it was the people or the teacher, or the music? She said that it was simply the dancing. I didn't get it then. I do now. I am not very good but there is something about getting in touch with your body that is invigorating. I felt it last year when I took an occasional yoga class. I really feel it now as I twist and turn and try to put my left hand in and pull it out again.

Dance helps us connect our mind and body with our soul in a special way. We don't do that too often. I think that is why God calls us to attempt to love him with our mind, body, soul and spirit. He understands that to do so will tap into a joy so deep that it can transform our being.

King David understood this and the Scriptures tell us he often was seen dancing to the Lord. I pray that he will make your joy so complete that you too, will feel like dancing.

Cal

An ordinary day with Jesus

Every once in a while I engage in a practice I call, "God walking." Last year we had a Bible study that called us to try living as though we were going to spend a whole day with Jesus. I decided to do that today. To get started I simply listened to the voice inside of me and chose to let it direct my steps. I am always amazed by where it leads me. Today I went to the hospice team meeting in the morning and then planned to stop at church and then head over to visit one of our members with cancer.

Before I could leave the church another member dropped in to tell me he had just visited with this same man and how he was looking forward to my visit. I left for his house and had a great visit with the family and made plans to com e back with Communion later this week.

I had lunch but then I felt called to get some flowers and bring them with me on my visit up to Pierce Home. My first thought was to run to Stop & Shop but then I had this feeling I should go to McKennas so that is where I went. When I entered the store I ran into Jaime, a young woman from our church who I hadn't seen for a while. She had just started working there. Weird huh?

I went to Pierce Home and it just so happened that Pastor Gil was leading a chapel memorial service. I decided to stop in and as it turned out my visit not only affirmed what he was doing but I was blessed by his message. I needed to hear exactly what he had to say today. (That was God's gift for me!)

Finally I stopped at a different restaurant fro dinner and it was close by another member's house I had been wanting to visit and so I headed over there and had a great visit.

Funny but I started the day feeling pressed on every side but as I get ready for bed now, I feel blessed. I did everything I was supposed to do today and then some. The best part of it was the fact that I felt God at my side every step of the way and you can't ask for a better day than when that happens.

Cal

There are two sides on a street

For the last week I drove by a sign on Washington Street that decried the possible development of a small shopping center across the street from it. I had lunch with a man who was passing out flyers that spoke against this project as something that would destroy the fabric of the city. I came home and found a one page leaflet that described the domino effect that this project would have on our city.

This morning I drove down that same stretch of street and saw that there were three new signs on the opposite side of the street. These signs spoke of the benefits of a new shopping center and the ability of home owners to sell their property. Funny, but until I drove down that street this morning I had forgotten that there were two sides.

There are always two sides to an issue. There are always two choices we can make. The hard part about life is making the right choice. The best thing we can do is pray about it. Then we can get the facts and try to make the best decision we can.

I don't know what to think about this development issue. I haven't studied it or prayed about it yet. But I will and then I'll let you know. Meanwhile, let's all try to look at both sides of the issues that confront us every day and look to god to help us make the right choices.

Cal

What would Jesus do

Did you ever wish you could be in two places at one time? Today I was supposed to be in Branford getting ready to lead a workshop at the exact same time I was supposed to be meeting with a family from the congregation about a funeral. Normally I would have scheduled the meeting with the family at another time but this one was out of my control. The time was set by a third party. It was also someone very special to me.

Funny thing is that my workshop was entitled, "What Would Jesus Do?" As I considered my options I put into play some of the principals I was going to share in my workshop. Harvey Cox in his book "When Jesus came to Harvard" talked about having a little talk with Jesus when you were faced with a decision. So I had a conversation with Jesus that went a bit like this:

"Lord, I made this commitment to be at this event today and people are counting on me. I don't want to let them down. Yet, as I listened to Adele on the phone this morning I sensed that she was hurting and in need of comfort. I am her Pastor. What should I do?"

Jesus answered, "Do you think it is important to honor your commitments?"

I said, "Yes I do. You always said 'Let your yes be yes and your no be no.' I don't like to make promises I can't keep.

Jesus nodded his head and said, "So you made this commitment to the people in Branford and you feel called to be there. So why are you even thinking about not going?"

I looked at him and said, "My heart aches for Adele and her brothers. Their mother was a special lady. Right now they are in mourning and I feel I should go to them."

Jesus replied, "Why can't you go later? Why is it so important to go this morning?"

"Lord, you should of heard her voice. I don't know why but I totally identified with her and felt her pain. I just felt I should go and be with the family to comfort them. Isn't that what you would have done?"

"I did hear her voice and I was with her and her brothers while she was talking to you."

I thought about what he said and I replied, "So you think I should go to the workshop and skip the family meeting?"

Jesus said, "I didn't say that. I only told you that I was with her."

"So what does that mean?" I asked. "Are you telling me that because you are there I don't need to be?"

"No," Jesus said. "You asked me what I would do and I told you."

I was really confused now so I asked him, "So are you saying it is alright to break our commitments if something else comes up?"

"That's not what I am saying at all," he shot back. "Let me ask you this: Why would you even consider going to see Adele instead of going to Branford?"

I looked at him again and said, "Because I am her Pastor and my job is to be here when she needs me. I think a death in the family qualifies as one of those times."

Jesus paused and then he asked, "So are you telling me that there is some kind of commitment here that is unspoken?"

"Yeah, I guess so," I said. "I hadn't really thought about my role as Pastor as a commitment. I have been doing my job so long that I guess I kind of take it for granted. I always try to be here for my people. I guess that's why I had so much trouble with this. I have made two commitments that are now coming into direct conflict. So what should I do?"

"You tell me," Jesus said.

"Well I can't be in two places at the same time. Why don't you go lead the workshop and I will go meet Adele and the family."

He laughed and said, "Hey I can be in two places at the same time remember? You need to think about where you are needed the most and what only you can do."

Again I paused before saying anything. "My heart tells me to go see Adele. There are other workshops being offered so people can chose to do something else."

He smiled at me and said, "Well what are you waiting for?"

As I headed out the door I said, "How are you going to handle the workshop?"

Jesus winked at me and said, "I'll just tell them what I would do and see what happens."

And that is how I ended up missing my meeting to meet Adele and her brothers.

Cal

He wrote the book

It is funny how you can be around something for a long time and not really understand how it works. For example, I have been on the Board of the Otis Library for five years now. I use the library and have taken advantage of more than a few of its offerings. This week I entered into uncharted territory.

I am working on a project for this weekend. I googled my topic and came up with several books that would be very helpful. The only problem is that these weren't best sellers and would not likely be found in Barnes and Noble or Walden Books. So for the first time ever I went onto the Otis Library Web site and then went to the inter library loan link. I found out that two of our neighboring libraries had copies of the books. Imagine that! so I went to pick them up and I was in business. I could have even ordered them and had them delivered right to Norwich if I had thought of it earlier.

The truth is we do the same thing with God at times. He has so much to offer us but we don't ask for it. We would rather wander around on our own instead of reaching out to him and asking for a blessing. God always has the answer to our questions even if it means that he sends us to a friend or neighbor to get what we need. so why wait. Reach out to him tonight and he will supply your need.

Cal

He runs with us

Some of you may remember April Rezendes. She grew up in our church and graduated from Norwich Free Academy a few years back. She was a good student, a member of the NFA marching band color guard and a Latin lover, em, I mean a lover of the Latin language. She went on to graduate from Boston College with a degree in nursing and now works at the Deaconess Hospital in Boston.

I mention April because she did something extraordinary this past weekend. She participated in the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon and ran the 26 miles from start to finish. It was 88 degrees and people were dropping like flies but April managed to make it to the end. She writes about her experience in her blog (address listed below) and says, "Around mile 19 I still hadn't seen any spectators that I knew, I was dehydrated and hot and my hip was completely locked up, then someone from the Chicago chapter of JIM came off the curb and started running with me. He ran with me for about half a mile, gave me some encouragement and let me know what to expect up ahead, that definintely got me through..."

I read that and I thought about the number of times I was going through something very hard and was ready to quit. It seems like more times than I can remember someone showed up and walked along beside me and that gave me all the encouragement I needed to make it through.

God is so good. I am sure he was with April on Sunday as she did an amazing thing in running that race. And God is with each of us as we run the race that is set before us. Thanks be to him who gives us strength!

Cal

Check out april's blog at http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=barefeet4

Keep the faith

You never can tell the future no matter how smart you are. I was listening to WFAN radio yesterday. The hosts of the afternoon program were discussing the upcoming play-off game between the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians. Both of them agreed that the Yankees would win and they each made an excellent case for why it would happen.

They talked about all the key players and reviewed past performances. They matched up the teams player for player and the final analysis made it so obvious that the Yankees would win that I wondered if it would even be fun to watch the game.

I was in the car when the game started and before the Yankees even came up to bat they were losing 2 - 0. So much for knowing it all. The Yankees were heavily favored but they still lost the game and the series. Why? Because life is not lived in a book or through statistics. It is lived moment by moment.

The things you do today will affect tomorrow. That is why we can always hope. The final pages of our life story haven't been written yet. We are writing them as we speak. The good news is that the victory doesn't always go to the swiftest or the brightest. It goes to the most faithful. So trust God and you will be amazed at what you and God can do together.

Cal

Skimp and swim

I went out to water my plants and ended up watering myself as well. I didn't intend to get wet. It just happened. Well actually it happened when I got a little lazy and decided to cheat a bit.

You see I had just finished watering everything and I went to turn off the water at the spigot. When I turned it off some of the pressure was still in the hose and as a result a small spray continued to flow from the loose connection at the wall. I decided to relieve the pressure by grabbing the nozzle at the end of the hose. Only this time I got lazy and decided to step on it with my foot instead of bending down to pick it up.

The nozzle was facing the ground and the water went flying upwards and I got soaked. So much for doing the easy thing. Of course the easy thing rarely works out in life. When we try to cut corners and skimp on doing things right it usually comes back to get us. That's why God calls us to give everything we have our very best. He hates waste. He wants us to excel so that our works will glorify him. So don't be a wet blanket! Do it right the first time.

Cal

Trust God and live victoriously

I was at the hospital this afternoon and I stumbled across one of the most compassionate physicians I've ever met. The family I was with was having a difficult time trying to make the right decision regarding their mom. Knowing that I was present, he immediately picked up on the "God language" and told them that the best thing they could do was put their mom in God's hands.

He spoke to them about the loving care she had given them and commended them on their love and support of her. It was very touching to see. Even though he had met them a year earlier, he spoke to them as if they were his own family. He told them of their options and then left them to make the decision.

The truth is that all of us live lives that are fragile at best. We never know when our hour will come. The best thing we can do is approach life and put our faith in trust in God to see us through. Once we do that, we can live victoriously because as the Apostle Paul said, "we are more than conquerors in Christ."

Cal

Making an offer that honors God and yourself

A man came up to my car as I was sitting in my driveway yesterday. I was waiting there for my daughter to come out out of the house when he knocked on my window. He wanted to know if he could do a little yard work for me, raking leaves and the like, for some money.

I looked at my yard, which is relatively small, and there wasn't a leaf in sight. Well I didn't just fall off the turnip truck yesterday. I sensed right away that he was just being polite. What he really wanted was a handout.

It made me think of the way I approach prayer sometimes. Whenever I want something I tend to beat around the bush a bit with God. I confess that sometimes I am ashamed to be so blatantly needy so I try to make nice.

Well guess what? We aren't fooling God any more than that fellow was fooling me. Maybe we need to be a little more honest with God. That may even mean trying to honor him and do his will before we come to his door. Imagine that. Then we would be giving him the respect he deserves and that just might gives us a little more self respect as well.

Cal

Go ahead and dance

I went to my first dance class tonight and I had fun. As I walked into the room I couldn't help but think how I would never have done this as a child or teen. There was a stigma attached to dance lessons for boys. Yet now I see that it takes real talent to be good at dance, just like it takes to excel in athletics.

There are so many things in life that we don't do because we let other people's opinions sway our actions. We let them rob us of some of life's most precious moments. I guess that I am at that age where I have realized that life is too short to let other people's inhibitions control my happiness. So I am going to dance and I don't care what they think.

The same thing goes for my faith. I went through a period where I didn't want to offend anyone with my beliefs. It is natural in our secular society. We are told to keep our faith to ourselves. But I say go for it. Let the whole world know you love Jesus. If he is the source of your strength and he brings you joy, then don't let anyone stand in your way.

Get up and dance for joy. King David did it and so can you.

Cal

Happy anniversary mom and dad

Thirty six years ago I did something that came back to bless me a thousand times over. I stood up for my father and step mother as the best man in their wedding. I was thirteen at the time and was very excited to be in the wedding. I'm sure at the time that my excitement was due to the fact that I got to wear a tuxedo and stand up in the front of the church. As the years rolled by I began to understand that in blessing my father's marriage I was also blessing our family.

My stepmother became so much more than just my dad's wife. She became my mom. She became my friend. She became a sister in Christ when we were baptized together a year later. She became a prayer partner and at times my spiritual teacher.

Today she lives half a world away, or so it seems. She and dad moved to Kentucky/ It doesn't matter though. Whenever I need to talk, whenever I need prayer, I pick up the phone and give her a call. She does the same for me.

Today is my parent's anniversary and I thank God for bringing my mom and my dad together and giving me the good sense to bless it.

Cal

God will comfort you

It is a sad day in the Lord household. In a little while I am going to take our dog Praise to the Vet. He has cancer and this past weekend he has gone downhill quickly. For the first time since we noticed something was wrong, he seems to be uncomfortable. I thank God that we had him for ten years and got to enjoy him and make him part of our family.

Death is not an easy thing to grasp. At any given moment we are bombarded with news of war, accidents, and tragedies that give details on how people we don't know have died. We listen and then move on. But when death touches your house, your family, then you have to make sense of it.

I thank God for my faith. I know it gives me support and strength for my times of mourning and sorrow. Our Christian faith reminds us that we are not alone. The one who cried at the grave of his friend Lazarus, weeps with us. The one who darkened the sky when his only begotten son was hung on a cross, understands and he will sit in mourning with us.

So if you are in mourning, if the world has taken someone close to you, don't be afraid to call on God. Tell him how your heart is breaking and how unfair life can be. He will hear you and without a word, sit and cry with you in agreement. Do it. You'll feel better. God will bless you and keep your loved one in his eternal keeping.

Cal