Christmas is coming

I'm so thankful to tell you that God was faithful, yet again, and gave Don the strength to stand and preach this morning.  He is still "weak as a kitten" and "pale as a ghost."  How appropriate that the sermon title was "I AM the Resurrection," as God resurrected Don to stand this morning.

We're singing Christmas carols in church this month and we all love it.

A very interesting thing happened during the sermon.  As Don was preaching, he quoted the shortest verse in the Bible, "Jesus wept."  This was in regard to the news that he received that his dear friend, Lazarus was dead.  Oddly, Don asked the congregation if they knew why Jesus wept and several said, "yes," but one lady in the choir behind Don said, "I know."  Don turned and asked her, "why did Jesus weep?"  And she said because, "Lazarus was in heaven and Jesus was going to bring him back to earth."  Wow.  Don was visibly amazed at her answer.  We usually hear that people believe that Jesus was compassionate in regard to Mary and Martha and others who were grieving the loss of their brother, or a similar reason.  Her reply prompted him to relate a story from his life similar to that of Lazarus.  Don wasn't dead for four days, as Lazarus was, but for a few seconds.  Long enough to be released from the pain he was suffering and to be suspended in peace that was beyond description, from a position above himself, watching the medical professionals work on him and as they approached him with the "paddles" he remembers thinking "NO, don't do that, leave me alone, I don't hurt, it's wonderful here."  But they "zapped" him back to life... to pain... to live... to die, again, one day in God's timing.  Going from earth to paradise and back to earth is worthy of weeping.  Can't you just imagine that Lazarus was saying, "I'm good, Mary and Martha. You can't imagine how wonderful it is here. Oh, no, Jesus.  Please let me stay here. NO, No, no.....  Oh, hello again."  And Jesus wept because of love for the people on earth who He is going to die for himself.  He reveals His resurrection power to them through Lazarus, by bringing him back to earth.  Lazarus was not the only person resurrected.  Others were in the Bible. Jesus was resurrected, but the only difference.... Jesus never dies again.  That's our assurance that He Is God.

Well, after church, Don was sitting at the door, where he usually stands, and the lady from the choir game by and told us that she had had the same experience when one of her sons was born.  Her story was amazing.  She was in distress during labor, the baby was in distress and not expected to live.  She died during delivery, thinking she did not want to live if her baby wasn't going to live, and from that peaceful position she watched the doctor literally pull her child from her and then she heard her baby cry and instantly her spirit reunited with her body.  The first time she read that scripture, she said, she new why Jesus wept.  And God provided validation for her through Don.  Today, her son is healthy, brilliant and never experienced any of the handicaps predicted for him. 

We just never know what God has in store for us.  It is exciting.

Two separate couples stopped and prayed for Don as they departed church this morning. What a blessing of tremendous love and support and we are so thankful.

Back at the Q (I drove), I fixed lunch, Don ate small helpings and then he relaxed in his recliner to watch football on TV... through the holes in his eyelids, I guess.  It was good to watch him resting so peacefully.

We are so glad this demon of a virus is gone and it is not ever welcome here again!!!  In fact, it's just plain rude... we never invited it in the first place.  However, we know for sure that we are in God's hand and He got us through it.

JOY TO THE WORLD!!!