One More For JC

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. (Ephesians 5:25) Over the years, I’ve been known to stop in frequently for a Venti cup of coffee at Starbucks.  I’ve stopped in so often, I typically get on a first name basis with the baristas.  One lady has worked there so long, we’ve moved beyond chats about coffee or the frigid MN weather to various things (good or bad – from health issues or the birth of her grandchildren).      A couple days ago, in an extreme rarity, I stopped in with Dee.  It pleasantly caught this barista off guard, and I said “Today, I decided to bring my better half with me!!!”  The three of us got to talking for a few minutes and it led to me asking how many years she had worked at Starbucks.  I expected just a number (16), but she went on to share with both of us that she had only planned to work there for a short time, but needed to stay on for so long because her husband of many years decided to leave her fo

Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad. (Proverbs 12:25) 17 years later and the sadness of 9/11 is still fresh.  I wake up with a sorrow in my heart, and brace for the tears that will undoubtedly flow at some point during the day.  As the TV replays the images and horrors of that day, it’s like seeing it all again for the first time.  As the sadness grows, at some point I always venture over to my work’s email ‘Search’ box and type the word ‘alive’.  I quickly look for the one with the subject line ‘WTC’ and dated 9/12/2001.  I double click the message and smile as I see the words from my friend saying, “FZ, I’m alive!”  I usually let the message just sit there on my screen for awhile, and let that image overpower all the bad ones.  At some point I finally decide to close it, but before I do, I lift up a prayer of thanks for a friend that I thought I had lost, and for these two words from him that will always tell a story of hope and triumph in

Honor your father and mother - which is the first commandment with a promise -   so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.  (Ephesians 6:2-3) It’s been 12 years since I last celebrated my Dad’s birthday.  As my family nestled into a hospice room to sing happy birthday to him that June 8 th , I knew time was short.  I remember all the fears I had of leaving things unsaid, especially those of a spiritual importance.  In one of our conversations that day, my Dad talked about how quickly life goes and urged Dee and I not to waste any of that time, but to fill it with love.  Later that weekend to my surprise, he asked me to bring the bible.  I went home to get it, rushed back, and prayed for the Lord’s guidance to help me find the most meaningful scriptures to share with my Dad.  After a while, I finally worked up the nerve to ask him if he knew where he was going. As he pointed to the sky, I assured him that if he had put his faith and trust

It was nine in the morning when they crucified him…And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice,  ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’  (which means  ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ ).  When some of those standing near heard this, they said, ‘Listen, he’s calling Elijah.’  Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink.  ‘Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,’ he said.  With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. (Mark 15:25, 15:34-37) Growing up, I must have said the following words from the Apostles’ Creed thousands of times: “ For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried.”  I said it so often the sting of the final few words got lost on me after awhile.  But last year, in reading the gospel of Mark, the above verses really hit home: “It was nine in the morning when they crucified him.  And at three in the afternoon…Jesus breathed his la