Lilley of the field

I didn't think I needed Jesus today. On Easter of all days. I woke up with the bright sun shining, life bursting with possibilities and new joys. Of course, I didn't say those words out loud, but I acted that way because something unthinkable happened on Easter. I actually sinned. I said and thought selfish thing before we actually even arrived at church. Somehow I was frustrated by that. I thought, I am a new creation. The old has gone and the new has come. Today is a different day. It's Easter. I am supposed to be holier today- more selfless from this day forward. Only there sin came breaking in again. My earthly nature creeping through those cracks in this little jar of clay. This morning as I sat in church and sang songs of praise with my brothers and sister, I contemplated the rugged cross that hung before us and before the communion bread and juice. Believing in Jesus isn't the end. It's really the beginning. Easter is not the end- it's the beginn...

Remember how you jumped out of the car at 7:30 on a Friday night ready to hike into the woods and set up a tent for the night. Remember how 8:00 rolled around and then rolled by and you still hadn't found a flat spot to lay your weary head. Aaron trudged on way ahead of you forging the way. Then the sun started starting sinking, sinking so low and slow all you could do was hope there was a flat spot soon. Remember how you didn't think you'd make it up that mountain so you recited Bible verses until you couldn't remember any more. Then you sang songs. Remember how you got worried that maybe you should have taken the trail down to the river with more campsite than the trail to the ridge line. But then you remembered that God can redeem anything so you prayed he would redeem this night hike. Remember how you could barely walk 15 feet before you had to catch your breath- yet up that mountain you went. Remember when you thought you would settle for just sleeping there on...