Coming Back

It has been quite some time since I have written here, and this morning, as I sat down to go over my message from yesterday, critique myself and make improvements, I saw a button on the church's web page that had eluded me until today. It shocked me to see it, to be perfectly honest with you, and I was take with its simplicity and tenacity as it has sat there for nearly 18 months without anything new added to it. I stared at it for a while, not knowing what would happen if I clicked on it, but in the end curiosity won out and on it I clicked.

To my surprise, there before me was a blog page...lonely and desolate. The date on the page was May 15, 2017. I was shocked to think that I had not posted here in that long, and so I thought to myself, "Self, you really ought to write something and publish it here. And so, that is what I am doing.

I have titled the post "Coming Back" for two reasons. First, is that I want to express my excitement and joy about "coming back" to the blog, writing out some of my thoughts and feelings for you, those who choose to follow it. I have been away for a long time, and want to come back. I do not promise that I will post every day, or even every week, but I will take the time to post something often. I do not want this page to be left as desolate as it has been for the last year and a half.

The second reason is because my family had a conversation not too long ago about the J.R.R. Tolkien classic, The Lord of the Rings. I was thinking about that conversation when my mind went to a conversation in the book between Gandalf the White and Pippen, the Hobbit. As they await what they believe will be their destruction in the city of Minas Tirith, Pippen turns to Gandalf and says, "I didn't think it would end here." Gandalf replies, "End? The journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path. One we all must take."

For many of us, we have suffered loss in our lives, and at this time of year, it often brings us back to those we love and have lost. But the truth of the matter is that life has a funny way of reminding us just how temporary it is. But as this quote reminds us, death is not the end...especially for the Christian. For us, death is just the beginning of an eternity with our Lord. The journey takes a different path, and we look into the face of the one who is waiting there for us.

I hope that as we enter the Thanksgiving holiday, that you will take the time to reflect on the loved ones who have gone before, the ones who are still with us, and those yet to come. Pray that God's love and grace will be enough for you and that all He has given is more than enough to sustain you through the difficult times.

God bless you this Thanksgiving!

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