Posts Tagged: life and death are normal
DTEB, “Normal? No Such Thing!”
I no longer believe in normal. Therefore, I have no desire to get back to it. In point of fact, normal never existed. What we call “normal” is usually just our faulty memory of the good bits and bobs that we think we experienced in the past.
Do you think I’m being pessimistic? It may sound so, I admit. However, I find this rejection of the fiction of normality as being positive and liberating. When I lust for normality, I tend to get up-tight, to worry, to overlook the joys of the moment.
Did you notice that yesterday was full of sunshine, and that it was unseasonably warm? It was a spring day in January. What a gift! Today is going to be a lot colder. So? The sun is still supposed to shine.
Have you noticed that on very cold nights, there are exquisite diamonds on the ground, sprinkled around by the extravagant anonymous Giver called Nighttime? They are gone in the morning, but man, are they ever lovely before they vanish!
Have you noticed that you can read this post? That you can read a book? Your Facebook friends’ posts? What is normal about reading, may I ask? You and I were not born knowing how to read.
Most of you can get out of bed, reach for a cup of coffee or a glass of water. What a privilege! But it isn’t normal.
Life and death are normal. They are also extraordinary blessings. Quite appropriately, I try to take good care of myself and others. I want to put off death as long as possible. That really is normal.
But death is normal too. And while I will be careful—for my own sake and the sake of others—I will choose not to fear death or the process of dying. Rumor has it that when I close my eyes in death, the next face I see will be the Face I’ve longed to see all my life: the Face of Jesus.
DOWN TO EARTH BELIEVER
- “Even a Sliver of Light” April 9, 2024“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:6, English Standard Version) I missed the total eclipse yesterday. There were a number of good reasons for this, but […]
- “The Process in Miracles and the Miracle of Process” March 11, 2024“2 Kings 5:1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 2 Now the Syrians on one of their raids […]
- “The Power of Encouragement—Even for Old People” March 10, 2024“But encourage each other every day while it is ‘today.’ Help each other so none of you will become hardened because sin has tricked you.” (Hebrews 3:13, New Century Version) Yesterday, I was walking at a nearby park. There was a large group of young people some of whom were running while other young people […]
- “Endurance” March 10, 2024“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.” (Hebrews 10:36, English Standard Version) “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us […]
- “The Limits of Non-Judgmentalism” February 24, 2024“Matt. 7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. Matt. 7:2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2, English Standard Version) This morning, in my virtual 12-step meeting, we discussed the topic of judgmentalism. There were many wise […]
- “Delighting in Being Told What to Do?!?” February 23, 2024“Psa. 112:1 Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! 2 His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures […]
- “Character is the Real Lesson” January 19, 2024I am often confused about what lesson I’m really supposed to be learning. For example, this morning I was trying to knock out several Spanish lessons. My intentions were a lot better than my internet connection. I’ve done three lessons. Or rather, I’ve done two lessons. One of them I did twice because the internet […]
- “The Year of Becoming Un-Planked” January 1, 2024Each year, I try to come up with one word or a short phrase for what I intend to work on in the upcoming year. 2024 is “The Year of Becoming Un-Planked”. What?!! What does that even mean? So glad that you asked! Jesus said to his disciples, “Why do you look at the speck […]
- “Searching for the Noble One” December 26, 2023My wife and I were reading Luke, chapter 2 on Christmas Day. Luke 2 talks about the shepherds being told to look for this very special child—in fact, this King—in a stable. I prefer the word “barn”. I grew up on a farm. I know what a barn is. A stable is entirely too biblical […]
- “That Don’t Impress God Much” December 14, 2023DTEB, “That Don’t Impress God Much” “That Don’t Impress Me Much” (Song by Robert John Lange and Shania Twain) Micah 6:8 (MSG) “But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be […]
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