Gina Stopped By



Gina stopped by today.  Gina is about 5'4 and weighs 280 pounds.  She stopped by yesterday and asked my brother, her neighbor, if he would like her to come to the house and perform a cleansing with sage.  "It's a meaningful Native American custom," she said.  She continued, "I can go through the house with the sage (burning incense), cleanse and bless your home."  I turned away thinking of something I was trying to finish in the living room.  I heard my brother say, "sure come by tomorrow."
I turned around, waited for her to leave, and screamed at my brother. 

My brother's wife died less than two weeks ago. Cleanse with sage!  An old Native American cleansing!  I got over it quickly because I was there to support my brother not to stop people from supporting him.

Gina stopped by the next evening.  We followed her from room to room.  Then downstairs until we entered the room where my sister-in-law died.  "Should we do this room?" she asked.  My brother said yes, and we proceeded to gather near the room we wanted to avoid.  She had filled the entire room with the smell of sage and then turned to leave.  My brother said wait, and then embraced her with a hug of thankfulness.  We weren't converted to any new strange belief.  However we were touched by this act of kindness and this symbol of closure.

Gina Stopped By-And I'm Glad She Did.

LTL

Paradise

                                                                

Jesus said to the man hanging next to him on the cross, "Today, you will be with me in paradise."  It's easy to argue over the grammar used in the translation of Jesus' words.  Perhaps it's not so easy to see the thief on the cross hearing those words.  What good thing had he done?  Not much good is reported about this man.  He was a thief.  How real was his repenting?  Doesn't sound like he repented.  What theology did he follow?  We're not sure he knew any theology.  What "hermeneutic" was the driving force behind his study of scripture?  Doubtful he new such a thing as a "hermeneutic?" 

So what did Jesus see in this man that he would offer him paradise-on that very day?  One thought is that the story revolves around not what Jesus saw in the man, but rather what the man saw in Jesus.
Maybe that thought holds the key for the thief, and perhaps that thought holds the key for me in living with and for Jesus.

When I can see that Jesus is the center of my faith and not my accomplishments, perhaps then I'll be able to see Jesus as my daily rescuer, my companion, and my friend.

And what a friend he is!

HTBH


He seemed to know Jesus.  In his travels he probably had heard of this man who offered hope and acceptance to everyone he met.  He seemed to sense this person hanging next to him was different.  He thought he could tell there was hope for him.  Then he did the unthinkable.  Then he took a step that was as difficult as the one Zacchaeus took when he climed the tree to see Jesus.  Then he did what would be hard for me, maybe all of us.  Then he asked Jesus to be a part of his kingdom.  There was no waiting to ask this question.  Time was running away from him.  There was no time to formulate the words.  There was no time
wonder if it was the right thing to do.  He simply said, "Lord, remember me in your kingdom."


Often we refer to Orcas Island as paradise.  "Just another day in paradise."  Orcas is cool, but to be remembered by Jesus is beyond description.  I'm glad he will remember the thief on the cross, and I'm glad he will remember all of us!