Life and Death, Newborns and Born Again

Yesterday was one of those days... 4th of July weekend..attendance down a bit...I labored through the sermon in both services. (Some days are like that). Maybe it was the combination of the 4th and a sermon on $. I was kind of tired and worn down.

There was bad news about a 21 year old member of the church being killed in a boating accident on the 4th. The news was sketchy, so I said nothing...just a prayer for his mom, who had lost her husband 6 years ago to cancer. Later in the day I went to see her. Her first words were so raw. Its tough to lose a husband. It is double tough to lose a son. Wow...Funeral is Wednesday. What do you say? I am not sure, but it is on my mind alot right now. God will give me something.

Mix that with the story of a woman who has recently accepted Christ. She , her husband and I had a lengthy conversation after church. She needed a church. She was invited to a different church, but her husband asked his small group of friends about a church. The interesting thing is that he was in Bagdad Iraq, and one of the guys is an elder of our church. David got on the phone, contacted his wife who talked to this lady... Well.. what a cool thing it was Sunday. He is on leave for two weeks... He said, "The most important thing in my life is seeing her make this decision." This Sunday she will be baptized.

Mix all that with the fact that Grace, Lizzie and Nathaniel were here. Great times having a baby in the house. She is so sweet... Liz and Nathaniel are so good with her.

It all gets me to thinking... Life and Death...New-borns and born-again...there is a cycle, a process...all of which leads to the same thing...a day when we decide to look beyond this life into the next. We have to decide. And we don't know when that last day will come.

It's called "paying attention" to the really important things. Life and Death, New-borns and born again.

more later