On Ready Feet

It's been 3 years and 1 month And we're doing okay. Sometimes, though, brother, I forget that we've lost you We talk about you, and laugh about you, and tell stories. But, you're barely there. I don't want you to fade away I want to hold onto you. I try, but it's hard. I forget your deep tenor voice, your kwerky smile, your engineer-minded projects. Your passion for all things Subaru was contagious And your passion for life was just as much so. It's as if you were a brightly lit flame for only such a time Now, all I see is what one sees when they close their eyes after turning off bright lights. Dots and sparkles in my vision of where you once were. I know this is the way it will be until I see you again, but barely there is better than not at all.

I wonder what life would have been like if I'd been born one year later or one year earlier than I was. I wonder what life would have been like if I'd been born somewhere else or with different parents or if I had been born without my innate personality traits or my natural tendencies or a different name. I wonder if I had chosen to remain home-schooled through high-school or attend a different university or try a different career path or date another person or even eat that sushi last night.  Would I be somewhere else right now? Would I even be writing this nonsensical blog post? Would I be working an eighty hour work week as a marine biologist in Washington? Would I be writing my second novel about superheroes at a Starbucks in Manhattan? Would I be holding a child I'd adopted from India and pruning my homegrown herb garden? If I were to go back in time, would I change anything to be somewhere different than I am? --- I can't answer that. --...

Before Every day was an expectation, trying to imagine the promises fulfilled. Hanging on to hope, barely trusting God, running to comforts and idols, anything. Reading and re-reading the Scriptures anticipating, waiting, watching,  for any sign of the One. He was meant to come soon but how long must they wait? Hundreds of years of silence  stretching into forever? He would arise and save them from their state of sin but when? After He arose!  From the grave, defeating Death He, the Son of God, had come! Rejoice, all the Earth! Sing out his praises! The Promised One  The Sacrificial Lamb  The Lord Jesus Christ For He vanquished sin Raise your voices in jubilee! He lived a miracle-filled life, a Scripture-fulfilling life,  and then He, our Beloved Savior, died. On a tree, alone, forsaken. Three days, of waiting, His children left to hope once more, until He conquered the grave, asce...