'A Great Fire' - Silverstein
It is easy, looking back on times where pain and frustration were the major elements in our emotional makeup, to find how the struggle has made us better for today, and for tomorrow.
But it's harder facing the beast directly in the face and displaying the same cool, calm rationale.
That takes much more faith and rugged perseverance in the name of the Lord. It helps me personally to reflect on his Crucifixion, even in the midst of this Christmas season.
Christmas magnifies the miracle of the Crucifixion, in that it shows that Jesus came among us, not to be given a kingship or dominion, but to be born in a stable, and to die upon the same type of material he lived on and worked with in his years working with his foster father. It is an easy reminder that he lived simply, not driving a Corvette, sipping a Starbucks, and playing with his new phone the way many of us do.
However, no matter how many crosses we may bear, we have the help of knowing that each one - just like the cross of Christ - is accompanied by a resurrection, something to help us or those around us. While pondering the pain Jesus suffered and that we suffer in our daily lives is important, doing so without also considering the results is worse than a waste of time, as it also serves to put us in a bad mood and take away the hope that we receive daily from the news of the Resurrection of our Lord. Together, these two things to meditate on work wonders, like peanut butter and jelly, making the bread taste the best it can (though some would say it could use some toasting ;)
I'm coming up with more ideas as I type, but I know that soon enough, my dearest mother will be telling me it's time for sleep, so I'll leave it here for now. Thanks for reading, and please leave any comments you have for me, and I'll be sure to read them.
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