Death's Door

I recently enjoyed watching the Japanese film Departures. It's a story about a Japanese man who lost his job and, by mistake, found another job preparing bodies for burial. Watching how he and his boss reverently prepared the bodies was amazing. I'm not an expert on burial practices from around the world, but I have witnessed some foreign ways and was totally impressed with their care during the process and their sensitivity towards the bereaved family as they watched their loved one being prepared for burial. (Yes, Japanese families watch. Definitely not something done here!) However, in Japan, death is a very taboo subject to openly discuss and he had several obstacles to overcome in order to make money for his family. In the end, he was able to take pride in his work because of something a family friend told him:

Death is not the end. It is a door into the next life.

How true that statement is.

However, unlike most people's way of thinking today, the door of death only leads to two very different places. One is Heaven; the other is Hell. There are no other destinations. Most people today think that by being good, doing good works, helping the poor, being kind, etc. will help them cross this door into Paradise. Others believe that they will be reborn in another life and the type of life they have then will be determined by what they do in this present life. Sadly, these self-delusioned people find out quickly that they were wrong.

The only way to Heaven is through the shed blood of Christ and in Him alone. Acts 4:12 states, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved." Walking down paths of enlightenment, traveling to holy Meccas once a year, doing good works for your fellow humans, or coming back as anything better in another life are all paths that lead from Death's door into the place of everlasting punishment and torment. The only path that leads to eternal life is the narrow, blood-stained path of Jesus Christ. He is the only Way to spend Eternity with God the Father.

Have you chosen the path of Jesus? Or do you continue in your own way through Death's door to everlasting fire?

Why We Cry

Crying is, in my opinion, a God-given way for humans to heal. The body uses it to release pain, guilt, frustration, and sadness. Some people wail; others silently shed tears. Each of us has our own way of expressing our feelings through tears. With each tear shed, the feelings slowly begin to lose their grip on us and we can begin to return to some sense of normalcy.

There are many reasons we cry. We cry when we are physically injured. We cry when someone hurts us emotionally through shame, disgrace, or downright meanness. We cry when we see or hear something sad, i.e. music, a movie, a story. We cry when we are angry and frustrated.

But I believe that one of the deepest and most lasting reasons we cry is when we lose someone very close to us. I believe it to be one of the greatest causes of weeping this side of eternity. When we lose a loved one, especially suddenly, a huge, gaping void is created in our lives and the only way to express that void is through crying. We realize that that person and the place he or she held in our lives can never be replaced. Their existence in our innermost being cannot be filled by any other person or thing no matter how much we try to make something else fill that void. The pain of losing it is as if part of yourself has been ripped out and thrown away.

The only thing that will calm the raw nerves is time. Yes, the hole will always remain. But with time, the edges will be softened and the pain will become less raw and more pensive and melancholy. And for those of us who know where we are going when we die, the pain becomes bittersweet and can contain a small amount of jealousy. Even though we are parted, we know we will see them again one day and will be able to spend eternity with them.

Tucson

Yet another tragic event has occurred on American soil. We Americans, who pride ourselves on freedom and liberty for all, seem to be becoming more known for violent acts. Everyone else in the world seems to wait for the next such act and wonders in which part of the country it will occur next.

As usual, the media descends on the area like vultures to a freshly killed carcass. Each one wants to get the freshest scoop, the latest bit of new, in order to garner the most ratings. Sometimes I really wonder if it's about the news itself, the real people involved, or it is just for a higher Nielsen. Be that it may, one quote from Rep. Giffords brother-in-law, Scott Kelly, caught my eye. He stated from the International Space Station that he sees "a very beautiful planet that seems very inviting and peaceful. Unfortunately, it's not." He goes on to say, "These days, we are constantly reminded of the unspeakable acts of violence and damage we can inflict upon one another, not just with our actions, but also with our irresponsible words. We are better than this; we must do better."

While I understand his thoughts given the tragic events of this past Saturday, I must say that I disagree with him somewhat. We are not better than this act or any other wrong committed, whether intentional or unintentional. Mankind is full of sin. Jeremiah 17:9 states, "The heart is deceitful above all things, who can know it?" John 3:23 tells is that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

Nor can we do better by ourselves. Nothing that we do in our own strength will make us or the world a better place. Contrary to popular belief and what is taught heavily in our educational system, mankind is not, nor ever will, get better by his own actions. He is getting more and more evil by the generation and, if God wouldn't intervene, he would eventually be nothing more than a putrid mass of humanity that thinks solely of himself and what pleases him.

Thankfully God had a different plan for this world He created. From the very beginning, He gave His Son to be the sacrifice for a sin-cursed world. All one has to do is believe that Jesus Christ died for his or her sins and gave His blood to cover all the sins of humanity past, present, and future. Nothing more; nothing less.

If this world would actually see and understand, then, yes, we can and would do better. But the only way it will ever happen is when the Lord returns in all His glory.

Until then, more Tucsons will happen all across this planet we call Earth.

Are you ready to meet Him?

Drugged

I was sent an email today. It was from some Louisiana newspaper's editorial page with the following note from the editor:

The following letter has appeared on the internet and was viewed by many readers. Many felt it would be appropriate for the readers of Avoyelles Parish.

Here is the letter:

The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a Methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farm house in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question, "Why didn't we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?"
I replied, "I had a drug problem when I was young: I was drug to church on Sunday morning. I was drug to church for weddings and funerals. I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.
I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults. I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I didn't put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.
I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered profanity. I was drug out to pull weeds in mom's garden and flower beds and cockleburs out of dad's fields. I was drug to the homes of family, friends, and neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline or chop some firewood, and, if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to the woodshed.
Those drugs are still in my veins and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, or think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin; and, if today's children had this kind of drug problem, America would be a better place.
God bless the parents who drugged us.
Submitted by a concerned citizen

Doesn't this little "rant" speak volumes?

Minnesota??

All day long, I have been clicking the heels of my ruby slippers over and over and over again while wistfully chanting "there's no place like home...there's no place like home". I feel as if I have transported to Minnesota for the month of December and I want to take Toto and return home to Auntie Em. Raleigh has received four (Yes! Four!) snowfalls this month and three out of the four fell before winter officially began!! (OK! OK! I will concede that those three were just a dusting or a smidge more, but it's still not normal for here in December.)

To top off the month, we had our first white Christmas in 63 years!!! Yes! It snowed on Christmas in Raleigh. For countless native North Carolinians, a white Christmas was just something they sang about while knowing deep down they would never experience one. Well, that all changed this past weekend. Anywhere from 6-13 inches covered Eastern North Carolina with a lovely white blanket of frozen fluff. That amount was the largest since the "Storm of the Century" back in 2000 when we received around 22 inches of snow in one night.

(Now before all you Yankees and other assorted Northerners start scoffing and laughing your heads off, I will ask you to read here first.)

I did enjoy my first, and probably last, white Christmas. It was a beautiful sight! But I am ready for the North Carolina winter that I know and love to return. And I may get my wish because it looks as if my ruby heel clicking just might be working. The weather forecast for this weekend shows the temperatures in the 60s.

All together now (complete with fist pump)...

YES!!!!!!!!!!!

Adiós

Adiós is the Spanish word for "good-bye". It literally means "to God". I think this word is very fitting for today because I have to say adiós to my best friend, Noel Toral Romero. He is now with his Creator and has left me here to grieve the loss of my best friend.

Never would I have thought when I first met him through a Christian pen pal website that we would quickly become so close. He lived in Xalapa, Mexico, and I lived in Raleigh, North Carolina. How can two people living in two very different countries become best friends? I have no idea how we did, but it happened. In December of the same year we met. I traveled to Mexico for the first time and met him face to face. I will never forget that time together. Since then I traveled there many other times and he also traveled here to visit me. Each time, it was like we had never parted and we enjoyed each others company. We were not alike in many ways but we complimented each other in a way I never knew possible.

Please bear with me as I go down memory lane...

Noel, I never thought I would have to go through this time so soon. You have left me here alone and have gone to a better place with our Lord and your mother. I will never forget our first meeting and my feeling of being greeted by a "sea of Mexican people" on my first visit. Thank you for making my first trip to Mexico a very special one. I will never forget all the wonderful Mexican dishes you shared with me. From now on, every time I eat a garnacha, arrachera, or taco al pastor or drink an horchata de coco, you will always be on my mind. Our trips to Catemaco, Veracruz, Naolinco, Mexico City, Cancun, Xico, and Coatepec will always be cherished memories. There are so many memories flooding my memory right now that I can't sort through them properly. Your family was always welcoming to me and made me feel like part of their family.

I will never look at Disney in the same way. You were so filled with love for all things Disney that I couldn't help but enjoy it along with you. You taught me that it's OK for a grown man to get caught up in the moment of singing "It's a Small World" and "Part of Your World".

¡Gracias por todos, mi hermano! Nunca te olvidaré. Siempre serás mi amigo mejor. ¡¡Te quiero mucho, hermano!! Siempre serás parte de mi mundo.

Noel Toral Romero
February 14, 1965-December 23, 2010

Baking Weekend

May I please have a moment?

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[pause]

WHEW!!!!!!!

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Thanks for allowing me a moment to collect my sanity.

This past weekend was busy!! It was the annual Fowler Christmas Bake-off where I don my chef's hat, cheerleader skirt and pom poms, and coach's whistle while arming myself with the tools of the trade and make my way down to the Fowler's chalet to begin the processes of measuring, chopping, beating, whirring, and baking individual ingredients into something that will be absolutely scrumptious.

This year was more of a challenge because a nameless someone wasn't very motivated (by her own admission!). After a few false starts and a few surprise realizations of forgotten ingredients where mad dashes to the grocery store had to be made, the baking was off at a good pace. However, because of school projects that happened to be due around the same time, the activities slowed somewhat and the first day ended up rather late into the night. After Sunday dinner, the kitchen again saw multiple activities and finally all baking was done and gift bags assembled and in the van before 9 PM.

Because of the slight delays in the weekend, the personal baking I had planned had to be delayed a day. When I came home from work yesterday, I started up the kitchen here right after supper and made 2 batches of cookies and a batch of fudge in the span of 3 hours. To get that accomplished, I had to employ the help of two sous-chefs. With their help, I was able to finish my task in a lot shorter time than if I had done it all alone.

As always, I had fun. Little talks along the way make the time together more enjoyable. One little question, however, sticks out in my mind as absolutely hilarious. While enjoying a rousing rendition of "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas," the question was asked if hippos really are vegetarians.

My response, complete with the appropriate eye-rolling, was "When was the last time you saw a hippo stalking prey???".