5 Days and a Map

I am a bit saddened that for 5 days coming up (April 1-5), I won't be able to blog. Yes, we are quite excited about the move, as I am getting a nice sewing room (finally), and the boys will have their own rooms (quite needed as they are 12 years apart in age), my husband has a better job opportunity, but I have to give up the internet 5 days to do so! Yikes!

Those 5 days are perhaps the most important 5 days of the entire year to our family. When I was growing up, we went to a church that had a Maundy Thursday service. It was a re-enactment of the Last Supper, and the events following. It was quite convicting. And I remember every year, about a month before Easter the church would pass out little bags for "Thirty Pieces of Silver". I am not sure what the special offering was for, but I remember trying to save 30 quarters for my bag if I could. Sometimes I had to put in dimes and nickels to get it up to 30. How I miss those special services! Anyway, I was just thinking with my fingers (thinking 'outloud' is almost a thing of the past, isn't it?) about how sad it is we will be all wrapped up in moving on some of the most important days of the year!!

My son has also been reflecting on the upcoming holiday. Seth loves writing poetry, for sure, but he really, really loves to write Haiku poems the best. Maybe it's the challenge of getting the exact amount of syllables per line, or maybe it's the fact that they are short, so finished quickly. I am not sure, but he has a great time writing Haiku's! I enjoy sharing them with you.

Untitled

 (and he's in bed so I can't ask him what the title is!)

a Haiku by Seth

Jesus so loving

He died for our very sins

Only God there is.

Yesterday my daughter and I went to the city to get the little tiny guy an Easter outfit. Big mistake. There was road construction outside of St. Louis, and we were stuck on the highway a very long time. We aren't really very familiar with the area, so I had to call my husband and have him look up another route to get us home that didn't involve a bunch of highway construction. When we (finally) did get home, I had an email from him. He had written a little "Thursday Thought" for me...

These days there are a plethora of ways to map a journey. Between GPS units that actually speak to you as you drive and multiple internet websites providing turn by turn directions, it is easy to find something or someone willing to tell you how to get where you want to go. But when you compare, there are almost always variations in the directions. So which route is best? Which takes less time, is more scenic, or has smoother roads? It is a geometrical fact that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, so that is my motto when traveling anywhere, and the reason I still prefer a good old fashioned map. I can simply lay it out, find my starting point and destination, and trace the most direct route. A good map will never fail you.

Likewise, there are many today willing to give you directions to heaven. And although the intended destination is the same, there are always variations in the route they tell you to take. Some are more difficult than others, laden with hard work maneuvering rough roads and highway tolls of good deeds to pay. Others direct you down smooth freeways on which you can just set the cruise control of baptism, a spoken prayer, or church attendance, simply coasting your way into heaven. But neither will get you there. Jesus said, “I am the way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through me (John 14:6).” If heaven is your desired destination, Jesus is the route you must take. Because His yoke is light, the way is sometimes smooth and easy. Oftentimes, however, the trip seems long due to construction zones and narrow roads. Occasionally you’ll break down and must wait for repairs. Just remember, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, and that line runs through Jesus. His Word is the only roadmap you need.