The Lord is Risen!

He is Risen INDEED.

i was dreading Easter and was hoping for it at the same time. what if i got through the dreadgery of Lent and there was no light at the end of my long night? what if God was not faithful? what if there was no resurrection after my mourning? what if i was doomed to be forgotten and left to sit outside in my darkness forever?

i'm not saying that i have definitely reached my emotional Easter morning but i do see more light of late. my relationship with Wendy has seen much more light as we've each studied more of what it's like to be sharing a life with a person of our particular type. she has most definitely been reacting differently to me over the last month or so and it has budded into some new paths of relating to one another. i've enjoyed that my love, thank you.

it's a brighter day. i raced to the tomb and i found it empty. He is risen INDEED.

i spent my Holy Week with friends, talking about spiritual things. some reached me on levels that few reach me. i basked in their joy, i shared their light and they hugged me.

Good Friday was more pleading for Sunday morning. prayers continued that the Wind of Gabriel would blow on the hollow bones (thank you Mark Heard). Good Friday service continued the somber feelings of my previous 6 months ... a continued longing for light and resurrection.

Sunday was coming. i just had to sit and mourn, wait and pray. yes i have done a lot of waiting and praying.

i was on sound for our 830am Easter service so i was the first on the scene at church. as i opened the door the rector of the church who hosts our community in her building pulled up so she could prepare for a big day in any church's life. she looked at me and smiled her beaming smile to say "THE LORD IS RISEN!" and to hear from me in a beaming response "HE IS RISEN INDEED". she had no real idea of my pain over this period, or the joy in being able to say that and search for light on that morning. i hugged her and thanked her for sharing her light with me on this morning.

the church is a beautiful thing. we share our lives and we help each other along the path.

Wendy, Craig, Jane, Roger, Lyle, Kerry, Reba, Ed, Stu, Kathy, James, Rob, Dorothy, Norm you all have reached me in the last week. you have all touched me and brought me light. you helped me make it to Easter morning and although you didn't all say the words that the Lord is Risen, your lives all spoke the words to me and my burdens are less today because of it. i have not arrived, i just see the light of morning a little more clearly. i was never alone, even when i thought i was a xenophobic wonder.

He is Risen Indeed.