They all came back with ties... Excited, even... Ties...
In this world, there are two types of people, those who like ties and those like me.
Hate is a very strong word, so I will not use it to describe my intense dislike for ties.
But in seeing my children's excitement for wearing this apparatus, I quietly started searching thru the few I own for something appropriate. Upon hearing from my son Jacob that I was going to wear the abyssmal device, my Wonderful Wife gently said " You don't have to wear one, you know. A button down shirt will do".
How I love this woman.
But this morning, I did put on a smile along with a nice blue and black striped contrivance, without complaint or prodding. I joined my three handsome young men and stood with them outside and then inside, thru the second Church service.
You see, although I personally feel we should learn a lesson from Judas about a man wrapping a noose around his own neck, I understand that our society is divided, or more appropriately, segregated , and there are many places that cannot be accessed unless you join this league of ties.
My two older brothers both belong to this group. They wear them with grace and grandeur, almost as an extension of themselves.
Sports is its official language and the ties, an irreplaceable part of the uniform.
So my children start this initiation with happiness. What kind of dad would stand in their way?
Neckties aside, I love Easter.
It is my favorite of all holidays. It is the truest, most beautiful story that has ever been told. This day is the great equalizer among all of us humans. All sinners, all broken and all needing what we could not create on our own or earn by ourselves.
Also, it gives me a chance to hear about my two favorite characters in the Bible, excluding Jesus, of course...
Mary Magdelene and the thief on the cross.
Neither of these get much attention in most Churches. Generally they are an add in or an aside. I myself have sat thru quite a few Easter services where neither were mentioned.
The thief defends Jesus as being innocent while confessing his own guilt. The thief declares that he deserves the punishment he received but Jesus is blameless. In faith, he asks Jesus to remember him when He enters His Kingdom.
Jesus guarantees him that that day he will join Him in Paradise.
He does not begrudge his rightful punishment. He stands guilty and defends Jesus as innocence. He believes. He sees...
Mary Magdelene, on the other hand, is to me, the most complete human example of accepting Gods Amazing Grace.
She accepted her healing and simply followed Jesus and served. She, like the thief, had no stature and never had any among men. When I think of obedience, I think of her.
She stayed with Jesus thru the crucifixion. She found the tomb empty and brought the disciples.
He appeared to her first, in her grief. He revealed Himself to her first, a woman.
What I love about her is her Faith.
She never doubted or denied him. She never asked to sit at either his left or right hand.
She stayed with him when others ran.
Mary Magdelene believed. No questions. Full stop...
Now Paul ( or Saul first ) was powerful among men both before and after his conversion.
He never knew or felt or lived the existence of being invisible and utterly worthless and disposable to the world of man. He was always a " somebody".
He was a tie kind of guy....
Not the thief and certainly not Mary Magdelene.
I guess that's why I like them so much...
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