Life Is Messy

Life is messy. 

There are times that my own life has had its messy moments. We all have. We have all had those moments we would like to forget. Life doesn’t always work out like we have planned but it always works out.

Our journey in this life has many twists and turns. It is filled with ups and downs. We are formed by the decisions we make. Making decisions is just a part of life. We do the best we can. I used to be obsessed with making the absolutely perfect decision but I have learned that you can’t predict the future and you can only make decisions based on the information you have - not on the what ifs.

We have to navigate through the messy parts of our lives. We figure out who we are when we are going through the messes.

I will admit to you that I get rattled sometimes. While I have faith in God and trust in Him, I am not perfect and I let things get to me and worry too much about things that happen to me. I try to have peace but sometimes that peace isn’t there for me. I have to regroup and regain my focus.

When life is messy, God is not surprised by the chaos, mistakes, or unexpected detours, but instead remains present, faithful, and actively working to shape us. It’s easy to have faith when we are jamming to our favorite praise and worship songs but real life is not a Jesus musical. Real life can be challenging and pretty frustrating at times.

When we are going through the messy parts, we have to recognize that these times will come. We can’t avoid them. The only way to get through them is to get through them. Acknowledge it instead of panicking or trying to force changes based on our emotions at the moment. We have to keep our emotions stable.

Faith requires that we believe even if we don’t see it. We can only control the things we can control When we are going through the messes, we also need to trust in the support of the people we trust. There are people on your side. Lean on their strength and always seek wise counsel.

We have all messed up at some point but if we look back at those times we see what we have learned and how we have grown through those times. Jesus told us that in this life we would have tribulations. He didn’t sugar coat so we can expect it but He did tell us that despite the struggles, the core message is that He is our source of hope and comfort.

We can’t control every aspect of life but we can choose how we respond to the mess.

Thoughts about the Winter Olympic Games

Over the past two weeks, I have watched the Winter Olympic games.  I have mostly had it on in the background while I am doing other things.  The Olympic games are unique and the competition usually involves people we never hear of until the games.

I have some thoughts about these Olympics:

• They like to tell us that these athletes are the “best in the world”.  I’m not so sure about that.  In reality these are the ones would could afford to train and compete.  For instance, for someone to train as an Olympic figure skater, it costs between $50,000-$100,000 or more.  It isn’t cheap and not something everyone can afford to do.  So there could be better athletes out there but just simply don’t have to money to compete.
• What’s up with this sport of curling?  It seems every time I turn on the games that there are people screaming and sweeping.  Have you tried to sit and watch an ENTIRE game?  Painful.  
• The television coverage of the games is a bit frustrating.  I have tuned in to watch figure skating and suddenly I’ve been bounced to watch skeleton or double-person luge.  With all the streaming options, you’d think we could just watch the live coverage of the sport we want to watch.  
• Speaking of television coverage, the reporter interviews have been horrible.  Last night one of the reporters interviewed a skater who was just devastated with her performance.  The reporter asked, “How did you feel when you came off the ice?”  How do you think she felt?  What a terrible question.  Just make her relive it again and cry about it.  Good grief.  
• How about some of these sports?  Can you really bounce down to your local ski lodge and decide you want to do some sloping?  Yeah, I doubt there is a place to do all those turns, flips and acrobatics.  
• Every four years we get reacquainted with terms that we don’t normally use any other time such as “twizzles” and “Salchow”.  Last night I heard some new terms such as bread and butter at one of the ski jumping events.  I’m still not sure what they mean by “butter”.  

It is also difficult to see how much pressure these athletes are under - especially when they are “expected” to get a Gold Medal.  Several have caved in under the pressure.  It is sad to see how crushed these young athletes are after a terrible performance.  They have given up so much of their lives for this one moment at such a young age.  

Some of my favorite sports to watch are: figure skating, bobsled, short-track speed skating and ice hockey.     

Life is a Vapor

Life is but a vapor. 

That’s what the Bible says about our lives. 

So what happens when the vapor is gone?  What’s next?  Is there even anything next?

If you ask 10 random people what happens after we die, you would get nine different answers (one would refuse to answer).

So what do people believe?

Sadly some believe you just cease to exist.  The end.  Nothing else.  

However, 70-80 percent of Americans believe in some form of an afterlife existence. 

Here are some other beliefs:

Islam: Muslims believe in an afterlife, where the soul waits for Judgement Day to go to Jannah (paradise) or Jahannam(hell).

Hinduism & Buddhism: Believe in reincarnation, where the soul/consciousness is reborn into a new body (Samsara), eventually seeking moksha (liberation) or Nirvana(enlightenment).

Judaism: Focuses heavily on life, but beliefs include the soul's immortality and a "World to Come".

Sikhism: Believes the soul passes through many births until it achieves mukti (liberation) and unites with God.

Secular/Scientific View: Death marks the end of consciousness, heartbeat, and brain activity, with no existence of a soul or afterlife.

Other Beliefs: Some, such as in Shintoism, see death as impure and focus on ancestors becoming kami(spirits). Others, like in some Native American traditions, view it as a return to the spirit world. 

So which one is right?  Are any of them right?

For me, I have always believed - and will always believe - that Jesus is the key to the afterlife.  He defeated death and promised that we would also do the same if we believe in Him.  Do I have proof?  Does it matter if you don’t believe?  My words won’t convince you.  I can say that I have visited the empty tomb.  The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the very thing this all hinges on.  

Here are some things to consider about the resurrection of Jesus:

• The Empty Tomb: According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus was buried in a tomb sealed with a large stone and guarded by soldiers, yet the body was missing on the third day. The empty tomb is considered a strong starting point as even early detractors did not claim the tomb was occupied, but rather that the body was stolen.

• Post-Mortem Appearances: The Gospels and the Apostle Paul report that the risen Jesus appeared to various people, including Mary Magdalene, the apostles, and over 500 people at once. These were not mere hallucinations but, according to the accounts, physical interactions where they ate with him and touched his wounds.

• The Transformation of the Disciples: The disciples were initially fearful and in hiding. Following the reported resurrection, they became courageous, unwavering witnesses, many of whom were martyred for their faith in the risen Christ, which is considered an unlikely outcome for a fabricated story.

• The Conversion of Skeptics: James, a brother of Jesus who did not believe in him during his ministry, and Paul, a persecutor of the early church, both became leaders after reporting experiences with the risen Jesus.

• Early Church Growth: The explosive, rapid rise of Christianity in Jerusalem—the very city where Jesus was executed—was based entirely on the message that he had risen.

• Reliable Historical Documents: The New Testament accounts are supported by thousands of early, consistent, and well-documented manuscripts. 

So does this prove that there is an afterlife?  If you are looking for reasons NOT to believe then no.  You either have faith or not.  My obscure blog won’t be enough to do it.  I can’t explain it scientifically.  Some things we can’t just have every detail figured out for us to believe.  For me, there is an assurance settled within me that my life will not end at death but when I am absent in my physical body, I will be present with the Lord.