Pastor Craig - May 2018

 This phrase has been a part of my life growing up in North Dakota. The snow had gone. (except for that last snow storm that seemed to show up in April) As kids we could not wait to get outside and play and not have to wear snow suits. Our bikes had been waiting for us to ride up and down the hills since the Fall. The Saturday would come and then it would rain and rain and rain some more. Then Mom would utter that familiar phrase, "April Showers Bring May Flowers" in that sing songy voice.

 To say we are spoiled in Tucson is an understatement. Flowers and budding plants happen here all year long. There are unique times when the citrus blossoms happen and other cactus and trees bloom, but for the most part we can have evidence of God's growing miracle all year long. As such, guess what, we can and do take it for granted. Unless something so unusual happens to draw our attention to it.

 Many years ago, I had a next-door neighbor who I did not know well come knocking on my door at about 10:00pm. I immediately was in "pastor mode" and wondering what was wrong. She said, "You have got to see this!" She took us to the front of her house and there underneath the light was her cactus. (I know as you read this you will know what flavor of cactus this was.) It was that variety that only blooms at night and only for a short time. It was fabulous. It was so impressive that she had to share it with someone and we were the lucky ones.

 The church is still in the season of Easter. Our scripture lessons are still recounting the various appearances of Jesus to the disciples and to the people and what their reactions were. The various people that went and saw the empty tomb needed to share the experience. The men on the road to Emmaus could not wait to get back to the disciples to tell them of what they had seen. Even the disciples, received a renewed sense of hope when the risen Lord appeared to them.

 As long as I remember that Easter Lilly was always the flower of the resurrection. I remember even as a kid thinking that the trumpet shape of the flower was a fitting way to announce the empty tomb.

 In many ways, the act of planting is an illustration of Jesus' death and resurrection. One takes the seed and puts it into the dark soil, you cover it up and you just wait and hope that something happens. I am sure that someone has figured out the "force" needed to have a plant "burst" through the ground to grow into the plant that it was always meant to be. Think of Jesus as that one that in his death has "burst" forth from the tomb so that he can be who he has always been, the Son of God.

 My prayer always is that today you are able to see the blossoms that God has provided in your life and not be trapped in only seeing the weeds.

In Christ,

Pastor Craig