"The thing about the iceberg is..."

I just finished watching Big Fish in my UCOR class. The movie is filled with crazy cinematography and the fiction story after fiction story is told about his time growing up by the father, Edward. Throughout the movie, the father/son relationship between the two is a struggle. The son gets so fed up with hearing the same stories over and over again that they get so old that he can barely carry on a conversation with his father.

By the end of the movie, the roles have switched. The father asks his son to tell him "how he goes." This part was my favorite part of the movie. The son carries his father down to the river in the last minutes of his life. Along side the path down to the river stands everyone who has been in his life at some point or another. "Everybody's there, and I mean everybody. And the strange thins is, there's not a sad face to be found, everyone's just so happy to see you." What a cool way to go - be able to wave goodbye to everyone who has been a part of your life and who has made a significant impact.

I had the awesome opportunity to attend a worship service at St. Mark's Episcopal Church here in Seattle better known as compline for the first time this past Sunday. Wow. To begin, the church was beautiful. Walking into the place, I was reminded of all the children of God and that this is just one place that they can come to gather and worship. It was such a cool environment to be in for the short 1/2 hour I was. The choir of older men filled up the church with their beautiful voices. I thought, "Wow, this is what Heaven's going to be like. Complete serenity."

Surprised by Joy

Today was my first Easter not being at home in 18 years.

But what an encouraging Easter Sunday it was.

The Baldwin Family tradition calls for an early sunrise service. Therefore, I attended a 630am service down by the canal at the bottom of campus. What a better way to start off a day than singing "Oh Happy Day" and in fellowship with friends.

Next stop, Mars Hill Church. Resurrection party with Red Letter!

"Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen! And my soul knows sweet salvation!"

One fact, in particular, came to my friend, Steph, and I's attention today after attending three church services. After Jesus rose from the dead, he reappeared and disappeared over the course of 40 days in full flesh to the people of Jerusalem. In many accounts in the gospels, it is said that he laughs, eats, and preaches (all human characteristics) with his disciples to show them how true and alive He is in their lives and how he would fulfill his promise to rise again in three days.

One passage that was highlighted today was John 20, where Jesus appears to seven disciples when they are fishing, and they cannot catch anything, but Jesus gives instructions from the shore to throw their nets out on the right side of the boat. In doing so, the disciples catch so many fish that they have a difficult time pulling in the catch. In flesh, Jesus encourages by appearing so real and alive to the disciples.

"And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins."

-- 1 Corinthians 15.17

Jesus Christ's resurrection is the basis of our faith. If Jesus never rose from the dead, we would not be alive today. But because of God's gift of His Son to die for our sins past, present, and future, we have the gift of life because of his sacrifice. The greatest sacrifice in the world.

S.M. Lockridge says it all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z15FlTONVo