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At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
John 19:41-42

Good Friday

What language shall I borrow, To thank thee, dearest friend,
For this thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end?
Oh, make me thine forever,
And should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never Out-live my love to thee.

Oh sacred head now wounded, by Bernard of Clarvaux
Jesus looked toward heaven and prayed,

"Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began."

John 17:1-5

Kyle+Sushi=happiness.

March 2009 020

Rory’s brother Kyle came to Omaha on business last week! This was very exciting for us. Other than Minnesotans who drive through Nebraska on their way to Colorado, we are thinking it will be rare for family and friends to actually make it to Omaha. But Kyle came on business and we were so excited to have family in town!

I remember thinking often while on our fall road trip, how nice it was to spend time with just one family or relatives, or just one relative. It felt like we got to know a lot of family and friends much better in the smaller numbers. I thought this when Kyle was here too. To have uninterrupted conversation was really, really nice (no offense to noisy nieces and nephews and loud family gatherings).

He and Rory shared a brother-laugh that left them both in tears for a good chunk of the time we were at Maggie Moos. Priceless.

Kyle took us out for Sushi and I shall never be the same. I used to be leery, but I am now a believer. And I can’t wait to go back for more.

Worried. Concerned. Nervous.

I'm in the middle of reading Exodus right now and cannot believe how hard it is for Moses and God to convince the Israelites that God will provide for their needs. They are crying for freedom and God displays very obvious signs of his power and authority over all things by turning the Nile into blood, sending frogs and flies and gnats and locusts in disgusting, gross numbers, spreading boils over the skin of the Egyptians and their animals and finally displaying his wrath and anger regarding Pharoah's inability to cooperate, the first born of every Egyptian household is killed.

It paints a picture of a very serious God on a very serious mission to free his people.

The Israelites saw all of this with their own eyes. Wonders that no one could concoct on their own. But immediately upon their release the Israelites are complaining, wondering why they ever left the slavery and bondage they had in Egypt. They assume they will die between the Red Sea the Egyptians, but here comes God again, sending up a pillar of fire to slow the Egyptians and parting the entire red sea. And even after walking between two walls of water, they still can't comprehend God's provision. Because next they are hungry, and are worried they might starve. Again, always faithful, God sends quail and then consistently provides manna. But if you give a mouse a cookie...or if you give some Israelites some manna, they're going to want something to drink. So this time, God provides water from a rock and even still WITH ALL OF THESE MIRACLES nothing seems to help them relax into the consistent, never-failing provision of their God.

At camp we have sent out 70 staff contracts for our summer staff. And just in the past week we have had multiple people email and call saying they will not be returning their contract as other things have come up for their summer. And being that we're supposed to run a camp in 8 weeks, I've been left a little worried. Concerned. Nervous. Wondering in what ways I can use my might and my power to get more contracts in. But today, when I wrote in the margin of my bible yet again, "why can't they just trust God?!!" I heard my own God quite clearly, "why can't you just trust me?"

Yowch. Humbleness.

"Not by might and not by power, but by my spirit," says the Lord. Zechariah 4:6