connecting individuals to Jesus
On Easter morning I almost opened the announcements by saying, “How about those first place Tigers?!” Then, for a while yesterday I was hoping to be able to say it again today – all we needed was to hang on to our lead over the Twins and for Cleveland to defeat the Royals. First place sounds pretty good – even if it is only April 8.
Why, O why, O why was I still up at midnight on a Tuesday night during one of the busiest weeks of my year? The basketball game – exciting as it was – certainly did not end the way I hoped. Why, O why, O why, did the University of Michigan team look so different from the game just two days prior?
While I probably should be writing about our second granddaughter being born this day, my deadline does not allow it. “Andi” will just have to wait to have her story told on another day. Yesterday, after a morning that brought back a variety of childhood memories, Brooklyn then came to spend the night while I was CARoling.
There are times (more than I care to admit) that the “negative Hetzner” in me rises up to exasperating heights. Like a few days ago, when I heard one news affiliate’s mission statement and laughed out loud. The negative old
This past Saturday God called home a dear and faith-filled lady whom I had the privilege of pastoring. She was born in 1923. She suffered from dementia. Due to the pandemic, she was separated from her family during her last days on earth. Even if this is not sounding familiar to you, it certainly does to me. It all could also be said of my mother-in-law, except that she was called home about nine months earlier.
Over the past two Sundays, I have seen a few faces in worship that I have not seen in the sanctuary for months. I also keep hearing about more and more people I know who have been vaccinated. And restaurants are back up to 50% capacity. I think things are loosening up – even if it is ever so slowly. I expect the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will help, too. First of all, it is a single-dose vaccine.
You may not be old enough to remember this hit song by Leslie Gore from 1963, but the words are still great to sing, “My life is sunshine, lollipops and … Everything that’s wonderful is sure to come your way. …” While I am not quite sure about the lollipops, I do know that sunshine is a game-changer for me. And this week we have truly been blessed with some wonderful, sunshine-filled days.
No, on Tuesday I did not feel bad celebrating my birthday in the pool at Hilton Head while Detroit was digging out from 10 inches of snow … yet believe it or not, there is a little sadness in our hearts about missing what is hopefully the biggest snow of the year. Settling for 50’s and some clouds, we are not anywhere close to the +75o and pure sun for which we yearn. However, the refreshment of being able to relax, reflect, recreate, and read are exactly what we desired.
How often have you made a decision that later came back to bite you? No, I am not talking about our decision to get our second COVID vaccine yesterday. 15 hours later my arm still feels fine, I am great, and I am certain that it was the right thing to do. And I definitely am not talking about our decision six months ago to leave for Hilton Head tomorrow. The decision I am thinking about I made nearly a dozen years ago!
A week ago Wednesday I received a phone from someone I hadn’t seen in a few years. A little way into the conversation he said to me, “Pastor, I would like you to conduct my funeral.” Now, usually when someone says something like this to me, I reach for the calendar app in my phone and ask (with my tongue in my cheek), “When would you like to book it?”