Saturday Before Easter

Errands done, garage straightened up, work project finished, yard work done, emails checked.  It’s snowing, cold… breezy. I’m leaning back in my desk chair…

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday… inhale, exhale. Lord, shift my heart to Easter.

My mind goes to the resurrection. No sooner do I say “resurrection” under my breath and I’m in tears.

There is no order or sequence to these vignettes, combined they are but a glimpse of that instant moment in time when there is no more time… in the twinkling of an eye… when I will be raised/changed.

I will be on my face in tears or adoration… no, I think I’ll be on my feet with arms victoriously thrust up with my heart bursting in praise … or maybe just still… finally still and silent…  I could see myself thrown into His arms, silent, in tears, finding the words that have been groanings deep within all my life. There is so much to say here…

I will see my father, Al McConnell for the very first time… there is nothing more I can say in this moment here.

I will see my mom… free from grief/pain.  

Lori and I will gaze into one another’s eyes like never before… our daughters, their husbands, their children and their children will be on some dance floor that’s like a jeweled sea dancing, dancing, dancing some kind of previously-unknown-heavenly folk dance that has us all holding shoulders, kicking up our feet, singing in Hebrew, with colorful hats, shimmering garments…in some ever growing family circle laughing as we wobble all over.

Lori and I will wander through some crowded banquet hall of heaven with a never empty glass filled with the finest wine. Like a massive wedding reception (only with good food and a great DJ), the hall is jammed… we don’t walk, we bounce off countless groups of re-united families and friends; bumping into Nanny & Pop, Jim Schulz, Grandma & Grandpa McConnell, my dad…old friends, old knuckleheads and “nobodies” from every era, age and continent…

There a campfire in a moonscape alpine valley with the men I’ve served with over the years… A whole lot of stories you wouldn’t expect to hear are being told… but finally a lull in the conversation comes, and someone summarizes it all, “We made it… We did well”.

Okay… it’s at this point that my writing cannot keep up with my heart and mind’s kaleidoscopic impressions. I’m flooded with emotions, pictures, images, passages, quotes, faces, stories …

20 minutes pass. I cannot describe all my heart yearns for at the mention of “resurrection”.

I cannot fully express all my heart wants to say to Christ. That day will come.

He IS risen!

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."

"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. -1 Corinthians 15

-Craig McConnell

Comments

[Ken Curry]

AMEN to those great Words!

[Mike Dyer]

This has been a difficult month of learning. It's funny. As this message becomes more and more real, you get to a point where you ask, "Lord God, teach me to fight...teach me to eagage!" And when life seems to get freakin hard you ask, "Lord God, why does life have to be so hard?"...and the answer...somewhat playfully..."you asked me to teach you how to fight..." and you almost have to smile. I do so look forward to the celebration you described above, and my heart leaps at the thought, "We made it, we did well." Thanks Craig

[Jenny]

Craig, my eyes filled with tears as I read your "mind's kaleidoscopic impressions" of the day we are ressurected and join Christ in heaven. Oh, how I passionately long for that day, even as my journey continues here on this earth. I think of the scene from the end of Gladiator and it's Jesus speaking when I hear the words," We will see you soon, but not yet. Not yet."

May you and Lori have a beautiful Easter day filled with hope and joy...

[dan anderson]

It will be sweet!

[Jill Dyer]

I, too, felt tears in my eyes reading your account of what that day might be like. I felt my heart stumble a bit though as I realized religion has clouded Easter for me. I forget that it pertains to me too. That the miraculous, soul-consuming, resurrection of Jesus means that today and every day is a day of new life for me. That I don't walk around in my grave-clothes but I am clothed with his Beauty. That because of His breaking-out, rising from the dead, I have a story to live and look forward to. That there is a day where I will be fully known and KNOW that I am fully known. That I have a day of "impressions" coming for me. It makes me miss what I have only had glimpses of...I can't wait for you, Jesus. Come soon!

[David Felts]

Craig, I'm reminded of this scene from The Lord of the Rings:

“End? No, the journey doesn’t end here. Death is just another path… One we must all take. The gray rain-curtain of this world falls back, and all changes to silver glass… And then you see it.” “What? Gandalf? …See what?” “White shores…and beyond. The far green country under a swift sunrise.” “Well, that isn’t so bad.” “No…No, it isn’t.”

White shores and beyone....I can't wait!

[Charlie]

A grand day indeed!

[Beverly Hudson]

See you at Suppertime! Rev.19:9
Blessings,
Beverly

[Tony Devine]

"Come further in! Come further up!" he (Aslan) shouted over his shoulder.

The Chronicles of Narnia- The Last Battle

[Darren]

Not one there will be minimized
Not one left alone
Not a single one outside the fullness of His glory

And I sing my heart out into eternity
without a single breath
Pure satisfaction and perfection
Each one shining to the extent of all potential
Exactly as he made us to be

No one remains a mystery
Each is known by all
The warmth of each soul reaching across all space
As we all are connected through our Father

All pain is forgotten
from a forgiveness flashing as soon as we arrive
Understanding each one's heart
and seeing them free and unrestrained for God,
All disappointment is gone

[Craig McConnell]

Mike,
It strikes me that there is so much being said when we make the request you did; "Lord God, teach me to fight...teach me to engage!"

We're saying there is a life I am not fully living now. A life richer, deeper than the one I'm living... a life of intimacy, adventure, goodness and compassion that is available.

We are saying there IS more!
It's a life we must fight for!

We're saying our desire for such a life is so passionate and core that we'll step into the ring to fight for it. The prize surpasses and outweighs the hardships/pain/battles endured.

We're saying we believe God wants THAT life for us and will do everything to prepare us to seize and possess it. We're saying God is good.

We're saying, "We are up to it". Of course the posture of our heart is that the life we long for is found IN God, OF God and THROUGH God and a gracious gift to us. AND because of the work of God in and through me… I cast aside the shame, self-contempt, small script and the haunting messages of the fall and my woundedness to engage and fight. There's something very noble and strong about us surfacing in our request.

In fact, the very prayer indicates one is living well, engaged and fighting too. – Craig McConnell

[Jill Dyer]

Darren,

"No one remains a mystery, each is known by all." How cool is that. Love it. Thank you for sharing with us.

[Vern Hyndman]

Having shared a dance floor with you; having seen you in action, the whole "folk dance" idea is seared into my brain...

You model freedom and community when you party... and I can't imagine what that might look like with MORE freedom, with ultimate freedom.

I think I'll put down the video camera for that party.

-vern-

[Mike Dyer]

Craig, thank you for the encouraging words. They have been helpful and I keep coming back to them.