Wildflower Writes

Bruno van der Kraan on Unsplash As the sun sets on another Easter, I reflect on a week honoring Jesus’ last days on earth, including his death and resurrection. One of my favorite parts of the Easter story is when the women go to finish preparing the body, and upon arriving at the empty tomb, meet a couple of angels. They ask the women: “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” I wonder how often we don’t find what we’re looking for because we’re looking in the wrong place. We look for a sense of worth in the opinions of others. We look for meaning in the words of celebrities. We look for fulfillment in how well we perform at school or work. When we seek all the good things of life, such as love, security, and meaning, in the world, we’re looking in the wrong places. The world is like a tomb. It is only an empty shell without Jesus. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” He is the source of all good things, the only way to know and be reconciled to God, th...

It's Good Friday. I've always struggled with that title. When do we say a day is good when someone dies? I know the answer. I know Good Friday marks the day Jesus died on the cross, taking on the sins of the world to die with Him. But right now I'm considering the moment he washes the feet of his betrayer. The time he spends praying in agony, anticipating the torture he will endure. His best friends deserting Him. Being accused of countless lies, and choosing to remain silent. The angry faces of men and women shouting "Crucify!" knowing it was for these souls He would choose to die. The agonizing scourging before being mocked and spit upon by soldiers. The rough wood on His torn flesh as he struggles to carry His cross uphill. Being placed on display, naked, before His own mother. Offering hope to a thief even as He struggles to breathe. Finally, completing the work He came to earth to do and breathing His last. Could anything but supernatural love spur this...

Continued from 5/15 post… Just as Wendy was trying to figure out how she was going to open the door when she reached the third floor, the door swung open.  A tall young man with curly brown hair, dressed in scrubs, jumped a little when he realized his path was blocked.  He held the door open while Wendy wheeled her bike through.  He cocked his head for a moment, a touch of amusement playing on his lips.  She gave a half smile and shrugged her shoulders.  She knew she must look ridiculous.  She found a family lounge area and wheeled her bike into a corner.  Surely no one else would be dumb enough to take a bike down stairs.  It was probably safe.  Wendy took a deep breath, and wiped her hands on her shorts.  She counted the room numbers, and finally ended up in front of 406.  She walked slowly into the room.  She looked for her mom, but no one was in the room except someone’s feet covered in white sheets to her left. ...

I’ve been invited to three weddings this summer. Three couples are making the last arrangements as they prepare to start new lives together as husbands and wives. Will any of them use the traditional wedding vows? “I, (name), take you (name), to be my (wife/husband), to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.” When they take those vows, will they mean them? Statistics say they have about a 50-50 chance of staying together. Will they make it? It seems lately I’ve been inundated with the subject of divorce. It may be one of those things that seems like it’s everywhere once you start paying attention. It started when I found out an acquaintance was “looking for a lawyer.” The next day, old sitcom reruns on TV played on the divorce theme. In one episode of “Still Standing,” two teens bet on how soon their aunt’s marriage is going to end. On “Reba...

A lot of people don’t know why today is called “Good Friday.” After all, a man died a horrible, gruesome death. What’s so good about that? “Good” doesn’t seem adequate to describe the magnitude of the act demonstrated on the cross. One God/man took on the entire pandemic of sin, from Adam until the end of time, upon his shoulders. He accepted the penalty of death in the most humiliating and painful way possible. Such powerful act should be described as “great,” “wonderful,” or “awesome,” not merely “good.” Jesus’ act was good, though, in a purely moral sense. He took the punishment we deserved upon Himself. He laid down His life so we might have eternal life. It’s hard to think about the suffering He had to endure for me to be saved from my sins. I wasn’t even able to watch “The Passion” for two years after it was released, because it was hard to conceive that level of commitment under those circumstances. The song, “Feel the Nails” by Ray Boltz haunts me especially this time o...