Live Out Loud - Adventures of a mom

 I wasn't supposed to write anything today, but my mind keeps on wandering to what happened between the time Jesus dies and the time the women find that He is no longer dead. Today, my mom reminded me also that tomorrow, resurrection Sunday, happens to be the Chinese festival of Tomb sweeping. And today, I see that the covid-19 numbers continue to climb and the ICU's continue to see more and more people. It is easy to miss on all of this, but as I bring these to my consciousness, I actually see a lot of mourning, pain and death. The disciples just got the shock of their lives and I wondered if they are still in shock, a day after Jesus truly is dead.  Joseph of Arimathea truly took Jesus' body down and with Nicodemus, they embalm Jesus and they truly bury him. I have seen death in my life (see previous blog posts on death: Facing Death,   So this is love too , Head on , among others [search: death]) and I wonder if the disciples are still in shock.  Just a day ago th...

  This morning I read what Jesus did with his disciples after their dinner.  We read how things got from bad to worse very quickly; so bad that it will lead Him ultimately to death. It is a journey of betrayal, hurt, loneliness, agony, pain, and separation. And it was GOOD, because that was the entire reason why Jesus came in the first place. But before moving onto all the events that mark the ultimate betrayal, hurt, loneliness and death, what catches my attention was Gethsemane. Dinner started well with the disciples.  They were probably still amazed a stranger let them use his house to prepare for the Passover dinner.  They were having a good time but then Jesus got 'weird' again and started telling them about betrayals that made no sense and departures that sounded so depressing ( "where I am going you cannot go").  And then Jesus starts washing their feet and telling them to love one another and follow His example. Some were probably listening more than oth...

In today's reading, we read about the Lord's Last Supper, Jesus washing the feet of the disciples, and Him declaring that Judas would betray Him and Peter would deny Him. (Matthew 26:17-35; John 13:1-38) It is a lot to digest. As a teacher, and being that right now I am mentoring a student teacher, my attention gravitates towards Jesus' teaching methods.  He always sets the example.  He always takes the first step.  He doesn't lecture first.  I wonder what the disciples might have thought when he stood up and prepared the towels and basin to wash their feet.  I imagine that there was an "awkward" moment.  Stares being made.  Heads shaking in disbelief. But Jesus doesn't ask.  Jesus doesn't explain.  Jesus just does. And I wondered.  How many of the Twelve really paid attention? How many were observing intently? How many continued eating?  How many saw and went back to the conversations and food?  How many were so appalled at ho...

  After Jesus enters Jerusalem, he pretty much runs out of time on that day (😜) and so he leaves town with the Twelve and returns to the temple the next day.  Many of us have studied the scene where Jesus gets mad and kicks out all the vendors in the Temple. Check and Check Anything new? This scene actually is sandwiched by a situation around a fig tree (Mark 11:12-25; Matthew 21:18-19; John 19:45-48).  I have never really paid much attention to it.  Partly, because it was puzzling, and the other reason perhaps was that talking about Jesus being mad and angry and overthrowing tables seemed so much more dramatic. But this week, I am drawn to that fig tree The first reactions I got as we studied this passage was to wonder why Jesus would curse a poor little tree.  The tree had done nothing wrong!  It was not season yet!  And the tree was healthy (was it?).  As Jesus explains things, and he reminds Peter to forgive, we wondered "does that mean that ...

  Today I read about Palm Sunday, or Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem with my Bible group ( Matthew 21:1–11, Mark 11:1–11, Luke 19:28–44, and  John  12:12–19).  A few observations catches my eye this time. 1. Jesu s did not have to stop by Bethpage and Bethany.  Jesus didn't even have to send the 2 disciples over to get the colt 2. Jesus often talks and responds to the crowd - but here, as he entered and the crowds cheered, there is no mention of him saying anything in response 3. Jesus' disciples are often "clueless" and they often challenge him; but this time, these two that he sent to get the colt, just 'did it as Jesus directed them' 4. Where did the crowd come from? 5. Jesus goes back to Bethany after this because it was late. These observations are interesting.  If I have to go downtown, and I can get there, why bother stopping by a nearby town unless there was a point he was trying to make?  And why did he only send two of the twelve? ...

  This is Easter week and I am spending the week reading through the Easter story with some.  As we read each passage, I realize there is so much beyond the story.  I have heard it all. Having grown up in church, I have seen all the skits, sang all the songs, watch all the movies and read all the passages. But the Word of God is alive and God speaks to us daily.  So here are some of my reflections, as I read and ponder through each one. May it draw you closer to Jesus.  Read on each reflection.  I will be posting every day this week. Reflection 1:  Listen and Do it Reflection 2:  Did I miss the lesson? Reflection 3: Peter, annoyingly engaged Reflection 4:  Why Bother going to Gethsemane? Reflection 5:  Mourning